Antique Railroad Badges

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In the 1880s, United States railroads started to require that every employee wore a uniform, which would be topped off by a hat with a badge. At that point, rail lines stretched across the United States, and many different types of employees were...
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In the 1880s, United States railroads started to require that every employee wore a uniform, which would be topped off by a hat with a badge. At that point, rail lines stretched across the United States, and many different types of employees were necessary to keep the trains running. As passengers traveled cross-county, they needed a way to quickly identify railroad employees and what those employees did. Cap badges identified a railroad worker by his specific occupation, such as engineer, porter, conductor, gateman, station agent, ticket agent, information clerk, or time clerk. The major exceptions to this rule were railroad security officers, who wore police-style badges in the shapes of stars or shields on their chest. These might indicate whether the wearer was a special agent, detective, watchman, chief, or just general "police." For police and non-police workers alike, the uniforms and badges conveyed their authority to passengers. Railroad cap and police badges are sought-after by collectors because they can be quite beautiful and well-crafted. For example, they might be plated with nickel or decorated with colorful enamel. The badges also offer a human connection to individuals who worked on the railroads. Collectors who focus on specific railroads like Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe; Chesapeake and Ohio; or Southern Pacific can collect badges representing a wide variety of jobs. Because antique railroad badges are so desirable, collectors should be wary of the forgeries that are often injected into the market. Some of the original badge makers still produce old railroad badges for hobbyists, too.

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