A Few Canadian Railroad Watches - Please Add Yours

[Old rookie]

A recent addition also back from a complete servicing, Waltham Vanguard, 14000518, 18s, 23j, Model 1892, circa 1904.

 

[34Ford5W]

Model 1892 Crescent St. HC 17 jewel 2 Tone. Royal grade changed to Crescent St. circa 1896

 

[viclip]

Longines Express Leader 16s. 19j.

Here's a Canadian private label specimen made for Howell Bros. & Knowlton of Windsor, Ontario circa 1911.

The Longines Express Leader models with 17/19 jewels were accepted in Canada for railway use in 16/18 sizes.

My 16-size 19-jewel piece has a visible stop works recessed into the barrel winding gear, which can be seen peeking out in the shot of the movement. I don't know whether the stop works is functional or just there for show. When I wind the watch (it keeps superb time BTW), I am unable to observe any relative movement of the maltese cross thingie. Can anyone shed some light on this?

 

[Rodney Leon]

I am unable to observe any relative movement of the maltese cross thingie. Can anyone shed some light on this?

Nice watch. the Maltese cross thingie, is a wind up stop Howards used them a lot, when you wind it up it will move until the last cog then stop preventing overwinding. You can see in the photo how it works on a Howard.

 

[viclip]

Nice watch. the Maltese cross thingie, is a wind up stop Howards used them a lot, when you wind it up it will move until the last cog then stop preventing overwinding. You can see in the photo how it works on a Howard.

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Thanks RL.
In as much as I'm not observing any motion of the thingie during winding, it seems that something is amiss. I'll mention this to my watchmaker when I take the watch in for inspection/servicing.

 

[Leigh Callaway]

I'm not a watchmaker but I have a similar watch with a stop wind mechanism. It's 23 jewel caliber 19.95 (previously posted). It was not running when I got it. The intermediate winding wheel was broken and half the maltese stop work was gone. Watchmaker fabricated a new one.
There's a lot of good information about Longines railroad watches in the October 1998 Bulletin "Railroaders Corner" by Ed Ueberall and Kent Singer "Longines Standard Watches."


Here's the watch before repair.

 

[viclip]

I'm not a watchmaker but I have a similar watch with a stop wind mechanism. It's 23 jewel caliber 19.95 (previously posted). It was not running when I got it. The intermediate winding wheel was broken and half the maltese stop work was gone. Watchmaker fabricated a new one.
There's a lot of good information about Longines railroad watches in the October 1998 Bulletin "Railroaders Corner" by Ed Ueberall and Kent Singer "Longines Standard Watches."
View attachment 725541 View attachment 725542

Here's the watch before repair.
View attachment 725543

Thanks LC.
So there's hidden parts, possibly broken or perhaps missing. Now that you mention this, I recall reading that certain watchmakers who don't know how to set up a stop works type mechanism, have been known to disable same by leaving a part out. I hope that's not the case here esp. since my watchmaker is unable to fabricate replacement gears/wheels.

 

[luvsthetick]

When I wind the watch (it keeps superb time BTW), I am unable to observe any relative movement of the maltese cross thingie.

I have seen watches that are missing the lever on the arbor that activates the star wheel. You star wheel may also be hidden when it moves, I am not familiar with your movement.

 

[viclip]

I have seen watches that are missing the lever on the arbor that activates the star wheel. You star wheel may also be hidden when it moves, I am not familiar with your movement.

View attachment 725558

Good to know, luvsthetick.

I'm tempted to remove the barrel bridge for a look-see but maybe it's best that I leave it alone lest I bugger something up. Might be a good idea though for me to keep an eye out for a parts movement just in case.

 

[Rodney Leon]

I'm tempted to remove the barrel bridge for a look-see but maybe it's best that I leave it alone lest I bugger something up. Might be a good idea though for me to keep an eye out for a parts movement just in case.

If you want to know if it is missing the lever tongue you can get something like a toothpick or carefully use a screwdriver and see if the stop work revolves, if it moves around there is a good chance your lever is missing or broken. Then you won't have to take off the barrel bridge. If you do make sure the mainspring is let down first before removing it.

 

[viclip]

If you want to know if it is missing the lever tongue you can get something like a toothpick or carefully use a screwdriver and see if the stop work revolves, if it moves around there is a good chance your lever is missing or broken. Then you won't have to take off the barrel bridge. If you do make sure the mainspring is let down first before removing it.

RL ~ I checked the motion of the stop works wheel as advised. It rotates freely in both directions. This free spinning occurs whether the watch is run down or fully wound.

LC ~ from this can you tell which component is broken or missing? If so I hope you can identify it for me on the pic which you posted above.

 

[Rodney Leon]

RL ~ I checked the motion of the stop works wheel as advised. It rotates freely in both directions. This free spinning occurs whether the watch is run down or fully wound.

LC ~ from this can you tell which component is broken or missing? If so I hope you can identify it for me on the pic which you posted above.

Here is a photo pointing to the part missing or broken the lever tongue is sticking out so that would be the part broken or the whole part might be missing. The watch will still work fine without it.

