About Key, Lock & Lantern

Key, Lock & Lantern is a non-profit organization for railroad history buffs and collectors of all types of railroad memorabilia. Members receive a quarterly magazine with detailed articles about railroad artifacts, history, and collecting; a bi-monthly e-mail newsletter; and an invitation to participate in the group's annual convention. Founded in 1966, Key, Lock & Lantern has grown from its beginning as a two page newsletter to become a valuable and well-respected resource for railroadiana collectors and historians.

Despite the name, membership in Key, Lock & Lantern is not limited to collectors of railroad hardware. KL&L members are interested in all aspects of railroad history and collecting, including timetables, photos, and historical research. The cornerstone of the organization is the quarterly magazine, which covers subjects ranging from the history of railroad companies to the cleaning and restoration of artifacts. The bi-monthly newsletter is sent by e-mail to current members, and contains news and announcements about railroadiana shows, book reviews, and profiles of railroad museums. Both publications include "want ad" sections for the sale and trade of railroad memorabilia.

Key, Lock & Lantern holds its annual meeting and convention each year in Albany, NY, at the same location where the group's first railroadiana swap meet was held in 1973. The KL&L Convention is different from railroad hobby shows, as it is a smaller gathering of serious historians and collectors, where sharing knowledge is equally as important as trading memorabilia. While a fair amount of railroadiana changes hands at the swap meet and auction, the most valuable aspects of the convention are the educational and networking opportunities.

Click Here for a brief history of the organization, and some of the people who have been involved with it.

Key, Lock & Lantern has been serving collectors of railroadiana for over forty years, and our organization continues to grow. Anyone with an interest in railroad history and collecting will benefit from membership in Key, Lock & Lantern.

Membership Information

An application blank is available by Clicking Here. The top and bottom portions of the form must be filled out. The directory information (middle section) is used in our membership directory to help bring collectors of like items together. While this section is entirely voluntary, we highly recommend that all members fill out this portion of the form.

Our membership period begins in July of each year. New applications received prior to March 31st will be applied to the current membership period, and the member will receive all magazines published since the previous July. Applications received after March 31st will be applied to the next membership period, and the member will receive magazines beginning in July. A membership in Key, Lock & Lantern always entitles you to four issues of the magazine.

Membership dues are the following:

• $30 Basic Membership (four issues of the KL&L magazine)

• $35 Contributing Membership (supports expansion of the magazine)
  
  
• $40 for non-USA members (extra due to foreign mail rates)