Railroad Pocket Watches - What to look for

These days the idea of a railroad grade or approved pocket watch has been confusing to some people.  There are so many people who use the term to identify any pocket watch they think is a RR watch but in reality are far from it.  This can be because a seller wants to make a watch sound better than it is or just simply because they don't know how to identify a real railroad pocket watch.  I hope the majority is just because of a lack of education on the topic.

The requirements needed of a railroad watch changed over time.  In the beginning the railroads had no real standards.  This had some very disastrous results due to watches gaining or losing time and when your industry depends on time tables you need accuracy.  The early standards allowed 18 size watches with 15 jewels to be used.  After a time the minimum became 17 jewels and 18 or 16 size.  Eventually all 18 size watches were no longer allowed in service.  This may have been more to do with fashion as you can get the same accuracy from a larger watch as you can from the smaller.

This 18 size Illinois A Lincoln 21 Jewel 5 Adj would have been a RR watch prior to the change to only 16 size.

Hampden John Hancock 21 Jewel 18 Size (if this was a Open Face)

Rockford 21 Jewel 18 Size

Elgin Father Time 21 Jewel 18 Size

In the American RR industry there was a focus on only allowing American made watches.  This was mainly due to the fact that the American watch industry had the highest standards at the time and had the biggest sway on the market. This was obviously lost over time as can be seen from the current watch market where the dominance is Swiss, Japanese, and Chinese watch makers.  Our industry essentially died in the 1960's.  Every watch industry that gains the top spot feels it will last forever and do things that cause their own demise.

Once you get into the time of the 16 size requirement you do see some of the most iconic of the railroad watches.  These are the watches collectors recognize instantly as a railroad grad pocket watch and already know the quality to expect.  Most of these were 21 jewel 16 size open face with winding at 12 and lever set.  They were all adjusted to temperature, isochronism, and positions.

Hamilton 992 21 jewel 16 size (early) single roller

Notice the lack of the 992 or double roller markings

Hamilton 992 21 jewel 16 size double roller

Hamilton 992B 21 jewel 16 size with melamine dial and stainless case

Waltham Crescent St 21 jewel 16 size  

Illinois Bunn Special 21 jewel 16 size

Elgin BW Raymond 21 jewel 16 size Invar Balance

Waltham Vanguard 23 jewel 16 size 

The Canadian railways had a different standard.  There you can find many high quality Swiss watches being put into service along side the American watches.  They had a much less protectionist attitude to the origin country then the US had.  It is possible for there to be Canadian railroad watches that would have easily met the US requirements but were just not allowed because they were Swiss.  

Elco Traintimer (Recta BD1) 21 jewel 16 size Lever Set Adj 6 Positions

If I were to sum up what to look for in a good railroad watch is that it needs the following:

• 19-23+ Jewels
• Lever Set
• Open Face
• Winds at 12
• 16 Size
• Micrometric Regulator (Pat Regulator)
• Bold Arabic Number Dial
• Adjusted 

I am not saying it has to be Swiss or American but you can consider that based on your collecting choice.  There are a few times where this list would not relate to a railroad grade watch but on the whole you should almost always end up with one.  

Below is an example of what is not a railroad watch...

Elgin 7 jewel 16 size pendant set