Recently one of our readers found what he believes to be an electric railway badge at an antique store in Minnesota, but he can't identify it. It has just a number on the front, and an indecipherable word engraved on the back. Can anyone help? Given the location, I suppose it might be TCRT but it could be almost anything. Our experts on the Chicago L haven't seen anything quite like this.
But while we're on the subject, here are some interesting badges from private collections that are easier to identify. We usually think of the word "porter" in connection with Pullman, but CRT had porters whose job it was to keep the stations swept and clean.
And they also had station watchmen:
Finally, here's a celluloid motorman's hat badge from the NW Elevated, a predecessor of CRT:
It is unusual because it has a pin back. Heeren Bros. mostly made celluloid badges that attached to hats via posts.
And if you're thinking of tossing in the quote from Sierra Madre, I got there first. So don't bother.
5 comments:
The signature on the back of the 155 badge looks like "Willard J. Field" at first glance to me.
R. W. Schauer
...on second look, maybe Nield? Wirld? Can't tell.
R. W. Schauer
TCRT Badges were white numbers on black enamel.
-Hudson
But I really want to bother... The badges were not required to be presented as their odor was foul.
As I recall, when I used to get on at the new Logan Square station in the mid-70's, There was a small sign affixed to the inside glass of the agent's booth, saying something like "AGENT ON DUTY". It had a hook, and the agent was supposed to hang their ID facing out, so that passengers could "report" an agent if necessary. And I'm pretty sure our 50th Avenue booth had that until it was removed. It's possible that it still exists.
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