stopped into a junk shop today.....

[NOLA_Ken]

I can't help it, I'm a sucker for a junk shop, and for old keys. Today I stopped in one and there it was a box with a sign that says "old keys 50 cents each" The pics tell the rest, the first is a lock I found on the tracks years ago, the second is my 50 cent key, and the third is when they met.

 

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[creskol]

Cool! Well worth the investment! Nice to have a complete and functioning old lock!

 

[diggummup]

A marraige made in heaven! You just upped the value of that lock dramatically. Good deal!

 

[jerseyben]

That is too cool. Any idea how old the lock is?

 

[MUD(S.W.A.T)]

Are you kidding me !!

That's outstanding !!

Keep @ it and HH !!

 

[Chug And Red]

That is so cool Finding A key to the Lock!!!! Great Find!!! Chug and the odds that it would work are very low!!!

 

[NOLA_Ken]

That is too cool. Any idea how old the lock is?

It's an Adlake railroad lock, I remember seeing them still on switches up into the early 80's, so it's really anyones guess. I'm thinking there were maybe a few standardized keys for them so railroad men wouldn't have to carry a 50 pound key ring. It took me a minute to pick my jaw up off the floor when it opened though.

 

[augusthog]

That is just toooo cooool!

 

[ynpto804]

I think the lock is a bike lock. Super cool.

 

[Bank Runner]

Awesome find, matching them up together

 

[SEANO]

That was awesome!!

 

[Gunrunner61]

You gotta be kidding me ! Wonder what the odds of that match up was? cool man cool

 

[BuckleBoy]

Yes, the keys were standardized by railroad--so the odds are excellent that any key will match lots of locks with the same markings. If the lock was unmarked, then it is not unlikely to find a matching key. Keys like that are one thing I'd love to dig sometime. Got a buddy that has dug 2 railroad locks, but no luck on one for me yet. Thanks for sharing!

 

[spitfire55]

Wow!.....How did you figure that one out?

TOTALY OUTSTANDING!!!

 

[NHBandit]

The key alone for 50 cents was an awsome score. Railroad keys with the railroad name on them are highly collectible andworth a few bucks. They are also "technically" illegal to sell ever since the homeland security laws were passed after 9/11. The locks are still used by alot of railroads and the thought is that they could fall into the wrong hands and be used to unlock railroad switches and cause trains to derail. Very cool to find that it fits your lock.

 

[NOLA_Ken]

The key alone for 50 cents was an awsome score. Railroad keys with the railroad name on them are highly collectible andworth a few bucks. They are also "technically" illegal to sell ever since the homeland security laws were passed after 9/11. The locks are still used by alot of railroads and the thought is that they could fall into the wrong hands and be used to unlock railroad switches and cause trains to derail. Very cool to find that it fits your lock.

I'm thinking these locks are out of service now, at least I haven't seen one in a long time along the tracks. I picked this lock up pheasant hunting a few years back and it was just laying in the mud along the tracks. I have a different railroad lock as well and will try to dig it out and post a pic tomorrow.

 

[steelheadwill]

Great stuff!
Never know what you'll run into, love the 'junque' shops

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

Good eyes finding that railroad lock key Ken!
I use to collect old padlocks years ago and I was always searching for keys to open them.
If I happened across a really valuable old lock, I'd have a key made for it!
A lock is always worth twice as much with a key that works!

Dave

 

[treasurepirate1]

this reminds me of when someone gave me an old key and i tried it on a 1930s era door lock and it works i was amazed, the odds of these are quite slim

 

[Damon64]