Railroaders' Nostalgia > When did railroads drop the requirement that watches be certified

The first "tuning fork" watch was sold in 1960.  It was made in the U.S. by the Bulova Watch Company. Named the Accutron, according to the Internet, it was accepted by the railroad industry in 1962.

In 1973, I was using a Hamilton 992B in New Orleans on the TP-MP Term. RR of NO.  It had to be cleaned, oiled and certified every two years.

Do the railroads stilll require certified watch inspections?  If not, when was the requirement dropped?

Alex Huff

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/17/23 15:35 by dsrc512.

I still have my Father's 23 jeweled Waltham watch that he used all his railroading years! It still keeps perfect time! It was made in 1912 and is dated April 14, 1912, (The day the Titanic sank!)



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/17/23 17:31 by patd3985.

When it comes to railroad approved pocket watches, if you are still using one regularly and it has not been oiled or cleaned in years. You maybe doing seriour damage from wear on the movement. Found out the hard way with my Hamolton 992B.

Steve

The railroads haven’t required certified watch inspections in years, but I don’t remember when that requirement ended.

Posted from iPhone

about 1975 
 

Yes it was thr mid 70s . I think quartz watches were just coming onto the market. As long as the watch had a second hand and the employee checked their watches upon commencing duty. The time comparison was not more than 20 seconds it was acceptable. The railroads didn't want to pay for the cleaning and certifications.
Reminds me of the story of Fred Imus, brother of Don Imus the radio DJ, that never had a pocket watch just carried an oversized washer.

Posted from Android

I think the Illinois Terminal stopped requiring watch inspections in 1978. I don't recall when the list of approved watches was dropped by the NS. Best guess is early to mid 1990s.....maybe?

My first railroad approved watch was a Bulova Accutron that my folks got me for my 19th birthday. That one made it into the mid '90s. My second one was a Seiko Quartz. It lasted until around a year before I retired. I left wearing a Timex....with I have on as I type this. 

And, I've got a 23 Jewel Waltham Vanguard that was passed on to me by a great uncle, who got it from his older brother. I was told by a jeweler that it was probably built around 1917-18.

I have a rare Railroad Approved Bolivia Quartz Pocket Watch bought from Andrews Jewelers in San Luis Obispo Sept 9, 1981 with accompanying Railroad Watch Certificate "A Careful Man And An Accurate Watch Are The Best Safety Devices". It also shows annual inspections 11-1 '82 and 10-21 '83.  Other watch cards signed off in '81 and the last one was for the Seiko Quartz wrist watch Sept '84.  I don't recall when the rule requirement was dropped.

sphogger

RetiredHogger Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I don't recall when the
> list of approved watches was dropped by the NS.
> Best guess is early to mid 1990s.....maybe?

I have been trying hard to remember.  I think you're probably right on NS.  That's about the time frame when I started using a $10 Walmart battery railroad pocket watch - complete with the railroad Montgomery dial.  It put my Hampden and Hamilton service pocket watches to shame with its precise timekeeping.  The Walmart watch just lacked a camset.  By that time certified watch inspectors or good pocket watch repairmen were hard to find locally.  NS basically just let it be honor system self enforcement.  

sphogger Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have a rare Railroad Approved Bolivia Quartz
> Pocket Watch bought from Andrews Jewelers in San
> Luis Obispo Sept 9, 1981 with accompanying
> Railroad Watch Certificate "A Careful Man And An
> Accurate Watch Are The Best Safety Devices". It
> also shows annual inspections 11-1 '82 and 10-21
> '83.  Other watch cards signed off in '81 and the
> last one was for the Seiko Quartz wrist watch Sept
> '84.  I don't recall when the rule requirement
> was dropped.
>
> sphogger

I too have the same Bulova pocket watch.  I kept great time.  I found a red plastic Mickey Mouse pocket watch and used to carry it in my grip.  When the weed weasels would board the engine would present it for inspection.  Recieved lots of stares and of amazement by the weasels.  I would present my RR watch after a few laughs...

I want to say about 1980 of SCL. I have my 992B and my father's Vanguard Waltham in a very safe place.

Sam

Received a brand new Hamilton 992B as a wedding present from my new bride in 1968. Carried watch on duty until I retired in 1992.
Still have both watch and lovely wife.

rr caboose

With PTC, etc., I'd assume that every locomotive has a GPS receiver.  Do they not have a clock driven by that?

sf1010 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> With PTC, etc., I'd assume that every locomotive
> has a GPS receiver.  Do they not have a clock
> driven by that?

Actually, knowing the time has been irrelevant since the late 70s-early 80s depending upon the railroad. Track Warrants and DTC did away with time as a train protection system. Yeah, when Track Warrants, Track & Time and other such include an expiration time, it is merely a suggestion. The dispatcher can't act on it. Used to be that at expiration time, we could assume the track was clear or the movement was protecting. Amtrak schedules requirte generally knowing what time it is, or at least Amtrak operration does. Freight service requires precision to the minute for Hours of Service. Otherwise precision time is irrelevant.

TAW

TAW Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> sf1010 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > With PTC, etc., I'd assume that every
> locomotive
> > has a GPS receiver.  Do they not have a clock
> > driven by that?
>
> Actually, knowing the time has been irrelevant
> since the late 70s-early 80s depending upon the
> railroad. Track Warrants and DTC did away with
> time as a train protection system. Yeah, when
> Track Warrants, Track & Time and other such
> include an expiration time, it is merely a
> suggestion. The dispatcher can't act on it. Used
> to be that at expiration time, we could assume the
> track was clear or the movement was protecting.
> Amtrak schedules requirte generally knowing what
> time it is, or at least Amtrak operration does.
> Freight service requires precision to the minute
> for Hours of Service. Otherwise precision time is
> irrelevant.
>
> TAW

So now that precision time is readily available, nobody cares...

sf1010 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> So now that precision time is readily available,
> nobody cares...

Pretty much.

TAW

TAW Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> sf1010 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> > So now that precision time is readily
> available,
> > nobody cares...
>
> Pretty much.
>
> TAW

In the old days when we worked dark territory or ABS . a watch was needed for timetable meets and leaving times at stations. Plus when it was time to go to beans.

Posted from Android

Trainorders on the SP Coast ABS territory replaced by DTC in the mid 80's?  Same with the West Valley Gerber to Davis.  

sphogger 

sphogger Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Trainorders on the SP Coast ABS territory replaced
> by DTC in the mid 80's?  Same with the West
> Valley Gerber to Davis.  
>
> sphogger 

DTC was enacted on the Coast in 1984. That was the year that all of the operator jobs on the Coast were abolished. My nickname for DTC was Death to the Clerks.

Posted from Android



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/18/23 10:31 by SanJoaquinEngr.

Doesn't Amtrak require a calendar instead of a watch?