Author Topic: Sources for period clothing?  (Read 29454 times)

Keith Taylor

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Re: Re: Spring 2018 Work Weekend
« Reply #30 on: February 16, 2018, 11:26:09 AM »
P.S.
Ann Moore used to work for the old M&W Cap Company of Brownville Jct. Maine.
I bought M&W Caps 45 years ago when I worked for the Lehigh Valley Railroad. In fact I still have a couple of those caps!
Keith

Paul Crabb

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Re: Sources for period clothing?
« Reply #31 on: February 17, 2018, 05:02:54 PM »
In an earlier post Ed L. mentioned that he got a conductors cap at Springfield from a company located somewhere in MA. I think this might be Modern Uniform Cap Company which I believe is in Taunton Ma. I'll see if I can find my records as that was where I got conductors caps for the Old Colony and Newport Railway here in RI. As I remember the shop is located next to the RR tracks and they were the supplier to the B&M who at the time (early 1980's) were staffing the MBTA commuter trains.

Ed Lecuyer

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Re: Sources for period clothing?
« Reply #32 on: May 22, 2018, 09:09:36 PM »
Another website - contains lots of links to Amazon...
https://vintagedancer.com/mens-vintage-style-clothing/
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Stephen Piwowarski

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Re: Sources for period clothing?
« Reply #33 on: February 20, 2019, 08:54:14 AM »
Hi All,

Just found these this morning. I really like the herringbone pattern chore coat I got from L.C. King (Pointer Brand) a few years ago. It was a factory second I purchased at the factory store in Bristol, VA/TN, so the price was right, however Pointer Brands regular pricing is out of my league.

I recently found another source for a similar Fisher Herringbone chore coat made by Universal Overall out of Chicago. They are now discontinued, but there are many sizes left, and the price, at just around 20 with shipping, is excellent!

You can get them on ebay from Youruniformsource here:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/FISHER-HERRINGBONE-OVERALL-CHORE-JACKET-NEW-UNIVERSAL-OVERALL-IR-1ST-QUALITY-/162636845739

or through their website here:
https://www.youruniformsource.com/fisher-herringbone-overall-jacket-3

Take care,
Steve

Jeff Schumaker

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Re: Sources for period clothing?
« Reply #34 on: February 20, 2019, 11:59:07 AM »
Thanks for the post, Steve. Just ordered one.

Jeff S.
Hey Rocky, watch me pull a moose trout out of my hat.

Bob Holmes

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Re: Sources for period clothing?
« Reply #35 on: February 20, 2019, 07:34:34 PM »
Steve, pardon my ignorance, but how does this shirt relate to period railroad clothing?  I would order one if I knew...

Stephen Piwowarski

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Re: Sources for period clothing?
« Reply #36 on: February 21, 2019, 07:44:44 AM »
That's ok Bob! Here's the story:

So, the jackets you often see engineers, fireman, conductors (on freights, mostly) and brakeman wearing are known as 'chore coats'. They are handy because they have multiple pockets that are convenient for rule books, timetables, ticket punches, etc. They are typically made of the same denim as overalls and are often

I've seen some pictures of steam crews wearing them under oversized bib overalls like a shirt. I always presumed this is because they are wearing a set of street clothes and covering them up with their chore coat and overalls.

I really like wearing the Herringbone one as a conductor over my vest, because it is a little more refined in appearance compared to a typical unwashed denim one. However, I suppose you could wear it on the engine too. It's just has more white in it so it will show the dirt more.

Steve

Wayne Laepple

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Re: Sources for period clothing?
« Reply #37 on: February 21, 2019, 08:58:34 AM »
Two quick stories about railroad work clothes. When he was growing up, my father had a neighbor who always left for work in a suit and tie, carrying a leather bag. My dad always assumed he was a doctor, until one day he was at North Broad Street Station in Philadelphia, and a train came in with his neighbor at the throttle in a full herringbone boiler suit. My wife's grandfather was an engineer on the Pennsylvania Railroad, and he always wore a full boiler suit and a necktie. On the big railroads, there were locker rooms for the train crews, and I'm fairly sure they wore different clothes to and from work than what they wore on the job.

