I got the clock shown below about 10 years ago and it watches over my miniscule layout. Keeps good time and was supposed to have come from an NP station somewhere in the great northwest. Right now, I can't find the limited provenance but I don't really care right now. I just love to hear it ticking!
I have an almost identical one that came to me via someone in min wife’s family who used to work for the NP in Duluth, MN. That is a great clock, take good care of it.
Like so many that once existed in so many rail offices. You are lucky to have it, and yeah, I would enjoy listening to it tick!
Funny story about this clock. Got it and was checking it out, but it wouldn't run. Tried winding it and the key wouldn't turn. Took the back off, tried everything I could think of, but no joy. Emailed the seller and explained the situation, he wrote back and said "Did you try turning the key counterclockwise?" Uh, no. Worked like a charm!!!!!!
A railroad clock with roman numerals would have been unusual. Arabic numerals prevailed for clarity on wall clocks and pocket watches. In any case, it's a wonderful clock and it's nice to know that it's in working order. Very cool.
This is interesting. I agree about Arabic numerals. Less chance for mistakes. Also, since the clock face opens left to right, which seems strange to me, then yes, counterclockwise makes sense. Maybe this was in the big bosses office clock or not in a railroad setting at all. Thanks for showing us. Jim
Mine also has Roman Numerals, and it was the yard office clock for decades. I don’t think it was so rare “back in the day”.
Karl, I'm going to agree with you. I noticed the clock in the movie, "High Noon," was a Roman Numeral Regulator. So maybe the farther back in time, pun intended, the more Roman clocks were. Jim
I guess I was incorrect. I was basing my thoughts on the number of AT&SF Seth Thomas clocks removed from official service by the railroad in the 1960s I thnk and all I've seen sport Arabic numerals (and marking of Santa Fe ownership). Even the minutes were marked for clarity. The photo below is typical of an AT&SF Seth Thomas regulator. Below that is what was found in Seth Thomas No. 2 models which were weight driven. Trivia: what made the Seth Thomas No. 2 special was its extreme accuracy and its compensating mechanism, which provided consistent timekeeping as it was wound.
Here is the one I’ve got. It came out of the yard office in 1947 (at least that’s the date scratched into the back with some other writing).
Just found a reference to my clock in an email from 9 years ago, "I saw a picture on the Thurston County History People and Places website from Gate, Washington from the late 1800?s/early 1900?s (it was on page 8 of 12). I am attempting to model that station and thus am looking for pictures of it. Is the photo for sale and are there more in your collection? I would also be curious as to who the photographer was. I got interested in this station because a few years ago, I purchased a clock that was purported to have been in that station in the late 1800?s/early 1900?s. In addition to wanting to model the station, I am looking for pictures to display in my home with the clock." I did some research back then, but nothing was ever done by me in setting up a display area nor in building the station.
I really do. I’m probably going to drop it off at and get it tuned up before we throw it back into service.
What was cool about the AT&SF clocks is that when they were set up for sale to the public, each clock's history was included. My Seth Thomas "short drop" regulator is from the Roadmaster's office in Topeka. These being railroad-owned clocks, each carried its age-old company inventory number which authenticated it as railroad property and assured it was maintained and accurate. When I worked a summer for the AT&SF in the Chicago general office, I recall seeing the timekeeper's office. Looking back, I wish I'd have knocked on the door to see what was within.
If you are looking for a competent shop, you might want to look at the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors Business Member Directory at [ https://net.nawcc.org/imis_15/nawcc/businesssearch/ ]. Finding skilled clocksmiths (and watchmakers) in this era is getting difficult and expensive.
Thank you, it did turn up one shop I hadn’t heard of in Henderson. We had a great clock shop close by in Minnesota, but here in Las Vegas options are a little more limited. I think I found a reputable clock repair shop that should be up to the task.
My closest shop is housed in a derelict wheeled trailer in a sketchy part of town, so I'm not overly enthused about taking my clock there. You're blessed to have a good shop to try.