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Chicago Rock Island & Pacific Railroad key with IH on back. What does the IH stand for?

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    Posted 8 years ago

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    Jerr
    (2 items)

    I have a brass key for a railroad switch lock. It is for the Chicago Rock Island & Pacific Railroad and on the back of key it has IH. Does anyone know what the IH stands for?
    I searched and the only thing I found is that International Harvester had a factory that used the CRI&P railroad to ship and receive shipments.
    I don't think they would use a special key just for the International Harvester factory switch lock or a fence gate with a switch lock on it.
    Could the IH stand for Ice House?
    I know the CRI&P used many different keys cuts for many different uses.
    Are there any former Chicago Rock Island & Pacific Railroad employees that know of this key marking and the bit cut on this key? Check out the 4 pictures and if you know this key let me know what it was used for.
    Thanks, Jerr

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    Comments

    1. Jerr, 8 years ago
      I found a web site that does Railroadiana Auctions, and in their list of past auctions I found another key like this one. Their description says it is marked IH for "Ice House" key for the CRI&P Railroad.
      I am guessing that when passenger train service was still on the Chicago Rock Island & Pacific Railroad they had an Ice House at the depot stations that resupplied the passenger trains and would load ice on the passenger trains when resupplying the trains.
      I know they had special keys for Tool House locks, Tool Rack locks, Repair Track locks, Baggage Car Cellar locks and Dining Car Cellar locks and now I have found an Ice House lock key.
    2. pajrr pajrr, 8 years ago
      Refrigerator cars (reefers) carried perishable good like meat, fruit, vegetables, etc. These cars were iced up at huge ice houses. This key probably worked the locks on that facility. The ice for dining cars would have come from the railroad's commissary.
    3. pajrr pajrr, 8 years ago
      This link http://www.flarr.com/fgeicerc13114.jpg shows the icing of railroad refrigerator cars.
    4. Jerr, 8 years ago
      Thanks pajrr. I think you solved it.
      Do you know about when they started using refrigerated cars that run on diesel and didn't have to use ice? Probably 1940's or 1950's or about when diesel locomotives started being used.
    5. Jerr, 8 years ago
      I also have a CR&IP PH (Pump House) & CRI&P HC (Hand Car) keys.
      I first thought the PH was for Power House but found that it is for Pump House.

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