WWT Shows CLICK TO: Join and Support Internet Horology Club 185™ IHC185™ Forums

• Check Out Our... •
• TWO Book Offer! •
Page 1 2 
Go
New Topic
Find-Or-Search
Notify
Tools
Reply to Post
  
Look what I just purchased.... Initiation Certificate into the BRRT "Click" to Login or Register 
Railway Historian
IHC Life Member
Site Moderator
Picture of Larry Buchan
posted
Hello Skip:

As far as restoration goes, the worst thing the framers did with these old photos and documents was the wood they used for backing the frame. This caused a lot of staining on the original document, and would be better off backed with a acid free mat board. Of course you could go to extremes and have a conservator do some cosmetic restoration. Yes you're definitely in the big leagues now, and really struck a home run with year B of RT cornerstone.

Larry
 
Posts: 3370 | Location: Okotoks Alberta Canada | Registered: November 22, 2002
posted
A great cert for sure! When I joined all I got was a dues receipt. Thanks for sharing all of this with us.
 
Posts: 45 | Location: Maine in the USA | Registered: April 27, 2010
Railway Historian
IHC Life Member
Site Moderator
Picture of Larry Buchan
posted
My latest find an Order of Railway Conductors membership certificate from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania hand-painted calligraphy with photo. Well I've seen many of these made for members of the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen, that appeared to be done by the same artist, this is the first example I have seen from the ORC.
Photo portrait of Conductor CC Bryan Initiated to the ORC August 14, 1910

 
Posts: 3370 | Location: Okotoks Alberta Canada | Registered: November 22, 2002
Railway Historian
IHC Life Member
Site Moderator
Picture of Larry Buchan
posted
Harrisburg Division 449 Order of Railway Conductors on the Pennsylvania and Reading Railroad. Railway wheel logo with PERPETUAL FRIENDSHIP in the middle with the clasped hands. Organized January 8th, 1905.
the left-hand bottom Sector would have been painted green, but this has faded over the years.

 
Posts: 3370 | Location: Okotoks Alberta Canada | Registered: November 22, 2002
Railway Historian
IHC Life Member
Site Moderator
Picture of Larry Buchan
posted
A close-up of the photo of CC Bryan, with a passenger train on a bridge, different from the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen that have freight trains.


Maybe Tom Brown could find us some more information on CC Bryan

 
Posts: 3370 | Location: Okotoks Alberta Canada | Registered: November 22, 2002
IHC Life Member
Site Moderator

Picture of Tom Brown
posted
C.C. Bryan was Charles C. Bryan. He was born about May of 1881 in Pa.

In the 1900 census he is living with his parents in Clearfield Pa. and is listed as a Railroad Laborer. His father Alexander is listed as a Railroad Conductor.

By 1910 he is married to Myrtle & they are living in Harrisburg and he is listed as a Conductor on a Steam Railroad. They have a son Wilbur who was born about 1906

In 1920 they are still in Harrisburg, he is still a Conductor on a Steam Railroad, they also now have a son David. Wilbur is a newspaper boy.

In 1930 still in Harrisburg, only have the son David at home. Charles is still a Conductor on a Steam Railroad.
 
Posts: 5107 | Location: New Mexico in the USA | Registered: January 27, 2007
IHC Life Member
Site Moderator

Picture of Tom Brown
posted
In the 1945, 1946 city directories he & Myrtle are stilling in Harrisburg & he is listed as a conductor. In 1947 he is listed as a trainman.

According to his WWII draft card his middle name is Carrol and he was born July 31, 1881

01
 
Posts: 5107 | Location: New Mexico in the USA | Registered: January 27, 2007
IHC Life Member
Site Moderator

Picture of Tom Brown
posted
Here is his WWI draft card.

02
 
Posts: 5107 | Location: New Mexico in the USA | Registered: January 27, 2007
IHC Life Member

Picture of Jerry King
posted
That is really a neat find Larry and the information that Tom has added really brings your certificate to life....

Thanks to both of you for your efforts to keep the old railroads and their meaning to the development and history of our country alive, I for one really appreciate you both....