But -- if you look at the photos in TFTT and the other Maine two-footer books, you'll see that the crews wore whatever they had as work clothes. I do recall one photo showing the RPO clerk on the WW&F wearing a long-sleeve shirt with a tie. I imagine our local fellows wore the same clothes all day, without a change. I think as long as our train crews do not wear AC/DC T-shirts or Red Sox ball caps turned backwards, we're okay!

Stephen Lennox

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Re: Sources for period clothing?
« Reply #38 on: February 21, 2019, 10:15:37 AM »
At one time many of the work clothes were of Herringbone design. When I joined the Marines in 1965, a my first set of utilities (the Marine word for fatigues) was Herringbone material, it was tough, lasted hundreds of washings and was quite comfortable.

Steve L

Terry Harper

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Re: Sources for period clothing?
« Reply #39 on: February 21, 2019, 07:51:01 PM »
My Great Grandfather was foreman of a section crew on the Canadian Pacific line that ran from
Perth-Andover N.B. to Presque Isle. Prior to that he helped build the Bangor & Aroostook up through to
Frenchville.

The few photos I have, from the 1920's, show him wearing plain bib overalls and a light colored work shirt with stripped tie.
The rest of the crew wore a mix of everyday clothing. High L.L. bean type boots.



Stephen Piwowarski

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Re: Sources for period clothing?
« Reply #40 on: February 21, 2019, 10:54:42 PM »
Thanks for the note about the herringbone pattern work clothes Steve. Wayne, there is a book called Firing on the Pennsy by Paul Dietz who fired out of Crestline. He mentions wearing his regular street clothes under his work clothes. Not sure how widespread that practice was.

In the photos I've seen from the WW&F there is a big variety, probably partially due to the fact that over the Railroads 39 year period of operation from 1894-1933 there was a huge change in fashion- and I don't mean high fashion. What people wore- both to work and elsewhere- changed dramatically over that time.

I've seen photos of WW&F crews in later years (I'd say post 1920) wearing baggy overalls and work clothes and definitely a couple chore coats thrown in for good measure. Earlier on, photos show lots of pants with suspenders, ties and detachable collars.

One thing that has always interested me- has anyone seen a photo of a WW&F conductor or train crew in a traditional uniform?

Thanks,
Steve

Philip Marshall

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Re: Sources for period clothing?
« Reply #41 on: February 22, 2019, 01:04:41 AM »
One thing that has always interested me- has anyone seen a photo of a WW&F conductor or train crew in a traditional uniform?

That's an interesting question. Flipping through Two Feet to Tidewater, I see photos on pages 61 and 123 that appear to show a crewman wearing a traditional conductor's uniform. However, the caption on page 61 identifies this individual as the mail clerk Charles Crosby, *not* the conductor. If this is correct, then I wonder if the extra formality could have had something to do with the mail clerk's status as an armed federal employee rather than a railroader per se. The pictures date from ca. 1902 and 1910 and show passenger trains rather than mixed trains.

Passenger conductors and trainmen on the SR&RL certainly wore traditional uniforms, but on the WW&F I don't know.

« Last Edit: February 22, 2019, 01:06:23 AM by Philip Marshall »

Allan Fisher

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WW&F Uniforms
« Reply #42 on: February 22, 2019, 02:56:23 AM »
Check out the uniforms in this Fourtin Powell Collection image
« Last Edit: February 22, 2019, 09:43:38 AM by Ed Lecuyer »
Allan Fisher

Allan Fisher

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Re: Sources for period clothing?
« Reply #43 on: February 22, 2019, 03:03:14 AM »
Or maybe this image during early Peck era.
Allan Fisher

Jeff Schumaker

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Re: WW&F Uniforms
« Reply #44 on: February 22, 2019, 09:02:57 AM »
Check out the uniforms in this Fourtin Powell Collection image

Can't open this file.

Jeff S.
Hey Rocky, watch me pull a moose trout out of my hat.