The American Railroad Pocket Watch
The American Railroad Pocket Watch stands as the crowning achievement of American watchmaking. It reminds us of a slower and simpler time in our history, yet one that was filled with remarkable innovation and great promise as America moved into the 20th century. The railroad was at the very heart of North America – serving as the transportation and communication lifeline for the United States and Canada.
As Ben Franklin once said, "Time is the stuff that life is made of." Time is without doubt life's most precious ingredient. In the world of business, minutes mean money. What we are and how well we succeed largely depends on the use we make of time. But time also can be a dangerous commodity. Time miscalculated can cause disaster and death.
In the year 1880 every town and hamlet in the U. S. had a different time standard, determined by the "sun time" of its particular location. There were 50 different "times" in use by the various railroads. Amidst all this confusion, faulty timing caused a series of disasterous railroad accidents. The need for railroad men to have accurate timepieces became painfully evident. Two remedies evolved: A standard time plan was adopted and the four time zones - Eastern, Central, Mountain and Pacific - were established.
In 1891, the country just entering the "Gay Nineties" and was experiencing great prosperity. The rail system was expanding rapidly. On April 19th of that year, a fast mail train known as the No. 4 was traveling east on the same track as an accommodation train that was heading west. The Engineer of the accommodation train was given written instructions to let the mail train pass at Kipton, Ohio, a small station west of Oberlin. The accommodation train pulled out of the station "on time" according to the Engineer's watch. Unfortunately the Engineer's watch on the accommodation train had stopped for 4 minutes, and then started up again (or so the story is told). The two trains collided at Kipton, killing both Engineers and six postal clerks. The rail lines and postal service suffered great property losses.
Following this disaster, a commission was appointed to establish standards for timekeeping that would be adopted by all railroads. It was clear that reliable and accurate timekeeping was the key to keeping the railroads working safely, and in 1893 the General Railroad Timepiece Standards were adopted. Thus the Railroad Pocket Watch was born, and each watch was a masterpiece of precision engineering, durability, and unsurpassed accuracy.
But it is more than accuracy that has made the American Railroad Watch so desirable. The simple beauty of the black-on-white Arabic dial, the amazing ingenuity with which they were designed, the jewels and precious metals used in the production of high-quality movements, and a level of labor-intensive craftsmanship that could not be duplicated today at any price all contribute to the making of a truly great American collectible.
Perhaps you inherited a watch from your father or grandfather, or perhaps you're one of the many collectors who have discovered the enjoyment and investment potential of these wonderful heirloom watches. If you're lucky enough to own one of these beautiful pieces of American history, then you will want to preserve it for future generations with the best possible care and service. We repair all American watch brands, and specialize in Elgin, Waltham, Illinois, Ball, Hamilton, Hampden, Howard, Rockford, South Bend and New York Standard. In many cases only cleaning and lubrication are needed to restore a viintage watch to good running condition. And when you hold a railroad pocketwatch in your hands and listen to it ticking off the seconds, you are truly holding a treasured and important piece of American history. You can almost hear that train whistle blowing...
Contact us if you have any questions, or if we can assist you with your special watch!