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Railroad Cap Badge, Brakeman, Southern Pacific Railroad

National Museum of American History

Object Details

Description
This metal cap badge reads “BRAKEMAN” in silver-colored skeleton letters. The badge has two posts protruding from the back that allowed it to be affixed to the uniform cap of a railroad employee who served aboard passenger trains. This badge identified the wearer as a brakeman on the Southern Pacific Railroad. The Southern Pacific Railroad ran throughout the southwest United States, opening in 1865 and operating until 1996 when it was taken over by the Union Pacific Railroad. The brakeman’s duties included moving from car to car to trigger the brakes and slow the train, dropping cars at stations, lining switches, and signaling to crew members about train operations.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
TR.333722
catalog number
333722
accession number
304341
Object Name
railroad cap badge
Physical Description
metal (overall material)
Measurements
overall: 1/2 in x 3 5/8 in; 1.27 cm x 9.2075 cm
See more items in
Work and Industry: Transportation, Railroad
Clothing & Accessories
Work
Transportation
National Museum of American History
Subject
Railroads
Adornment
Travel
Record ID
nmah_843118
Metadata Usage (text)
CC0
GUID (Link to Original Record)
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a6-8c17-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

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