The pocket watch really began to gain its popularity during the second half of the 19th century. This was when the railroad industry really started to pick up; and while more and more people got involved on the railroad, more and more people started to carry around pocket watches.
A pocket railroad watch was required for everybody that worked on the rails. The reason for this was that these people needed to accurately know the time of day in order to avoid accidents. If just one person did not know what time it was, they could end up causing an accident by making a costly error on the tracks.
By 1893 it was a law that everybody that was working on the rails had to carry a pocket railroad watch at all times. Not only did they have to carry a pocket railroad watch, but they had to carry one that met all of the standards that had been placed on them by the industry. As the years went on, the pocket railroad watch requirements were changed, and each worker would have to update his watch.
If it were not for the pocket watch there would have been many more accidents on the rails during these times. Even though it may seem like these watches could not have been important, you have to remember that they did not have the technology a hundred years ago that we have today.
A pocket watch is a great antique to have in today’s day and age. In fact, if you have one of these you may be able to sell it for a few dollars. There are many people that love to collect these watches, and would be willing to buy yours. The pocket railroad watch made its mark in history, and is still popular among antique enthusiasts today.