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The Erie Railroad published watch requirements in September 1891.
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60, by the Waltham Crescent Street, by the Howard 'Gilt Heat and Cold,' and all grades equal quality and above."īall required watch inspection every two weeks and rejected watches which did not meet standards in order to ensure accuracy and facilitate safe railroad operation. New watches were to be "higher grade which quality is represented by the Hampden New Railway and New No. 35 and Crescent Street, by Hampden Perry and Railway, Nos 59 and 60, by the Howard 'Gilt Heat and Cold,' and all grades above those named." Ball, Chief Inspector of Watches, on Augindicated the standard adopted by the Company for its employes' watches now in service is one is equal to what is generally known among American movements as the "15-jewels, Patent Regulator, adjusted." Ball indicated this quality of movement "is represented by the Elgin Raymond and No. Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railway Co. By the mid-1920's production of 18-size railroad grade movements had ended. Total 16-size watch movement production exceeded 18-size watches by 1915. The marking "Adjusted" gave way to "Adjusted 5 Positions" and just about all new standard watches were fitted with a double roller. Requirements for new watches to be used in railroad service changed - eventually only open-face watches were allowed, fewer 18-size movements were allowed, and the minimum number of jewels was increased to 17 jewels, 21-jewel watches became popular.
#E howard watch serial number lookup code
The certificate referenced specified "variation not to exceed thirty seconds per week." While adherence to the Standard Code was voluntary, it represented best operating practices for the 1880's and was based on rules already in use by various railroad companies.ĭuring the 1890's 18-size, 17-jewel pocket watches dominated sales for railroad service, with most being adjusted to positions by the middle of the decade.īy the first decade of the twentieth century new smaller model "16-size" pocket watches began to appear in significant quantities. Conductors and enginemen entering service must file such a certificate before they are allowed to take charge of trains or engines and watches must be examined, and certificates renewed, every six months." "Each conductor and engineman must have a reliable watch, which has been examined and certified to on the form attached hereto, by a responsible watchmaker. In April 1887 the General Time Convention adopted Rule 16 of the Standard Code: They began their work by sending questionnaires to member railroads.
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Through the 1880's "adjusted" typically meant adjusted to isochronism, heat and cold, although the highest grade watch movements were also adjusted to positions.īeginning in 1885 the General Time Convention worked to develope a Standard Code of Railroad Operating Rules, an industry code that is still in use. Watch standards continued to evolve as time progressed and technology improved, however watches which met railroad requirement at the time they entered service typically could continue to be used as long as they remained in first-class condition and continued to meet the 30 second per week requirement.Īmerican made 18-size, 15-jewel, patent regulator, "adjusted" pocket watches in both hunting and open face cases dominated railroad service during the later part of nineteenth century. Not all watches manufactured as meeting railroad standards were approved by all railroads.Ī standard watch is one that met the general time service requirements that were in effect at the time that it was built. While some railroads listed specific makes and grades as acceptable, others just listed requirements. Different railroads accepted different watches. Each railroad either established their own requirements and had its own inspection service, or contracted an inspection service to ensure that all watches in use by specified personnel meet standard requirements.
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