I was sitting here looking at the time on my Hamilton 940, and just thought how amazing these old machines are/were. They were created to withstand situations that would make other watches cower in their dresser drawer boxes.

I had an old friend who was the head janitor of our church. He was an Irishman named Mr. Honaker, and he had worked for the Norfolk and Western as a conductor until he was severely injured in a derailment on the Columbus run.

He carried his 940 as long as I knew him, and he was one of the folks who really got me looking at railroad watches other than the Elgins MY family carried on the road. The N&W had a habit of grandfathering 18s watches in the Scioto Division, as my grandfather carried his 18s Elgin until his retirement in 1957, carrying it his entire railroad career.

It was that 940 that was in his pocket the day his engine rolled over an embankment back in the late 40's due to a rolled railed, pulled off by a truck trailer loaded with farm equipment that snagged a rail at a crossing.

Long story short, the trailer flipped on top of the truck cab when the rail broke loose, killing the driver, and all this happened in front of Mr. Honaker's engine that rounded the curve shortly after the accident. He had decided to ride in the cab that trip, and had just enough time to jump before the lead wheels hit the gap, rolling the engine down the embankment.

He landed on a pig pen, and had a LOT of stomach surgery performed before he was back on his feet, taking a medical retirement from the road, and starting his job as janitor at the church.

ANYWAY, long way round the barn, that 940 was in his pocket when he stepped off the platform of that pitching and rolling locomotive, landing on that pig pen, and from what he told me, it never lost a second, and didn't even crack the crystal after impact.

I remember it being a single sunk dial with Hamilton script marking, housed in a base metal 18s case. That was one of the first watches I ever came across where the gold case had been sold and replaced with the base metal during the Depression.

Sorry to ramble here, but just the thought that a lesser watch would have been DOA the moment he landed on top of it in that wreck just reinforces the fact these big old 18s railroad watches were really built tough.

Any other stories anyone can add?

Regards! Mark

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I remember it being a single sunk dial with Hamilton script marking, housed in a base metal 18s case. That was one of the first watches I ever came across where the gold case had been sold and replaced with the base metal during the Depression.

That's a very interesting testament which would be 100% true of the old head RR men. They did/would in fact turn their gold filled cases in to the watchmaker for $2 and have him recase it into a base metal 50c case
Thanks for a true account Mark

regards,
bb

Yeah, it was an eye opener for a young kid just getting interested in those big old railroad time pieces back in the '60s.

My great grandfather's Elgin was still in its original gold case....but he was an engine inspector, and worked his whole life in the shops. All the men on my Dad's side were yardmen.

I only knew two road men, both conductors, and one carried the 940, and the other wore a Ball Trainmaster wristie, and he lived behind me.

I know we've 'heard' the story of Mitch bodysurfing down the passenger car on his 992B in a collision, and it remains a loyal friend in his pocket to this day. Surely some of you other 'rails' have stories to attest to the robust nature of these beasts!

Regards! Mark

I don't tell this too often but I will here.

Back in January of '93 I was in a head-on train wreck while I was deadheading to my assignment that started in Chicago.

Our train cornered another at the end of double track and I went flying through the front vestibule door into the coaches. We hit, and I was thrown to the floor sliding many feet on my stomach. I had my uniform on with my Hamilton moored to my vest by a Simmons heavy watch chain.

The chain went to pieces all over the place. I suffered several internal injuries.

My Hamilton didn't even have a scratch on the crystal. It keeps perfect time to this day.

Mark and Mitch,

I think you should contact Discovery Channel to see if Mythbusters can do a special on this! They could reenact both scenarios using real trains on real tracks, a real pig pen and even a real 18s watch (maybe a 7 jewel Elgin instead of a good 940 though). The only thing different would be the use of test dummies instead of real RR folk. THAT would be a fun show to watch!

