The Carl Ulrich Collection of Lanterns
Erik Wightman and Jason Sanford are pleased to announce that Western Railroad Americana will be handling the lifetime lantern collection of Carl Ulrich.
Carl was a prolific collector of railroadiana specializing in tall globe lanterns. He was well known among the railroadiana collecting community for his commitment and passion to acquire the best and the rarest lanterns he could find. He frequently attended railroad antique shows and also historical society conventions where he would share his knowledge and passion for all things railroad and collecting. Carl was a longtime member of the Railroadiana Collectors Association Incorporated and a frequent contributor to the organization’s quarterly magazine, The Express. Carl contributed numerous lantern photos that were consistently included in articles published in The Express.
We are grateful to Carl’s family that they have entrusted Western Railroad Americana in making sure Carl’s legacy lives on by finding new caretakers for his prized lantern collection. Thank you to all of our friends and customers for your support over the years and making sure Carl’s legacy lives on. We look forward to helping you acquire one of Carl’s lanterns for your collection where it will occupy a place of prominence, just as it did for Carl.
To learn more about Carl’s amazing life story, the lantern collection, and the sale, please keep reading…
Carl Ulrich
Born in Chicago, Illinois on May 25, 1935, he was the son of Carl W. and Mary Ulrich. His early life was spent in Chicago. On July 6, 1963 he married the love of his life, Barbara Hinebaugh. Following their marriage, they lived in Skokie and Libertyville, Illinois before finally settling in Salem, Wisconsin in 1988.
Carl’s interest in railroads started at a young age and he spent a lifetime dedicated to preserving railroad history. In his late teens he worked for the Chicago & North Western Railway as a hostler in Weber Yard. In 1961 Carl became involved with Mid-Continent Railway Museum when it was based out of Milwaukee and known as the “Railway Historical Society of Milwaukee”.
As an active member of the Mid-Continent Railway Museum, Carl helped out on numerous restoration and preservation projects including: the MCRM #104 coach (Badger #2 Fish Car), the moving of Louisiana Cypress Lumber Co. #2, the moving of Consumers Co. #701, the return to steam operations of Chicago and Northwestern locomotive #1385, and the rescue and restoration of Great Northern coach #3261. Carl’s legacy at the Mid-Continent Railway Museum lives on today as coach #3261 is one of the museums finest restored coaches and and a favorite of the museum members and patrons. Carl, known for his artistic talents, also produced the Mid-Continent Railway Museum’s “lantern and locomotive” logo that the museum still uses today.
Carl could always be found working or helping out on the museum’s steam locomotives. Carl took on his own locomotive project at the Mid-Continent Railway Museum when he purchased and returned to operation the Warren & Ouachita Valley #1. Throughout his life, Carl continued to volunteer at the Mid-Continent Railway Museum, including with the rebuilding and test firing of the Saginaw Timber #2. Saginaw Timber #2 was of special significance to Carl as this is the first steam locomotive that Carl purchased and restored to operation while he was with the Kettle Moraine Railway in North Lake, Wisconsin.
As much as Carl enjoyed full size railroad equipment he really enjoyed building live steam models. He taught himself to be a master in building 1-1/2” scale and 2-1/2″ scale locomotives and cars. The equipment that he made was extremely impressive and very detailed. He was a narrow gauge enthusiast and he accomplished his dream of creating a 2-1/2″ scale model of the narrow gauge Colorado & Southern Railroad on his property in Salem, Wisconsin.
Carl passed away peacefully on Friday, October 29, 2021 at the age of 86. Carl Ulrich, a life well lived surrounded by the people he loved and the railroads he loved. Highball, Carl…
The Collection
- Early brass top lanterns and cast globes from the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad in Nebraska.
- Burlington Cedar Rapids and Northern M.M. Buck brass top bell bottom lantern with a clear cast globe.
- Early Chicago Burlington and Quincy Railroad brass top lanterns from W.M. Westlake and Adams and Westlake.
- Chicago, Dubuque and Minnesota Railroad W.M. Westlake brass top wire bottom lantern with a wheel cut globe.
- Colorado Midland Railroad C.T. Ham brass top bell bottom lantern.
- Early Chicago Rock Island and Pacific railroad brass top lanterns from Adams and Westlake.
- Colorado Springs and Cripple Creek District Railroad R.R. Signal lantern.
- Denver and Rio Grande Railroad early M.M. Buck brass top bell bottom lantern with a cast globe.
- Early Fremont Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad brass top lantern from Adams and Westlake.
- Kansas City St. Joe and Council Bluffs Railroad Steam Gauge brass top bell bottom lantern with a cast globe.
- Mineral Range Railroad Adams and Westlake bell bottom lantern with a cast globe.
- Minneapolis, Sault Ste. Marie and Atlantic Railroad Adams and Westlake model 1882 brass top bell bottom lantern with a cast globe.
- St. Paul and Duluth Railroad Steam Gauge brass top bell bottom lantern.
- St. Paul Minneapolis and Manitoba Adams and Westlake model 1882 brass top bell bottom lantern with a red cast globe.
Other roadnames represented:
B&MR NEB, B&MRRR IN NEB, BCG&A, BCR&M, BCR&N, BURLINGTON ROUTE, C>R, C&NWRR, C&WRY, CB&NRR, CB&QRR, CD&MRR, CK&NRY, CM&STPRR, CM&STPRY, CMRR, CMRY, COLO MID RR, CRI&PRR, CRRR, CS&CCDRY, CSTPM&ORR, D&IRR, D&RGRR, DL&NRR, DM&N, DMVRR, DSS&ARY, EJ&ERY, ERIE RR, ERIE RY CO, FE&MVRR, FITCHBURG, GBW&STPRR, GNRY, ICRR, KCStJ&CBRR, LS&IR-Y, LS&MSRY, M&GRRR, M&NERR, M&ORR, M&STL, M&STLRY, MCRR, MH&ORR, MINN & PAC RY, MPRR, MR&BT, MR&NW, MRRR, MSSTEM&A, MTRY, NPRR, OIMCO, OKC&E, PMRR, PULLMAN, QO&KCRR, QUINCY MINE CO, SC&P, STLKC&N, STP&DRR, STPM&MRR, T&GRR, TAA&NMRR, TRRA OF STL, V&TRR, W CENT RR, WABASH RR, WCL, WSTL&P
The Sale
If you are interested in becoming the next caretaker of a lantern from Carl’s collection, please subscribe to our e-mail list below. The catalog will be sent to our e-mail list and posted on our website HERE.