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"Railroad Official Standard" & “Railmaster Official”

  1. Johnsep May 11, 2019

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  2. Canuck May 11, 2019

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    I wonder if Jeff Hess of Hess Fine Arts, current holder of any copyrights regarding the Ball Watch Co., could shed any light on this matter? The Official RR Standard logo on the dial of a Ball watch is quite different to the equivalent marking on the Omega dial. I am not certain whether patent protection (which is finite) might differ from protection afforded to a copyright.

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  3. Faz May 11, 2019

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    True..As a long time former CPR employee (RTC), I can confirm that any watch, in order to be compliant with operating rules, must have had a dial that showed the time in military time (24 hour dial) and that same rule applied to the CNR (Canadian National Railway).
     
    Edited May 11, 2019
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  4. Faz May 11, 2019

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    ...up until 2008, rule 2 of the CROR and CPR Special Instruction to rule 2.

    2. Watches
    Every conductor, assistant conductor, locomotive engineer, pilot, foreman, snow plow foreman and such other employees as the company may direct, shall, when on duty, use a reliable watch that indicates hours, minutes and seconds and shall;

    • (i) be responsible to ensure that it is kept in proper working condition so that it does not reflect a variation of more than 30 seconds in a 24 hour period;
    • (ii) set it to reflect the correct time if it reflects a variation of more than 30 seconds;
    • (iii) before commencing work, compare the time on their watch with a railway approved time source. Where a railway approved time source is not accessible, obtain the correct time from the RTC or by comparing with another employee who has obtained the correct time. Every crew member assigned to train, transfer or yard service shall compare the time with one another as soon as possible after commencing work.

    Special Instruction

    The following are railway approved time sources -

    1)The National Research Council Standard Time Signal
    •Transmitted daily by a network of Canadian Broadcasting Corporation radio stations or
    •When available, phone number listed in the time table

    2)The USA National Bureau of Standards time signal

    3)CPR approved time signals, synchronized with the national bureau of Standards time signal, where such is available, will be indicated in special instructions
    As far as the railway approved watches --
    In the application of Rule 2, a railway approved watch is a reliable watch that simultaneously displays hours, minutes and seconds in the twenty-four hour system.

    Every employee in possession of a valid certificate of rules qualification shall, when in service connected with the movement of trains or engines, use a reliable railway approved watch or clock.
     
  5. Germanicus May 12, 2019

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    Fantastic post and great information!
    Thanks guys
    Regards
     
  6. pennsyl936 May 12, 2019

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    Jeff has a little to say in an older post on separate forum here:

    https://mb.nawcc.org/threads/did-the-railroads-ever-approve-wrist-watches.67215/

    "...To my knowledge, Ball was the first RR approved wrist on the roads (US), followed quickly by Elgin and Accutron. A few years later Omega came out with a "railroad Standard" watch and were quickly sued by Ball and quit making it."
     
  7. Onion0909 Aug 11, 2019

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    Hello all,
    So I just got my first Railmaster, and second Omega...but I'm not sure if I should keep it!!
    So heres the go...I was being a noob...doing noobesque things on an auction site...and found an omega with no description...only 2 very crappy photos...and recognized it as a railmaster.
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    Did some research...and decided that I was gonna get it...bad call...well possibly anyway!
    The bid came up...and somebody else had evidently decided the same thing...and we got to bidding...and bidding...and I ended up spending over 2x what I was originally planning...but from the pics I could tell the crown was original...I think, the case back was in pretty much perfect shape, and the face didn't have bad patina, the logos etc looked right..and the hands were original. Felt like a jack after I finally won it...but a little like I was playing the lotto...and tried to maintain my cool until it showed up.
    It did on Thursday...and I guess you be the judge...and let me know what you think...
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    The fingerprints on the rotor are mine..as well as the scratches from taking the caseback off...stupid move I know... however...I feel like I was the first guy to ever open it...! Just incredibly clean...had a funky smell too...but dont know what that was about. My big concern...and the reason I may move it on is that the face is chipped in a couple spots...and that really irks me. I did wear it for a bid before I opened it, was a bit tough to wind, but kept decent time...the crystal could really use a polish too- am thinking I should pick up some polywatch?
    What do you think? Should I get it serviced and wear it? I would really love to...but would like to talk to someone nearby who specializes in Omegas who would be willing to do so...any suggestions there would be much appreciated- I know there are several on here just cant remember any names!!
    Thank you all very much for reading...and I would really love any feedback...good, bad or indifferent.
    Regards-
    Onion
     
