This cabinet card is a staged portrait of a man at work. The man is wearing a uniform and most likely he is a railroad worker. He may be an engineer or possibly a conductor. He is holding a brass lantern and writing on a pad. The man’s facial expression seems to say that he means business. One can easily imagine seeing him standing next to a train at a railroad station taking notes. The photographer of this cabinet card is Lyman & Wells, of Columbus, Ohio.
UNIFORMED MAN WITH A LANTERN (OCCUPATIONAL CABINET CARD)
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THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 
Great portrait!
Wonderful photo and unusual pose. My grandfather was a brakeman and then a yardmaster. I have two safety lanterns very like this and also small notebooks that my grandfather listed all a specific train’s cars and destinations.