I was asked why a Railroad Approved watch cost $50.00 to $80.00 in 1910 when a regular pocket watch from that time cost $2.00. Read that little booklet page, first three paragraphs..
After all, a RR worker made maybe $10.00 a week.. He was not allowed to work on the railroad without the approved watch and the railroad didn’t furnish the watches, the worker had to buy. A perfect Catch 22. So how was it done? 4 bucks down and a year to pay it off, bit by bit…
For the average railroad worker, his watch was the most valuable and precious thing he owned. It had to be inspected every two weeks! This saved many lives over the years.
Each train had to have four RR watches going at all times, the brakeman, fireman, conductor and engineer all had to have one. Could be Ball (be “On the Ball!”), Hamilton 992 or 950, Illinois Bunn Special or Sangamo Special, Waltham Vanguard or Elgin B. W. Raymond. No other company could make a RR watch that was approved by the Railroads.
RR watches had to have white enamel dials, big arabic numerals (no roman numerals) and other specified items (lever set, screw on crystal, no “hunter” case, 16 size, minimum 21 ruby and sapphire jewels, adjusted for 5 positions, etc.)
For a watch in 1910 to only lose 30 seconds in a week must have seemed like a miracle back in the day. My Rolex can’t do it now!