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  8. Canuck Aug 11, 2019

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    Standards for what features a railroad approved watch must have, have varied over the decades since the practice of selectively approving specific watches for railroad use began. And while on the surface, it might appear as though the standards applied 100 % across the board, this is not the case. Ball watches were mentioned. Webb C. Ball was the general time inspector for the Acheson, Topeka, and Santa Fe railroad. His standards were highly respected, and many railroads bought his system, and adhered strictly to his standards. But many railroads were not so exacting about accepting all of Ball’s standards. The Canadian Pacific Railway for example, were accepting stem-set (Ball demanded lever-set watches), 17 jewel, single roller watches which were adjusted to three positions (Ball demanded double roller, and 5 or 6 positions), adjusted for temperature (as per Ball), but some watches approved by CPR were not adjusted for isochronism. Many watches approved by CPR met all of Ball’s standards, but many didn’t. Some railroads (CPR included) might have approved the Omega wrist watch you have, for use on their systems. Unofficially. But I have never seen it listed as being railroad approved by any railroad. But it could have been. Nice watch, anyway. Why would you decide to flip it?
     
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  9. TexOmega Aug 11, 2019

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    Some thoughts

    White dialed Railmasters with scratched backs are worth less than ones with non-scratched backs.

    Fingerprints will be permanently displayed if not cleaned off fairly soon and also reduces value.

    Try not to get to strike three with this uncommon and desirable watch.



    A less than ideal dial would not bother me, this one looks quite nice.

    Enjoy, but as Hippocrates stated....."first, do no harm."
     
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  10. Onion0909 Aug 12, 2019

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    @TexOmega
    Thank you very much for the insight...who do you suggest I get in touch with on this forum to have it serviced? I'm heading to my local watchmaker today...but he doesn't exactly specialize in Omegas- more Seikos and Rolex strange though that combination is.
    Thank you very much!
    Mark/Onion
     
  11. TexOmega Aug 12, 2019

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    Put your general location and ask for recommendations.
     
  12. Onion0909 Aug 12, 2019

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    In Central, OH, but happy to ship to one of the trusted US based guys here - any suggestions for a guy that has a lot of experience with Omegas would be excellent
    Thank you!!
     
  13. VetPsychWars Wants to be in the club! Aug 13, 2019

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    Try your local guy first.

    Tom
     
  14. Archer Omega Qualified Watchmaker Aug 13, 2019

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    I serviced one of these earlier this year...they are nice little watches and something you don't see every day...

    [​IMG]

    The owner was in the US and when I asked if his family had any Railroad connections, he said they did not. Interesting that on the outside of the case back each one has a number stamped - in the case of the one above it's 2213, and the one I serviced was 1111. Came on a BOR bracelet...

    Whoever services it will likely need parts, so if you have someone local with a parts account with Omega, that is probably your best bet.

    Cheers, Al
     
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  15. Onion0909 Aug 13, 2019

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    Wow...that is such a beauty!! the original one too which is awesome!
     
  16. pennsyl936 Aug 22, 2019

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    I have noticed, at least on the manual wind versions (cal 600 ref 135.005), they not only have number stamped on the back but also on the case between the lower lugs.
     
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    Edited Aug 22, 2019
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  17. ezinternet Dec 5, 2020

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    My Railroad Official Standard ... case back has “1388” engraved.

    Also a dedication to “Sr. Mary Alphonsus”
    so perhaps the nuns also used these to keep the class on schedule.

    @Archer - I’d love to send this to you for your spa treatment. You do such nice work!
     
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  18. pennsyl936 Dec 14, 2020

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    Very nice. Aside from the case back scars - looks like it should clean up nicely.

    Could you check and see if "1388" is also stamped on the side of case between the lower lugs?
     
  19. ezinternet Dec 14, 2020

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    Yes, "1388" present.
    What does that indicate?

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    Edited Dec 14, 2020
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  20. pennsyl936 Dec 15, 2020

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    Thanks for confirming.

    It is the case number - same stamped on the case back and the case itself. I have noticed this on three other examples of these railroad official standard manual wind versions (cal 600 ref 135.005). Each example having a different case number of course - yours being #1388. I just find it interesting and something I personally haven't observed on any other Omega models.
     
    Edited Dec 15, 2020