 

[viclip]

Here is a photo pointing to the part missing or broken the lever tongue is sticking out so that would be the part broken or the whole part might be missing. The watch will still work fine without it.

View attachment 725654

Continued thanks RL !

While the watch does indeed keep exquisite time, I'd like to get it restored to factory condition so I will see if I can stumble upon a parts movement.

If you or anyone else knows of a possible source for Longines Express Leader parts, please let me know ...

 

[Kent]

I don't know if these watches have been posted earlier, but here they are.

I've never come across any documentation that the Gallet/Eaton watches were accepted into railroad time service, but they seem to have the necessary features.

 

[Leigh Callaway]

If you want to know if it is missing the lever tongue you can get something like a toothpick or carefully use a screwdriver and see if the stop work revolves, if it moves around there is a good chance your lever is missing or broken. Then you won't have to take off the barrel bridge. If you do make sure the mainspring is let down first before removing it.

FWIW mine does not revolve.

 

[Leigh Callaway]

LC ~ from this can you tell which component is broken or missing? If so I hope you can identify it for me on the pic which you posted above.

Can't tell which part of your watch is broken or missing, but here are photos from my watchmaker. He told me mine was "..missing half of the maltese stop-work." The drawing is from his CAD fabrication of the new part.



Again I am not a watchmaker so I can't help with what RL calls the "lever tongue." Perhaps someone can identify that part in my photo in post 106.

 

[Rodney Leon]

For RL: is the red arrow pointing at what you call "the lever tongue"? If so, would that possibly be what's wrong with viclip's watch?

It looks different then what I am use to seeing but I see how that might work so yes that would be the lever tongue, If that is what is in your watch. It still would be broken or missing. If it is in place you can not turn the Maltese Cross, also know as a Geneva stop work ,also used in some clocks.

 

[Leigh Callaway]

It looks different then what I am use to seeing but I see how that might work so yes that would be the lever tongue, If that is what is in your watch. It still would be broken or missing. If it is in place you can not turn the Maltese Cross, also know as a Geneva stop work ,also used in some clocks.

Here's the photo pointing to what may be the lever tongue.

 

[Rodney Leon]

Here's the photo pointing to what may be the lever tongue.

Yes I think that is the lever tongue you have the arrow pointing too, or maybe a better word would be a finger. Like I said I have never seen one like that but there are a lot of different ones, so if it works that is great. You can search Geneva stop work, and even see how to make one with the right equipment.

 

[179]

[
The red arrow is pointing to the click.

 

[Rodney Leon]

The red arrow is pointing to the click.

I would agree with you it first looked like a winding click me, but I mistook what LC was saying as it being the part that used in his watch by the watch repair man for the Maltese Cross, stop. So you are probable right.

 

[viclip]

Zenith Extra R.R.56

I've been looking for one of these puppies for a while, one finally followed me home:

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Further to my previous post herewith reproduced, these Zenith Extra R.R.56 watches were supposedly made in a total quantity of 1000. Five hundred came with the "Boxcar" Canadian dial, illustrated above.

The other 500 were outfitted with a "Montgomery" Canadian dial. So I just had to have one of those & am now pleased to post an example which was recently returned to me from my watchmaker following a bit of TLC:

And here's a shot of the fine lads side-by-side. I'm not sure which I prefer but I can live with both of them:

 

[Rhett Lucke]

A pair of scarce 18s 21J 92M Waltham Canadian Pacific’s. One bring open face with an estimated production of 400 and the other being a hunter with a production estimate of 100.

 

[butlercreek]

Rhett I have the same watch ser#10082614…….it’s waiting to be overhauled but my watchmaker recently retired (for the second time) so I’m not sure when I can get it up and running…….

 

[Kevin W.]

Viclip, you might like to see this, if you had not seen it before, Remembering the life of Peter Kushnir

 

[viclip]

Viclip, you might like to see this, if you had not seen it before, Remembering the life of Peter Kushnir

yes, thanks

 

[darrahg]

Rockford m9 g920 mvt
Housed in a Keystone 25yr gold filled open face case

 

[darrahg]

Rockford g938(?) 17j (focus not so great)

 

[darrahg]

I don't know if the Rockfords I have posted were used on any Canadian railway system but they came with Canadian style dials and were purchased from persons in Canada. This might be over reaching with respect to the main topic, but, here is another one that is housed in a Keystone case.

 

[butlercreek]

Rhett I have the same watch ser#10082614…….it’s waiting to be overhauled but my watchmaker recently retired (for the second time) so I’m not sure when I can get it up and running…….

View attachment 741037

If anyone knows a good watchmaker in the Seattle area im all ears!…….

 

[Bila]

Rockford m9 g920 mvt
Housed in a Keystone 25yr gold filled open face case
View attachment 741132 View attachment 741133

Nice Darrah, very interesting to see this one marked with its Grade number on the Barrel-bridge?

 

[darrahg]

Bila, you are correct. It makes grading so much easier. DA

 

[Bila]

I have had a few of these, with one only a handful of numbers away from yours, but no Grade numbers on any of them, always interesting to see what the Rockford Factory did at times