I have 4 Hamilton Mainliner cases marked HAMILTON KEYSTONE WATCHCASE J.BOSS 10K GOLD FILLED RAILROAD MODEL. All 4 cases have matching serial numbers on all three pieces, the back cover, the center frame and the bezel. All watches have the track dial and baton hands associated with the Mainliner case. Three of the four cases have serial numbers that are all close to one another. One of them is so far off from the others. That watch is the subject of this post. I have no reason to believe the watch isn't completely original. The man I bought it from got it from the original owner.

All watches hold a 950E produced in 1937, 1938 and 1939. Three are from the 1st run and one is from the 3rd run. The first 3 movements are in cases with numbers that align with the time frame of the movements leading me to believe they are factory marriages. Two of the movements have gold trains.

I'm hoping to shed some light as to why the numbers of the fourth example would be so far off from the others.

The first picture is what all 4 watches look like, followed by pictures of the case backs and then the entire watch in question. I've also included a chart showing all watches with serial numbers, run numbers and the approximate numbers of the keystone cases that would align with 1937 thru 1939.

Also, why would some have gold trains and some without?

Caseback 1 #1101252

Caseback 2 #1101668

Caseback 3 #1101040

Caseback 4 (Watch in Question) #95454

#4a Ser.#2631101 in Case #95454

4b Serial #2631101

4c # 95454

4d #0095454 Its hard to see the 5 but it is there

4e #454

Chart

Definitely looks like something weird went on with that case number.it isn't even centered like the normal case numbers are.

Great observation. I didn't pick up on that. The 3 examples have 7 digits and are displayed in the shape of a V. The 4th example has the seven digits on the center body, but the first 2 numbers are 0. Those were omitted on the back cover. If they were included, they could have been able to have the same format displayed.

Aside from that, I just don't get how we can go from numbers in the 1.1 million range to a 95K number. It makes no sense. I was thinking that maybe just the rear cover was printed incorrectly but the frame clearing has 2 zeros stamped on it. All three parts of the watch match.

I've read Hamilton had made errors on case numbers. In fact, I have a couple of watches with what I would suspect to be factory errors. Something like having 2 pieces with the same number and one piece having the last number off. What are the chances that someone had another case part with all the same numbers first numbers and the last being different and swapping out the parts. Probably very slim to none.

Does anyone know anything about movements in the same run having gold trains and some don't?

I owned one years ago with a gold train.I will have to see if I can find the serial number.Maybe there was just a small run with it.Because a 950e was never supposed to have a gold train Just gold center wheel.

You could be on to something because the ones with gold trains are only 35 apart. It would be interesting to know your serial number if you can find it

richard,i have looked all over for that serial number. but have not found it.I would still say for some short run they put gold trains in them for whatever reason.especially seeing how close your serial numbers are.I will be checking every 950e I see on ebay from now on to see if I come across another.
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Richard,just searched past auctions a J&h auctions.ended up finding three more 950e's with gold trains.the first is close to yours and the other two are not.2,612,441 movement with a 1071231 case number.the other two are 2,618,001 and 2,612,919.