I picked this up "In the wild".

Waltham Canadian Railway Time Service
#18063946
Model 1892
Made in 1911

Mvt. Does anyone have a full head dome movement screw that will fit a model 1892?

Note the "Groove" which appeared in later models to give easier access to the balance screws

Non working condition, do you think I should get it cleaned?

Hello Lorne:

Looking at all the dirt and crud where the winding stem is, I would definitely recommend a cleaning. Nice feature the slot, the movement plates for accessing the balance screws for adjustment. I will have to check my to see if it has that feature.

Larry

Hi Lorne. Nice hunting out there by the looks of it.. I like the watch. I have a screw for your watch. It will need some polishing but the price is extremely right. Send me an email with your address and I will send it out.
I am looking for the Crown Winding Washer for the same watch. # 1616 I think. Any possibilities out there. John

Nice CRTS Lorne! Most of us would give up body parts for one of those!Dial should clean up and look good.I've always wondered, but never heard, who they were made for, or if CRTS was a Waltham factory grade name.Now you'll need a 92 model CPR so it won't feel alone....Regards, Ted.

John I went looking this afternoon for a screw for Lorne..When I got back you had already found one for him..So I went back and found the washer you are looking for..Just email me your address and I will send you a washer and the screw..

Lorne nice find...Great looking watch..

Gary: I just sent you an e-mail, I really appreciate your help.

Mr. Brown. I do not pretend to be any kind of expert on the CRTS watches but it is my understanding that they were made for the Canadian National Railway in the same manner that the CPR Beaver were made for the Canadian Pacific Railway. Could be wrong and if anyone knows better please let us know.

The question about who the C.R.T.S. watches were made for has been a puzzle forever.

I know of a guy who has been building a database of these watches. The earliest C.P.R. marked serial# he has is manufactured in 1887 and the earliest C.R.T.S. is made in 1892. The latest number for both models show being made in 1918.

The C.P.R was line across Canada finished in 1885 and it is obvious who Waltham made the Beavers for.

C.N.R did not come into existence until 1920-1923 (kind of phased in over those years) and was comprised of my favourite, the Grand Trunk Pacific, plus the Canadian Northern and several other roads that were bankrupt around the end of WWI.

So that takes C.R.T.S. being made for C.N.R. off the table.

I am guessing that Waltham was pleased with the initial response to the C.P.R. marked watches and introduced the C.R.T.S as a general timepiece for the other roads, none of which would have been as big as the C.P.R.

Thank you gents for the kind comments on my watch.

John, email sent, your generous help is much appreciated.

Nice watch. Be careful adjusting timing screws with the balance installed. It doesn't take much to shear a pivot if a timing screw is frozen.

Have you guys seen one of those 18s '83 model Walthams made for another kind of vague Canadian market "Dominion Railways"? Weren't they short lines in the Quebec area? They appear to be a pretty nice watch, and not any too common.Waltham seemed to be really popular in Canada, they must have also had a big non-RR following there too.Thanks, Ted.

The Dominion Atlantic was in Nova Scotia and those watches are quite interesting although there still seems to be controversy over who they were made for.

Here are a couple links although pocket watches aren't mentioned:

Dominion Atlantic Railway

Wikipedia DAR


Yes, Waltham was a popular watch in Canada. The T. Eaton Co. seems to have, for whatever reason, offered in their popular catalogue mostly Waltham and Regina watches.

I know that Eaton's was a big seller of Waltham CPR and CRTS pocket watches in 18 and 16 size, my theory is that the CPR man would buy a CPR marked pocket watch, while men working for the Canadian Northern Railway, the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway, and what other short line railways that required railway grade pocket watches would buy the CRTS.

Larry

Very nice watch and servicing is always a plus. I recently tried to pick up a Zenith 23j 16 size on ebay as I believe it was accepted for Canadian rail service. Did not succeed so I will look for another.

Thanks Lorne for those Dominion links.I remember seeing a quartz wrist watch that had the Grand Trunk logo on the dial.Have you ever seen or heard of any pocket watches made for them?If there were any, they'd be pretty rare I think. To John W.:I just noticed your membership number ,1892,that's a great number since it's model# of one the finest American watches ever made-the Waltham 1892! Thanks, Ted.

Ted: Thank you for pointing out the significance of my no. I should have picked up on that as I have a couple or so. In fact I am working on a tu-tone Hunter at this moment. Thank you

Hello Ted:

The wristwatch you saw with the Grand Trunk logo might have been from the United states, as the Grand Trunk Western It is an important American subsidiary of Canadian National Railway. It operates in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio.

Larry

I have about a dozen pocket watches with Grand Trunk Pacific on the dial (I think among them are 8 different dial styles) but they are all what many refer to as swiss fakes.

I know of 3 Hamilton 940's and a 924 which are in the possession of other collectors.

This is my best one (auction picture), original low budget case and the dial cleaned up nicely

Good eye on the 1892 Ted!

Thank you Lorne & Larry!

Thank you to John Willis who generously supplied the missing case screw and to Gary Cochran who offered to do so if John did not have the right one.

The watch is in rehab and will be posted when I get it back.