William

What amazes me is most of these watches are around a hundred years old. They've seen 30 or 40 years of service, often hard service under adverse conditions, then they've been left in a drawer, forgotten, for a half century or so. Pick one up, wind it, and give it a little shake and the odds are prettry good it will take off running. What other hundred year old machine can do that?

quote:

I think you should contact Discovery Channel to see if Mythbusters can do a special on this! They could reenact both scenarios using real trains on real tracks, a real pig pen and even a real 18s watch (maybe a 7 jewel Elgin instead of a good 940 though). The only thing different would be the use of test dummies instead of real RR folk. THAT would be a fun show to watch!

William and the gang,

I don't think the wreck I was involved in would be watchable. It was tragic. There were several fatalities and the story didn't fall off the media radar for over 2 years. The head half of the 2 coaches were completely rebuilt. I, for one, wouldn't want to see anything about it brought back to view.

Now me body surfing on my vest could be comical. If it meant getting a replacement Simmons chain I'd be all for it.

I was the only operating guy in the group that was using a pocket watch.

One time I said that pocket watches very highly over-engineered and someone poked fun at that statement. The fact that some of these watches have lasted not only one owner's lifetime they have lasted through several owners and still survive and run, as mentioned before, a little wind and a shake even after years of neglect.

I think the concept of reliable, servicable, and durability applied to the engineering of a railroad watch just the same as it applied to steam locomotives, and the construction of a heavyweight Pullman car, many of each still surviving, and in some cases still operating.

Mitch,

Please know that it wasn't my intention to make light of real life tragedy in which you were injured and others were killed.

William

quote:

Please know that it wasn't my intention to make light of real life tragedy in which you were injured and others were killed.

William,

I know you didn't mean anything by that. I probably would have said the same thing.

When you think about it, if you look at a Railroad pocket watch ,say one made around 1900,they were so much more well made than almost any manufactured item from that time.If you look at the way most mechanical stuff was built at that time,it really is amazing how well they had watches figured out.Most everything else was pretty primitive compared to our American watches.None of the other watchmaking countries even came close to the quality and finish of the American railroad watch.They WILL run forever! Of couse that's just my opinion.....Ted.

Well, to add support the durability of the railroad watches made over the years, I figured this past week that my 1906 Hamilton 940 is gaining right at 7.75 seconds per week.

Considering railroad standards demanded a 30 second plus/minus average over a week, that's not too shabby.

Only my 1968 992B does better. I don't even bother checking its time keeping but once a month, and it's usually about 5 seconds fast in a four week time period.

Yep, pretty sound operating for machines with such close tolerances, and yet created for such difficult operating conditions....the cab or caboose of a steam locomotive in all conditions and weather.

Regards! Mark

Yep, these pocketwatches are amazing pieces of equipment....

I just picked up a grade 50 Elgin Convertible made in 1890 and very clean looking watch....I wound it after receiving it and it started running by itself (without shaking) on the 7th wind of the crown and has been running for about a week and a half. I checked it this morning and it has gained 43 seconds in that time period....

I know it's not as accurate as Mark's Hamilton's but the old timer is not a railroad watch and there is no telling when it was last serviced.... it is just amazing what these old watches will do....

Thanks, Mark for starting this string....it is very interesting....

Regards,

Jerry

What an excellent thread. This is exactly why I continue to come to IHC-185 every day.

Jerry, I know the grade 50's can also be made to keep as good a time as my 940.

I had a 15j Convertible Grade 50 (sold here at auction last year) that was just as accurate that Chris Abell tuned up to such accuracy.

Chris does wonders with these buggers, let me tell you, NO one could do it if these watches weren't capable of that kind of time keeping in the first place!

Regards! Mark

I agree Mark and especially on your comment regarding Chris Abell....

I bought a solid 14k gold Grade 86 Convertible from Chris last year and it is remarkable as well....

I have grown very partial to the Convertible's since that purchase from Chris....I really would like to find a Grade 72 or 91....good luck on that I guess....

Regards

Jerry

I couldn't agree more to how well made and just plain cool these old pocket watches are. I carry a 992 from 1930 and every time I go into the break room at work I will take it out and unscrew the back and just stare at it in amazement.

quote:

I will take it out and unscrew the back and just stare at it in amazement.

So do I, especially when I´m watching TV. You know, commercial breaks.
Regards
Krister

quote:

quote:
I will take it out and unscrew the back and just stare at it in amazement.

