The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1911-08-17
MUST CARRY GOOD WATCHES
Railroad Men Are Compelled - Oss
Accurate Timsplsess.

Railroad Men Arc Compelled - Oee
Accurate Timsplsess. =
1t may be news to many that the
watch Of the railroad man u nc nee.
essary in modern railroading A. tho
air brake. without accurate time
keeping there would probably be more
accidents than II there were no air
brakes. The train dispatcher starts
train at a certain time; he halts It at
certain stations at certain times; he
side tracks 1t for a period OF varying
length; the watch of the conductor on
the side tracked train must agree with
the watch of the conductor on the ex-
press to which he had to give way;
each station master along the ROAD
checks the time Of every train that
stops or flies past.
In order that there may be agree
ment among all these railroad men
there must obviously be not only time
pieces, but accurate timepieces- There
must also be some means OF inspecr
ing the timepieces to see II they are
accurate and II they agree with some
standard. The railroad man Is there
fore compelled to buy not simply an
ordinary watch of reasonable valuo.
but a particularly good watch. a time
niece which Ia adjusted to heat. colo
and at least three positions. These
three positions are pendant mp. az
carried In the pocket; dial up and dial
down. Such an instrument will not
vary more than thirty seconds a week.
which Is a good deal more accurate
than many scientific instruments OK
precision used In laboratories. Even
human proneness to error Ii consid-
cred in this matter Of choosing good
railroad watch. for a lever set watch
Is preferred to the pendant set watch
because there Is just the chance that
the stem Of the pendant set may not
be pushed back after setting through
an oversight
On one great line about 5000
watches, worth on an average OF 80
apiece "a low average), are used. II
we take Into consideration the number
of watches that are used on other
roads throughout the country 1t Ii
evident that the value must run up
into hundreds Of thousands Of dollars.
In order that the watch may be kept
I'D to q regular standard 1t must be
inspected regularly. There Is not only
a general time inspector on most rail-
roads, but a staff Of local inspectors
who are placed along the road at CON
venient points and to whom the men
may resort when they wish to com.
pare their time with the standard time
at that place. Once every two weeks
the railroad man submits his watch to
such an inspector. usually a 1eweier
or matchmaker by profession.
The inspector gives his expert opin-
ion on the condition of the umepiece.
II it needs cleaning he says so and
does it; II 1t Is fast or slow he regu-
lates 1t, and not until 1t Is running
with sufficient accuracy Is 1t allowed
to escape from his care. A watch's
record is kept as II 1t were thief. 80
far as repairing goes. the railroad man
Is under no compulsion. He need NOT
hand over his watch to any-particulal
matchmaker or inspector for repair,
but he can give 1t to any matchmaker
in whom he has confidence. 1t must
however, be submitted to the In
spector before 1t can be used in actual
service.
That no favoritism Is shown in the
matter of watches Is evident In the
fact that no less than eight diff
ferent manufacturers supply railroad
watches.-Scientific American.