Old railway lantern SNCF, the Railway Lantern is a signalling device used in rail transport since ancient times, this lantern contains the inscription with the letters SNCF.
The SNCF, French acronym for "Société nationale des chemins de fer français" (English: French National Railway Company), is a French state-owned company in charge of the operation of the railways in France.
This lantern was used in France during the 19th and early 20th century to indicate the presence and direction of trains on railway tracks.
It consists of a very sturdy main metal casing with a glass lens at the front, which can be opened.
It has a small inscription apart from the initials SNFC, although due to the passage of time they cannot be read very clearly.