A friend gave me this old Ramapo Iron Works switch stand. It has a cast in patent date of May 27, 1884. I have never seen a switch stand like this in pictures or in person. A friend told me he had seen a very similar stand with 'FRISCO' cast into the base. Unfortunately, this switch stand does not have that in the casting. However, the information I was given is that it is Frisco in heritage. Reportedly, from the now abandoned Beaumont, KS to Enid, OK line.

I have tried to search online for resources on Ramapo switch stands. About the only info I came up with is that they became Racor at some point potentially in the 1930's.

I am looking for any info anyone might have on this style switch stand or other Ramapo switch stands from around this time period.

I realize that there is not a switch stand collectors association to contact and there appears to be little info on the topic in general. Any info that you all may have to share would be appreciated.

You might try posting the photos on this Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/398555284695011

this link should give you the issued patent. Found using google patents. https://patentimages.storage.googleapis ... 299176.pdf

lots of other info on Ramapo switch stands by searching "patents.google.com" and entering the search term "Ramapo and switch".

Looks like a medium height base with a regular mast for the targets. I have a Model "31" Rigid stand in my back yard. The main casting on mine is 36" tall. There is a wing on the one side so a person could climb up the side of the stand to install or service a switch lamp. Using the step with the cast footplate that slid into position on the mast, a person could get up close to their work if they could figure out a way to keep their balance. Ramapo stands were popular here in the east. They offered and I have seen a catalog with the different stands they offered. Unfortunately the catalog disappeared when the RR I worked for changed hands. Your stand has a longer handle than was originally sold with the stand, suggesting that the handle was replaced at some point. My RR had several stands that had pipes hammered on the original short handles to make them easier to throw. Because of the abandonment of the NYO&W, NYS&W's Hanford Branch and the LNE, newer Ramapo stands were readily available. I spent my first couple of years on the track gang replacing those older stands with the pipe extensions. Included as an attachment is a photo copy of the adjustment instructions for a Ramapo stand.


Send me a PM with your e-mail if you would like a better copy. The forum restricts the size of attachments to a small size.

Thanks for responding. Didn't know about the Facebook page. Thanks! Also didn't think about looking for patent info. Appreciate that also. The diagrams in that link will help me with disassembly as I continue to work on restoration. When I got it you could not spin it or move the latching handle. Both work now.

Ed, PM sent.

Thanks!

"this link should give you the issued patent. Found using google patents. https://patentimages.storage.googleapis ... 299176.pdf

lots of other info on Ramapo switch stands by searching "patents.google.com" and entering the search term "Ramapo and switch"."

You can also skip Google and go directly to the source of all US Patents;

https://ppubs.uspto.gov/pubwebapp/stati ... nding.html

or;

https://patft.uspto.gov/netahtml/PTO/search-adv.htm

Funny thing the US Patent and Trademark Organization is about 30 years behind the times and requires an old school "query" based database interface.

Pays to not ask the USPTO "What's new and non-obvious"....

Funny thing about that Patent for the switch stand, note the "No Model" text in the borders of the patent text. In the beginning an inventor had to submit a scale model of their invention to get a patent. Then the USPTO ran out of space to store all the models so they waived their own requirement (for their own survival, gotta love gubermint). Seems like this patent was examined/issued during the transition between; "You have to give us a model" and "Forget the model we have no place to store it"....

Cheers, KevinK

I thought I would post a follow-up. the Patent office filing was very helpful in dissassembling the switch stand. It has taken longer due too the amount of rust and parts that were stuck together very tightly. But I now have them dissassembled and ready to go to bead blasting. The biggest casting will hopefully go to sand blaster sometime early next week. I have attached a photo of the component pieces. I do want to thank all that responded to my initial posting.