This extremely unusual key from the Boston & Maine Railroad is the only one like it we have ever come across. Made by Sherburne & Co. of Boston, Massachusetts, which started up in 1865, it is an old one.

The unusual bit is perfectly flat and straight up and down, with an extension jutting out almost a full 1/4 inch on the front. We think it may be a Car key, but other B&M Car Department locks and keys are quite different.

This key is in beautiful display condition. It does show use, and there are some light scratch lines on both sides of the bow, but this is cosmetic only. The large B&MRR serif Roman style letters are clearly evident, as is the manufacturer stamp on the reverse.

The Boston & Maine Railroad, which began in the 1830s, played a huge role in the development of New England transportatin history until it finally closed down in 1983. The Sherburne mark on antique railway locks and keys is highly sought after.