South Bend, Not Approved for RR Service? What?

July 15, 2005, 22:17

R. J. Lucke

In looking through some old files, I recently came across some information which clearly excludes South Bends from being used on a number of west coast railroads.

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Ok, before Lindell and Frank sieze up, here's the rest of the story......

In a circular dated February 25, 1937 to "Authorized Watch Inspectors" from S.A. Pope, Manager Time Service wrote the following:

"Effective at once, watches of the following manufacture shall not be admitted as new watches entering the service of these companies:

Rockford
Hampden
South Bend

If your standard loaner watches include any of the above manufacture, you should eliminate them effective with receipt of this letter."

From the letterhead used, it appears that Mr. Pope acted as Manager of Time Service for a number of railroads and electic railoads on the west coast. These railroads included:

Harbor Belt Line Railroad Company
Northern Pacific Terminal Company
Northwestern Pacific Railroad Company
Pacific Electric Railway Company
Sacramento Northern Railway Company
San Diego & Arizona Eastern Railway Company
Tidewater Southern Railway Company
Western Pacific Railroad Company
Visalia Electric Railway Company

From the date, this is clearly well after the demise of these companies but I found it interesting none the less.

July 15, 2005, 23:12

Lindell V. Riddle

Rhett,

Thanks for sharing that 1937 information, I'm almost over my heart attack...

As you pointed out all three of those companies were long out of business by 1937 so availability of replacement repair parts would have been nearly impossible to rely upon. It is important to note that prohibition was not against watches already on the railroad but rather those entering time service.

A few years later, during the World-War (1941-45) things would actually be quite different as new watches were very difficult to come by. In 1942 my dad was hired by the Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad in Greenville, Pennsylvania and he was asked to come up with a Railroad Timekeeper. My dad proudly produced the South-Bend 17-Jewel 18-size Marked Grade 313 that his grandfather had purchased new some thirty years before.

Many years later my dad explained to me the railroad time inspector kept that South-Bend watch for ten days of service, adjustment and evaluation. At the end of that time it was certified to enter time service. My dad would then carry that reliable South-Bend on the Bessemer Railroad for the next ten years. I remember well the short black leather strap hanging from dad's watch pocket with a silver heart on the end of it.

Today that watch is here on display in a dome, one of my most prized possessions.

Lindell

July 15, 2005, 23:18

R. J. Lucke

Yes, as in most things the criteria changed as time passed. It is also interesting to see the differences from one time service to another.

I have a number of these circulars from Mr. Pope dating from the mid thirties through 1943. I actually ran across them while looking for a copy of H.S. Montgomery's reponse in Railway Age to Ball's paper and presentation which classified Montgomery's and other dials as "Freak Dials".

Very interesting reading. You can almost imagine the steam coming out of Montgomery's ears.