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I understand where you are coming from . I am just old enough to remember the old 4-8-4 steam Locomotives on the L and N main line . We lived just a half block from the main lines of L and N north of Nashville TN. There is nothing that stirs the soul more than a lone steam engine whistle in the quiet of the night headed north , on the way to Louisville KY by way of Bowling-green . America's native son headed north on the old line that supplied General Grant in his victory's in the west during the War between the states. I loved the smell of coal smoke in the morning and in the cold night air of a winters night I like the old railroad watches and early stuff the railroads invented. Originally Posted By: TNDEERHUNTER A watch used to mean Life or Death on the Railroad as the trains ran on Timetables and specific train orders that said when a train was going to be where at a a certain time and a certain place and it was the conductors job to keep up with the time and the engineers job to make it on time to a specific place. Everytime a train went on duty the whole crew had to synchronize their watches with the standard time clock at the on duty location and that is how the railroad ran smoothly. Know a days it is not as important. There is still a rule in our rule books that says our watches have to be synchronized with a standard railroad clock and each others . But since the evolution of radios and phones and so forth the railroad is run by a dispatcher at a central office that keeps up with every train within their assigned territory. So it is a lot safer. I am a locomotive Engineer with CSX Transportation and know the importance of the dispatcher our lives are in there hands. you know where you are God knows where you are But if the dispatcher doesn't know where you are then you better hope god is with you Quote by UNICAM Here is a picture of my great great grandfathers railroad watch. Its solid gold and my dad had it cleaned and serviced about 15 years ago. I wind it a few times a year. Still holds perfect time. Someday I will hand it down to one of my sons. http://www.tndeer.com/tndeertalk/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=481575&page=1#Post481575 My father had a Railroad watch similar to yours Unicam . I have it and wish to give it to my son some day also. He also had a Waltham raillroad watch he carried during the 1950's also. My father was a Gandy dancer or track maintenance worker for the Nickle Plate Road rail road in the 1940's and 1950's . The New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad Company (NYC&StL) had a storied 83 year existence. My father and a foreman got gold watches as a reward for preventing a derailment on the main-line going to Chicago. The train got switched to the line that was being worked on accidentally and when the men saw it coming they all ran except my father and the foreman who stayed with the maintenance car. My father was a very large strong man and with the help of the fore- man he managed to pick up the loaded with tools car and move it off the right of way far enough for the train to pass safely. The gold Elgin watch was his reward for the deed at least that was what I was told in the 1950's by my father and uncle . The uncle was a conductor on the L @ N railroad and made runs to Scotsville KY my fathers home town . As a boy I made a trip on the old now abandoned run to Scotsville KY with my uncle behind a steam locomotive . I can remember the last steam trains running on the L @ N line threw Inglewood TN back in the 1950's and the fast diesel streamliner passenger trains that did run to Nashville back then. I was only a Stationary Engineer TNDEERHUNTER and my boilers stayed in one place . I appreciate you TNDEERHUNTER for the job you guys do keep the trains moving. http://www.tndeer.com/tndeertalk/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=481498&page=1#Post481498
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