As do lots of folks Perhaps a benefit would be a glass back display type case for you guys

regards,
bb

The mental image that brought to mind made me smile, though.

There's Joe, sitting at a table in the break room staring intently inside his 992.....his co-workers sitting at the far side of the room at a corner table, speaking in low tones, occasionally glancing in Joe's direction and doing their best not to make eye contact.....

Regards! Mark

Well Mark, we're waiting....

What is the conclusion to your mental image...?

Do the co-workers break the ice and ask what Joe is looking at.... or
Does Joe put the cover back on and go back to work...?

We can't just leave Joe out there in limbo....or does this thing continue on for days & days...?

Regards,

Jerry

actually, some are curious and some think I'm kinda out there anyway so what the heck.......I do have a salesman case but I prefer the model 6 case.

Actually, Jerry, it's like an old radio serial. Tune in next week to see how Joe solves his delimma. I think he's given us a clue as to how he does it...but I haven't seen the script yet.

Joe, I, too, own a 1930 992, but mine is in a green gold model 5. They are lookers!

Regards! Mark

quote:

Jerry, I know the grade 50's can also be made to keep as good a time as my 940.

I was going to say WHAT when I first read this but I have a small Hamilton with the digital sub dial about the size of a 50cent piece that keeps amazing time. My Uncle Lou used a 17j Hamilton to run New Haven Trolleys. It says Electric Special on the dial and is lever set.

The major difference between cheaper pocket watches and a standard railroad model to me back then was the fact you could not by accident change the time while nervously winding the watch while talking or waiting to leave a station. LOL Thats what we were taught anyway. And of course the complexity of the 21j movement helped keep time accurate.

I had a Westclox Pocket Watch that held amazing accuracy till it got wet,dirty and or dried out. I could listen to them and adjust the time "on the fly". When it failed I would go to my drawer and pull out a new one and wear it. The Gun Metal face looked dirty right from the day I bought it. Hard to read at night also. They cost $5 at a hardware store and I used them until I got caught with it at lunch. A trainmaster came by where we were eating and heard my "Big Ben" ticking away. He demanded I produce the watch. His eyes bugged out and he ordered me to see the Time Keeper right away. I thought he meant the Guy who did the time cards and I was fired. It turned out to be a Guy on the New Haven that issued watches to men and set up a deduction system for paying for it. So I went hog wild and set up a 992 with the most expensive case and dial. $5.80 a week for life plus one week... Take Care..

GREAT story, Bill! Thank you!!!

Wow, that payment sounds like the payment terms I'm doing on my car right now!

Regards! Mark

Hi Bill, Thats quite a story.
Are you still working for the Railroad?

Regards,
Larry

$5.80 a week? for a 992? I'll take one!....but wait a minute....for life plus one week? that could add up to some serious bucks!...oh well, it is a 992.

Joe the life + was a joke. The New Haven paid in cash and the deduction was ink printed on the pay envelope each week showing the deduction and balance.

Being young and strong on the railroad meant you got the dirty end of the job. On this day it was no exception. I was wearing a Waltham 21 jewel bold faced watch working as a driver helper in the track gang. Carrying a 8 foot timber across 2 yard tracks. The Guy on the other end who was walking forward to my backwards slipped and shoved the tie into my lap making me fall back flat to the ground.

I sprang up to show I was not hurt and all was well until it was time to take a lunch order. I pulled out my watch and checked to see it was in fact 1/4 of 12 and as I slipped the watch into my watch pocket my hand froze. The smooth back of my watch was caved in. The glass was faced to my body and the timber must have hit the watch full on the back putting a crease into the back as big as my thumb was wide. I never tried to unscrew the back since the watch worked.

I continued to use the watch for months until I was able to get into signal service failing the eye exam for train service. By that time I has switched to my $5 pocket watches. Not about to wreck another good watch. As to the Waltham since the back never came off and it still kept reasonable time I used it at home for many years hanging on a hook to display only the front of the watch. My new Signal Foreman saw to it that I had a proper Hamilton after the Trainmaster incident with the Westclox.