The CPR Bankhead station today, still being used by the Canadian Youth Hostel, in good shape for being 110 years old.

A color slide I took from the CPR eastbound passenger train "The Canadian" on New Year's Day 1980, showing the CPR Banff station and Cascade Mountain in the background, on this pristine winter morning, a coal mining operation, as you can see would not be compatible with the Banff National Park setting.

Carol having no one to pass the pocket watch on to, and knowing my interest in history, sold me the watch. I've The original case, but now show it in a Waltham display case.

With its interesting provenance, it makes of valued addition to my collection.

Movement and case

Movement

Movement close-up

Larry, your posts are always a delight to read.

I couldn't agree more, Thanks Larry for sharing a great watch, and the provenance associated with it.

Gary

I currently have 2 Walthams. The first is my one and only RR grade watch, a 1925 Crescent Street in an Elgin Giant gold filled swing out case.

The movement in the swing ring.

The second Waltham is a 1904 17j Royal Colonial size which is at the watchmakers for cleanup and repair. It has a nice gold colored metal dial and is in a swing out Colonial Series case. I'll post pics when it comes back. I bought the non working movement for only $15 and then bought another junker Colonial that had the case I needed. It needed a mainspring, corrosion cleaning on the winding wheels and most likely a balance staff as well. Here's what it looked like when I got it.

And the back before servicing.

I'm looking forward to seeing how it looks when I get it back. The watchmaker I sent it to is Amish and from all accounts is a master at his craft, able to manufacture parts if needed and to refinish Damaskeening so you can't tell it was redone.

One of the many fun things about this hobby is trying to collect every variant of a given grade or model.

Another one in the stunning line of Model 83 17-jewel Crescent Streets:

Fronted by a double-sunk Roman-numeral dial with butterfly hands:

Gracefully chaperoned by an unusual Gopher case that looks to be original to the movement:

Hello Eric:

I've never seen a gopher case, but here is my stepson Colin feeding GG (Garbage Gopher) that he tamed to eat out of his hand a few years ago.

Larry

But where's the patina on these watches?

Just kidding, but interestingly, the fat book value on those two-tone timepieces is not very high, and yet they are hard to find - especially in mint condition.

Please add me to your will for the M'92 Crescent two-tone before I become one with the computer screen.

I'm not in the patina crowd, Ken. If I bought a Ford Model T covered with a century of grime I would wash it, and the very act of carrying a watch buffs it somewhat.

Larry, here's the stamp on that Gopher case - or the Crescent Case Co:

They are beautiful as photographed, Eric. Did you acquire them individually in that condition? I mean, were you just very selective in the first place or did you have to put significant time into each one?
KH

Patient, educated, and selective is what collectors should be. Of course, early on I bought everything that glittered, and had no idea what I was buying, what to look for, or if it was even repairable. You make mistakes, you ask questions, you learn, and then you pass it forward.

Here's a model 1899 Crescent street hunter. 21j no. 15032743. It needs the black paint rejuvinated in the writing.