Best Regards,

Jerry
 
Posts: 2828 | Location: California in the USA | Registered: June 23, 2008
Railway Historian
IHC Life Member
Site Moderator
Picture of Larry Buchan
posted
Thank you Tom for the additional biographical information, and thank you to Jerry for your appreciation. I found a lecture in one of my old ORC rituals that describes their emblem;


I will now explain to you the emblems of the Order, which you will observe on the signal before you. The whole is the outline of the car wheel, and represents, generally, that we are an organization of men employed in train service. This wheel is divided into three equal portions, representing the three general divisions of the life of a conductor; first as a brakeman, second as a freight conductor, and last as a passenger conductor. The first division is red and this to remind us of danger in a brakeman's life (notice the inherent danger of the old link and pin couplers). The second division is green, reminding us of the extreme caution that is necessary on the part of a good freight conductor at all times (the strong arm bound by a rope represents power). The third division was pure white, and is emblematic of the comparative safety of passenger conductor, and shall also be an emblem of the purity of our lives; the hand holding a punch is a familiar reminder of our daily lives, and should be an incentive to the faithful performance of every duty; the arm supporting the lantern is the strong right arm and should be always extended to a the support a deserving brother, while the lantern represents the correct life that should always be characteristic of a member of our Order, and that may be seen from afar, maintaining a steady, uniform light through good and evil report, and should further remind us that while we so conduct ourselves, we need not fear the penalty inflicted upon those who prove recreant to the trust reposed in them by the Order. The model of the Order of Railway Conductors is FIDELITY, JUSTICE, and CHARITY in Perpetual Friendship.

 
Posts: 3370 | Location: Okotoks Alberta Canada | Registered: November 22, 2002
Picture of Skip Glascock
posted
WOW,Larry that is really well preserved, very beautiful, where did you find this? I have only seen a few of these certificates but never one from the Order of Railway Conductors. The meaning of the three part wheel is heartfelt as to the trainmens respect for their profession and customers.

Not many people feel that way about their jobs now days. A real loss of old time value. When you find it now days the business has a customer for life. I just had a new roof put on my house and I was luckey to get a roofer with old time values. The job was largly a hand shake deal, was done on time and the property was perfectly clean when I got home. I was so impressed I attempted to give the roofer a check on the spot and he said to me "our deal was for payment in 2 weeks" not on the spot. He didn't neven ask for a down payment.


Skip
 
Posts: 240 | Location: Maryland in the USA | Registered: August 26, 2011
Railway Historian
IHC Life Member
Site Moderator
Picture of Larry Buchan
posted
Hello Skip:

I found it on eBay about three months ago, I missed of bidding on it before the auction closed, but it never sold. I waited patiently and finally about a month ago it was put up again at a better price a Buy it now auction which I jumped on.

Yes the meaning of the three-part emblem is very heartfelt and profound. The Order of Railway Conductors was a good organization that survived 100 years, looking after their membership well even building a home for the aged and infirm members in Savanna, Georgia at a cost of $300,000 opening in 1930. But unfortunately change brought about after World War II were to spell the demise of the long distance passenger trains, with the convenience of flying by airplane, and the building of the interstate highway system and the convenience of being able to travel by automobile the great passenger trains of North America soon started to die off, and by the 1970s passenger train business became wards of the government's with the Amtrak system in the United States, and Via Rail system in Canada. Many jobs were lost, and membership declined to the point that the ORC was forced to merge into the United Transportation Union in 1969.

These artifacts are about all that remain of these organizations, here is a banner from the Order of Railway Conductors from my collection, it would have been displayed at the divisions meetings.

 
Posts: 3370 | Location: Okotoks Alberta Canada | Registered: November 22, 2002
Railway Historian
IHC Life Member
Site Moderator
Picture of Larry Buchan
posted
A postcard view of the Order of Railway Conductors Home built in Savannah, Georgia the structure of Georgian Colonial architecture contained 100 rooms with private baths, the building has frontage of 208 feet, and although it's not being used as a home anymore, the building has been preserved and is used for other purposes. I have a black-and-white 3 foot panoramic picture of the opening ceremonies for the home in 1931.

 
Posts: 3370 | Location: Okotoks Alberta Canada | Registered: November 22, 2002
Picture of Skip Glascock
posted
Larry you have the coolest stuff and are full of knowledge.
 
Posts: 240 | Location: Maryland in the USA | Registered: August 26, 2011
  Powered by Social Strata Page 1 2  
 


©2002-2023 Internet Horology Club 185™ - Lindell V. Riddle President - All Rights Reserved Worldwide

Internet Horology Club 185™ is the "Family-Friendly" place for Watch and Clock Collectors