In the past, and even today in some locations, railway track switches or turnouts were "thrown" or changed by a mechanical, manually operated, mechanism known as a switchstand. The fact a switch could change the direction of moving trains from one track to the next required a safety device to notify locomotive operators of the position of the switch. This was accomplished with a metal indicator or a switch lamp as shown above mounted on top of the switchstand. The indicator or lamp was rotated when the switch was thrown. This switchstand lamp has a large red reflector to indicate when the switch is positioned away from the mainline during daylight hours. To be visible at night these kerosene fueled lamps required an employee to keep them filled with fuel, and lit. The colours of the lamp lens may be incorrect in this display. One would expect a red lens in the red reflector.