“Staff” button – c. 1860s – c. 1880

Gold:  all positions
 

Larger buttons for coats and smaller

for sleeves and vests (possibly caps as well).

c. 1880 – 1900

Gold:  Conductor

Silver:  All other positions

Worn in a double-breasted pattern of

4 & 4 on the blue, frock-style uni-

form coat.  2 smaller buttons on

sleeves, small  buttons on vest and

sides of cap.

c. 1900 – c. 1915 (Pennsylvania Railroad Style,
reflecting their ownership)

Gold:  Conductor

Silver:  All other positions

Worn in a double-breasted pattern of 5 & 5 on the
blue, frock-style uniform coat. Smaller buttons on
sleeves, vest and sides of cap.

Lapel insignia:  Decorative embroidered border
surrounding sideways embroidered “LIRR”

c. 1915 – c. 1932

Gold:  Conductor

Silver:  All other positions

Worn in a double-breasted pattern of 4 & 4 on the
blue uniform coat.  2 smaller buttons on sleeves. 
Small buttons on vest and sides of cap.                

Lapel insignia:  Sideways embroidered “LIRR”
(no border)

c. 1932 – 12/1949  
PRR keystone reflecting ownership

Gold:  Conductor / Silver:  All other positions

Worn in a double-breasted pattern of 3 & 3 on the
blue uniform coat.  2 smaller buttons on sleeves. 
Small buttons on vest and sides of cap.                             

Lapel insignia: 

c. 1932 – 10/1949:  Embroidered interlocked
“LIRR” inside PRR keystone.

Gold metallic thread: Conductor/Silver metallic
thread: Trainman 

Lapel Insignia: 

10/1949 – 2/1953:  Metal pin with “LI” initials
in circle:  Gold

12/1949 – 1959 

Gold:  all positions

Worn in a single-breasted pattern of 3 on the blue
uniform coat.  2 smaller    buttons on sleeves. 
Small buttons on vest and sides of cap.

Lapel Insignia: 

2/1953 – June-Sept/1959:  Metal pin with “LI” initials (no circle):  Gold 

1959 – 1972

Silver:  all positions

Worn in a single-breasted pattern of 3 on the gray

uniform coat. Smaller buttons on vest.  No buttons on sleeves or cap. Same style and pattern used on the

MTA blue uniform coat:  1972  - 1/1/89
Gold:  Conductor / Silver:  Trainman

Lapel insignia: 

6-9/1959 – 1972:  Same style as indicated above

(metal pin with “LI” initials and no circle):  Silver

Discontinued: 1972 with MTA uniforms. 

1972 – c. 1979 (Used on MTA uniform overcoats only.  Logo-style buttons not used on replacement overcoats issued c. 1979.) 

Silver:  all positions

Worn in a single-breasted pattern of 3 on the MTA blue uniform coat.  Smaller buttons on vest.  No buttons on sleeves or cap.                    

1/1/89 – Present 

Gold:  all positions

Worn in a single-breasted pattern of 2 on the MTA blue uniform coat. Smaller buttons on vest. No buttons on sleeves or cap. No logo on overcoat buttons.

Lapel Insignia: None