I have a watch loaner paper from the New York, New Haven & Hartford R.R. Co.
What kind of watches did they loan out? Or what kind of watches did RR companies loan out?
I know they loaned out a standard RR watch when the Trainman had to have his watch turned in for service. But what did they loan out to the Trainman in the meantime?
thanks,
jeff

Jeff

Other than in a few very early railroads the companies themselves didn't loan out the watches. The railroad watch inspectors did. Sometimes the inspectors were employees of the railroad but most of the time they were independent jewelers that were appointed as watch inspectors.

The inspectors had the cards that had the name of the railroad on them and the card would be issued to each employee.

The loaner watches from the jewelers could basically be any type as long as it met the standards that the railroad set.

If you search here you can find working list of watch inspectors, also there are photos of several loaner watches on the site.

I own several and most are Ball watches but that is probably because he was in charge of the largest group of watch inspectors.

Tom

"Loaner watches" were used mainly by the watch inspectors to loan to the RR employee while his watch was being serviced. They were RRG/RRA for the specific time frame and the specified instructions handed down and mandated by the RR lines superintendent of each RR line or company.

A few RR's also handed out watches to be used for the completion of a "trip", but generally this was the exception instead of the rule. On Jan. 19, 1870 the Pennsylvania RR Co. purchased 80 BW Raymond 15Jewel movements KWKS to be checked out to the engineers/conductors on their round trip tour of duty. These watches had "Pennsylvania Railroad Co" in BLOCK on the dials and were the 15J KWKS B.W. Raymond gilt movements. These watches command significant premiums today and are regarded as the 1st RR loaner watches.

regards,
bb

Did they loan Illinois or Hamilton?
Bunn Specials, Sangamo Specials, 992, 992b, or just Ball watches?
I mean did they loan out really nice watches or just kind of ones that would pass?
thanks Tom & Buster!
I will search the site as well.
jeff

Looks like they were always marked as a loaner and engraved on the back stating so.
right?

Jeff-

To answer your question, I think it mattered what the inspector was promoting/selling for watches at the time. I have seen basically any rr grade watch as a loaner at some point somewhere. Usually they were more standard grades such as a 992 hamilton, 227 south bend, 349 elgin, 21j bw raymond, 645 waltham, 21j vanguard waltha, etc. There are probably a few exceptions to this, but for the most part they were cost effective railroad grade watches being used.

Jared

Whatever the watch inspector[s] had inventoried to "loan" that met the requirements of the RR would of been used. One can assume they were a basic RRG/RRA watch and not one with all the bells & whistles such as highest jeweled models and/or wind indicators. That could have been a 21Jewel watch adjusted 5 position, lever-set, steel escape wheel, that wound at the 12 O'clock position in an open face case. The Hamilton 992, 992B, Illinois Bunn Specal or Sangamo or Sangamo Special, Elgin BW Raymond etc. etc. etc.

Another words whatever was RR grade and RR approved at the time and that the watch inspector/jeweler owned to be let out would of sufficed. Generally the inspector or jeweler would use a cheaper plain jane case with a number engraved on the backside so that he could keep up with the loaned out watches and to make sure say "Number 10" was returned when the RR employee came to pick up his newly serviced watch.

Sometimes these were marked "LOANER" but the majority were simply marked "No.10" etc. and sometimes with the jewelers store name. I personally don't like the word "Loaner" on a watch case as today they are too easily engraved that way and passed off as the real McCoy from that era.

regards,
bb

One other point is that since the loaner cases were marked with the jeweler, I think over the life of the case different watches would come & go out of the case. Now I can't prove that but to me it only makes since. If one of my loaner's came back in needing service but in the mean time I need to loan out another I think it would be possible that another movement would get put in the case.

As to brand of watch, I have several Balls, a Bunn Special and a Hamilton 992B that was from a Denver jeweler in the 1940's.

Tom

I agree with Buster about the cases being faked today, you will see them marked Loaner UP etc. which should be a red flag.

Tom

Thank you so much guys!
I don't know a whole lot about watches. But after spending some time with you guys online, i'm sure to learn a lot!
jeff

About 7 years ago this Chris Bauer Loaner #22 showed up in my stuff. I took these pictures out in my back yard then after cleaning this watch. It is an interesting "mix", most assuredly a loaner, but the case is also marked "Ball Model", yet the movement is a 17 Jewel Illinois Bunn.

Back then I joked about the fact that "loaners" had to be 17 Jewel so the Railroader could not profitably hock them somewhere out of town when on a bender. This remains to this day in my "core" collection.

Dave,
The other guys were talking about how some people will have a watch, today, engraved to look like a loaner. It's obvious with the wear that the letters on your watch are worn and old. I like it. I was curious and looked on Xbay and saw a watch up for auction that is a loaner and has engraving on the back that looks like they had it done at their local mall.
jeff

Here's an example I think is legitimate, a 21-jewel Sangamo:

nice

I used to frequent a Union Pacific jeweler-inspector across from their Omaha headquarters and the loaners they had were Marked with the jewelers name and a number. The practice was exactly what Buster said and while most I saw were 21j Hamiltons I do recall seeing an Elgin and at least 1 Crescent Street. The cases were nickle silver and I seem to recall that the U. P. would allow for a 19j loaner for a short "repair" time, or maybe it was a just don't get caught " situation. By then many had gone to wristwatches but a lot of the older U.P. employees still had pocket watches. I have been told that the U.P. actually had some loaner watches they gave out and have seen U.P. loaner cases but frankly thought the cases were fakes as I never could determine if in fact the U. P. did have loaners.

Thanks Deac,
I feel a bit more educated on the loaner watch, enough hopefully to not get "taken".
jeff