Waltham's Canadian Railway Movements

Transcription

1 Waltham's Canadian Railway Movements Brian MacDonald Photo: Railways of Canada

2 130 years ago, Waltham developed the Canadian Pacific Railway and Made for Canadian Time Service grades of pocket watches, which today are highly prized by railroad pocket watch collectors. These watches are easily identified by the inscription on the barrell plate.

3 The first reported example Serial No was manufactured in The last reported example Serial No was manufactured in For 30 years these watches were a mainstay of Canadian Railroading. Photo: Rails West

4 Waltham built both the CPR and CRTS in two sizes: 18 and 16 size. From the start, as orders were received, the 18 size watches were pulled from various grades of 15 jewel Model 1883 movements, up-jeweled to 17 jewel and finished as CPR or CRTS watches. CPR and CRTS movement serial numbers can be found from the following grades as designated from the Gray Book. No. 15, No. 25, No. 35, No. 87, AT & Co Crescent St., P.S. Bartlett, Special. 15 JEWEL GRADE JEWEL GRADE CPR

5 These grades do not necessarily reflect the quality of the CPR and CRTS grades. The CPR and CRTS movements were finished to the specifications that existed at that time. These watches were given new barrel plates bearing the CPR shield, or the marking Made for Canadian Railway Time Service The damaskeeing of these barrel plates do not match the patterns on the top plate. If the barrel plate has a serial number, it will not match the serial number on the top plate. Most barrel plates do not have serial numbers. However, this does not apply to movements from designated runs of CPR and CRTS watches. Later, complete runs of both 18 and 16 size watches were produced, and are designated as either CPR or CRTS. Since both the CPR and CRTS are listed in Waltham's Canadian catalogs and price lists, they are considered factory grades.

6 The CPR and CRTS watches were priced the same, or with the CPR grade being about 25 cents more expensive. Both were less expensive than the Appleton Tracy & Co. grade. Both the 17 jewel Model 1883, and 1892 were offered during 1900 to Both 18 size, the 1883 was pendent set and adjusted to 3 positions. The 1892 was lever set and adjusted to 5 positions. A curious fact is that in 1907 the CPR required watches with 5 positions, yet the CPR and CRTS grade 1883's with 3 positions were still allowed into service. There has been no documentation that CPR and CRTS watches were available for purchase from the railroads. The watches were available from Eatons, Ellis Bros., watch inspectors, and many other retailers.

7 Photo: NAWCC

8

9 It is impossible to determine how many CPR and CRTS watches were produced by Waltham. Some years ago, I worked from the NAWCC's reported examples of CPR and CRTS watches. Based on complete runs, I determined how many were reported. I then did the math which resulted in the following estimates. 18 Size CPR Model Size CPR Model j Size CRTS Model Size CRTS Model From the Gray Book, we know the following production numbers from complete runs: 18 Size CPR Model j O.F Size CPR Model j Hunter Size CPR Size CRTS

10 The Gray Book has errors. For instance, my CRTS 1892 is listed as one of a complete run of 500 CPR's. The only way to establish accurate production numbers, is to get the watches reported in the NAWCC data base so researchers can piece together complete runs. If you have a CPR or CRTS watch, check to establish if it is listed in the NAWCC data base. If it is not listed, post it with some pictures to the message board, American Pocket Watch section. Note the Serial Number, Size, Jewel count, Model, Type (O.F. Or Hunter), Set (level or pendant), Comments on movement (adjusted, adjusted to five positions), Type of regulator, and Grade if known. At the next data base update, it will be included in the list.

11

12

13

14

15

16

17 Brian's Collection Serial No Model 1883 O.F CPR 17 jewels Gray Book Listing A.T.& Co. 15 ruby jewels, patent regulator adjusted to 3 positions from a run of 400 in 1889/1890

18 Serial No Model 1883 Hunter CPR 17 jewels Gray Book Listing No ruby jewels, patent regulator adjusted to all positions from a run of 1000 in 1892/1893

19 Serial No Model 1892 O.F. CPR 21 jewels Gray Book Listing CPR 21 jewel, patent regulator, adjusted to 5 positions from a run of 400 in 1901

20 Serial No Model 1892 Hunter CPR 21 jewels Gray Book Listing CPR 21 jewels, patent regulator adjusted to 5 positions from a run of 100 in 1901

21 Serial No Model 1892 O.F. CPR 17 jewels Gray Book Listing Ass't Spec. 17 jewel, patent regulator, adjusted to 5 positions from a run of 1000 in 1908

22 Serial No Model 1908 O.F. CPR 17 jewels Gray Book Listing CPR 17 jewels, patent regulator adjusted to 5 positions from a run of 200 in 1918

23 Serial No Model 1883 O.F. CRTS 17 jewels Gray Book Listing AT & Co 17 jewels, patent regulator adjusted to 3 positions from a run of 800 in Note: Dual time zone hands

24 Serial No Model 1892 O.F. CRTS 17 jewels Gray Book Listing CPR 17 jewels, patent regulator adjusted to 5 positions from a run of 500 in 1903

25 Serial No Model 1908 O.F. CRTS 17 jewels Gray Book Listing CRTS 17 jewels, patent regulator adjusted to 5 positions from a run of 100 in 1913

26 References Picture. Railways of Canada Picture. Rails West Canadian Railway Marked Movements. NAWCC. Waltham Watch Co. Gray Book. 1954