EVOLUTION OF LONG ISLAND RAIL ROAD CAP BADGES

1860s to the PRESENT DAY

 

Compiled by

David Keller

 

 

 

Pre-1870s (?)

 

Worn with the black uniform.

 

Positions Issued:    Watchman, (Others ?)

 

 

 

 

c. 1870s – c. 1880s (?)

 

Note:  This badge does NOT have provenance via period photography.

 

Positions Issued:  Brakeman, (Others ?)

 

 

 

 

 

 

c. 1880s-1890s (?)

 

Note:  This badge was worn by a veteran LIRR engineer in the late 19th century but may have been custom-made.

 

Positions Issued:   Engineer, Fireman, (Others ?)

 

 

c. 1880s thru c. 1908

All positions are brass.

Worn with the black uniform.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Positions Issued:    Asst. Station Agent, Conductor, Ticket Collector,

Trainman, Station Agent, (Others ?)

                                                                            


 

c. 1908 thru c. 1923

All positions are nickel.  

Pennsylvania Railroad style badge (due to PRR-ownership of the LIRR).

Worn with the blue uniform. 

 

“Station Agent” is only one I’ve seen identified by full railroad name. 

 

Also in existence is one other style that reads “L.I.R.R. Guard.”

 

                                                

 

All others have only the position named on the badge:

 

 

Positions Issued:  Agent, Asst. Baggage Master, Asst. Station Baggage Agent, Asst. Station Master, Assistant Steward, Attendant, Baggage Agent, Baggageman, Baggage Master, Brakeman, Bridgeman (ferry service), Captain (tugboat service), Collector, Conductor, Deckhand, Engineer, Engineman, Fireman, Flagman, Guard, Laborer, Mail Clerk, Messenger, Motorman, Parcel Porter, Porter, Station Agent, Station Baggage Agent, Station Master, Station Porter, Steward, Ticket Clerk,  Ticket Examiner, Trackman, Trainman, Usher, Watchman (Others?)

 

 

 

Used in LIRR and PRR tug boat service

 

(Badge is nickel-plated.  Scan looks like brass but it is not.)

 

 

    

 

                           c. 1923 thru 12/1949

 “Conductor” and “Station Master” are brass, all other positions remain nickel.  Worn with the blue uniform.

 

 (Same positions as indicated above: c. 1908 – c. 1923) 

 

 

 

 

c. 1942 thru 12/1949

 

Woven Weave Style (Also a Pennsylvania Railroad Style)

 

Worn concurrently by men with above scalloped style during those years. Only style worn by the women who replaced the train crews serving in the armed forces during WW II. Worn with the blue uniform.

 

Positions Issued:    Asst. Station Master, Conductor, Trainman, Usher,

(others ?)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12/1949 thru 1959

All positions are brass.

Worn with the blue uniform.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Positions Issued:  Attendant, Conductor, Special Service Attendant, Station Master, Trainman, Usher

 

 

 

 

“Conductor” lettering has serifs


 

 

In use after the creation of the Long Island Rail Road’s “Special Services” Department in 1957.  Designed to be worn by attendants in full uniform.  Discontinued “official” use in the 1960s.  Worn “unofficially” in the early 1970s by only two people:  Dave Keller and an old, ex-Pullman Porter attendant whose name eludes me.

 

 

 

 

 

1959 thru 1971

 

All positions silver-toned. 

Red lettering for summer uniforms, blue lettering for winter uniforms  

Worn with the “Goodfellow Gray” or “Postal Carrier Gray” uniform.

 

Positions Issued:    Assistant Station Master, Conductor, Long Island Rail Road, Trainman, Usher

 

(There was a variation in “Conductor” lettering and “Usher” had serifs.  “Long Island Rail Road” had wider lettering than that shown below under “MTA: 1971 - c.1982.)

 

 

 

    1971 thru c. 1982

All positions silver-toned.  Some lettering black, some

lettering light blue, some

lettering dark blue  Worn

with the  MTA blue uniform.

 

 

 

Positions Issued:    Assistant Station Master, Conductor, “Long Island Rail Road” (see below),  Trainman, Usher

 


                  

 

LIRR Ushers, in addition to their “Usher” Badges, sometimes wore these when out on the platform making announcements for special programs, etc.  The badges were possibly also worn by LIRR tour guides from the

Group Sales Department.

 

 

 

 

 

 

c. 1982 thru 1/01/89

“Conductor” is gold-toned.  All other posi-

tions are silver-toned.

Worn with the MTA blue uniform.

 

 

 

 

 

Positions Issued:    Assistant Conductor, Collector, Conductor

 

 

 

Variation:  Reportedly issued to exemplary employees to monitor bogus

complaints from customers who would report the employee’s “ID” number  (Scan courtesy of Steve Melrose)

 

Positions Issued:  Trainman, (Others ?)

 

 

 

 

1983-1984

 

“Asst. Conductor” is silver-toned

                   “Conductor” is gold-toned

 

Positions Issued:

 

Assistant Conductor Conductor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Members ordered by United Transportation Union to not wear in service due to display of employee 5-digit IBM employee numbers. As a result,

they were not distributed generally and were only worn by special duty teams, nicknamed the “Mod Squad”- entry level management positions

used to monitor ticket servicing.  Dressed as train crews, they relieved crews from collecting tickets when monitoring certain trains, while the train drew operated the doors and kept the train on time. They were the only ones who wore these badges, and did so in a LIRR poster campaign during the early 1980s (Information courtesy of an anony-

mous LIRR employee.)

 

 

 

Same style badge produced with a

4-digit “Uniform” number which WAS approved for use, but was never issued.  (Information courtesy

of an anonymous LIRR employee.)


 

 

 

 

 

1/01/89 thru Present

Issued with 4-digit “Uniform” number.

 

(“9000”-series number indicates  a temporary replacement badge.)

 

All positions are gold-

toned.  Worn with the MTA blue uniform.

 

Positions Issued:  Assistant Conductor; Conductor; Usher