Early to mid 1950s Northern Pacific Ry, western end of system.
My guess left to right, Fireman, Engineer, Switch Foreman (or Conductor)

-Hudson

I suspect that what kind of service that the man was employed in made a difference. A passenger engineer might dress one way compared to a man in freight service. Also the fuel used might have an affect on the material selected -- oil burning western roads crews might have a tendency to lighter colored clothing. I was just looking at some photos of passenger 4-6-2's in a recent issue of the publication of the SPH&TS -- looks like the men were wearing a light colored shop coat.

The Pacific Electric was an electric interurban and allowed some of its motormen on passenger equipment wear hickory stripe bib overalls in certain situations. If the work assignment was in a passenger car with the controls in the vestibule or a separate cab they could wear the hickory stripe overalls, with a white shirt, tie and trainman's uniform cap. if there was no separation from the passengers, the motorman had to wear the same uniform as the conductors.

Company photos of Santa Fe engineers, particularly just after the introduction of diesels, show the engineers wearing hickory stripe overalls and shop coats.

I have been wearing Roundhouse bibs the last few years since Key redesigned and now does not offer button fly. Roundhouse is made in Shawanne, OK, USA for 110 yrs. My only complaint is the front pocket is not lined to protect your pocket watch. The buckle/buttons seem to not fall-off like Keys but do slip down when you wash them until they take a set.

I have found Miller Hats makes a nice stiff, tall, tapered (puffy on top) fitted denim hat. and used them the last 10+ yrs. They also have a hickory stripe. Made in USA.

This triggered my memory of one of the first regular Chessie Conductors on the early Cuyahoga Valley Line trains with GTW 4070 and the Midwest Chapter consist. He was the senior passenger-qualified conductor for the division, so it was his job if he wanted it, and he often did. Mr. Personality he was decidedly not. The character of "Shack" from Emperor of the North comes as close as anyone to his personality. Half of his teeth were rotted out from chewing tobacco; evidence of that showed in the form of brown streaks staining the front of his unironed dress shirt, the tail of which usually was not completely tucked in. He regularly deliberately got into trouble so he could get suspended and collect on his job insurance. He once got arrested for blocking a major grade crossing with a freight train - mostly because he mouthed off to the police officers who responded to motorist complaints. The train was stopped there because of something legitimate - like the train going into emergency, but he wanted to get pulled out of service. He was a total sourpuss, and a walking ad for a lot of why passenger ridership declined after WWII. He was a totally authentic railroader, but not what ANY passenger railroad would want to put forward as an example.

A question for those involved in recreating railroading's past: Are the feds requiring your operating personnel to wear decidedly non-period authentic, high-visibility vests when working in live passenger train service? Is it even possible to get a historic exemption from such requirements?

Broner Hat makes a solid pleated denim engineer's cap that isn't only comfortable and dirt cheap, but of decent enough quality to survive multiple wash cycles. We used to get them from Rocky Mountain Connection, though I've heard they may have switched vendors. This place still seems to stock them: http://www.kitterytradingpost.com/mens/hats-neckwear/caps/broner-men-s-railroad-cap They're about as perfect as you can get for pulling off that SP Western Division head-to-toe denim look.

Plenty of folks wore stripes.

Another Link photo. Pretty sure this guy would kick the crap out of anyone who made fun of his stripes:

Employee magazines from the '20s-'40s as well as the timebooks merchants put out in some on-line cities usually had ads for work garb.

One of the memories for my first extended visit to Chicago in 1971 was that many of the motormen on the "L" trains wore hickory-stripe overalls. More recently, I think the typical attire is the same as bus driver uniforms.

Slightly off topic, but if you're bothered by slipping buckles/straps on bibs, there's an easy fix. Adjust them the way you want, then use a heavy needle and dental floss to tack through the strap right under the buckle. Tie it off on the inside of the strap where it won't show. As for the watch pocket lining, that's also easy: use fusible interfacing, some soft fabric that matches the bibs and a hot iron. It would be more nearly period-correct to stitch in the lining, but I'm more of the "if it doesn't show from a reasonable distance" persuasion.

J.B. Garrett photo

For contrast....This is an MK&T railroad engine crew at Franklin Missouri beside their passenger train. 1967.
Not a bib, stripe or Kromer in sight.... and only one man seems to have a pocket watch. One wrist watch visible.

They are changing crews. The two men on the left are engineers.... The ubiquitous leather "grip" the man is carrying is long out of favor, also. Now lots of crewmen carry 2 or 3 "bags" and have a backpack strapped over their shoulders, to boot!

Don't know why they need to carry so much "stuff"

The required documentation - rule books, etc. - that the companies require crews to carry is so much more now than then. Also, you never know for sure how many days you might be gone in some pools, so you need more clothes, something to entertain you during a long layover, enough food for a long round trip, things like that. The old beanery beside the railroad Y is a things of the past. Usually, the crew gets a stop at a convenience store on the way to the train or the hotel.

Here are a few other MK&T enginemen photos.... to show the style of clothing they wore around here.
The center photo~ the man is wearing bib overalls from J.C. Penny. Me, personally, I wear Key brand overalls when I wear them to work at the railroad.

I think the idea of wearing overalls stemmed from the fact that you wore them to protect your good street clothes underneath.. kept the grease, oil and filth off them. You took them off at the end of your run and went about your business in nice, clean clothes.

We had a big locomotive shop here in Parsons. Lots of employees. They were provided with a building known as the "change house". The mens' clothing and boots were covered in grease, oil and grime after a day at work, and their wives would beat them over the head with a rolling pin if they tracked any of that in the house.

Thus, the change house is where they'd leave their work boots and overalls....

I think it was Howard P who mentioned Thompson Cap Company,

Here's what a well dressed New Haven Railroad man would look like using Thompson Cap Company garb. Only thing missing in his "outfit" is the denim binders that would be snapped around the bottom of his pant legs to keep those britches from getting caught on something. This fellow is wearing the summer version of the cap and jumper, as it was called. It's hard to discern in this small photo but the summer jumper shown in the photo had small blue pinstripes. The jumper was almost a portable office with multiple pockets for such things as way bills, consist lists, pocket watch, etc. The winter version was dark blue denim with black corduroy collars and cuffs with one version having a flannel liner.

How about this nattily dressed PRR engineer and fireman in a Shorpy photo? Note the shined shoes indicating this must have been an inaugural run of the train or or a POTUS special or something like that. Also note the bandana around their necks.

Thanks!

Great pictures, Jim!

It's interesting to note that the address given in the Thompson Cap Company advertisement, 1420 State Street, is right next to the NYNH&H Cedar Hill Yard:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/1420+State+St,+New+Haven,+CT+06511/@41.3222711,-72.8970385,17z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x89e7d75fdbdd345f:0x8ad07327a8039edd

I lived in New Haven for a few years when I was in graduate school, so I'm familiar with the area. The yard is still there but Thompson Cap is long since gone.

-Philip Marshall

There was once a time, even within my lifetime, when just about every town and city had at least one traditional men's clothing store that sold work clothes. You know the store, usually in a storefront downtown, with the high tin ceilings, the heater suspended from the ceiling, wood shelves lining the narrow, but long showroom. Usually an old NCR cash register was at the counter. Sadly, those times are gone, but the internet gives us access to a variety of vendors.

This has been a good thread, thanks for all of the participation. Here is a link round-up of various mentioned makers:

-L.C. King Mfg. Co. (Makers of Pointer Brand Overalls, Barn Coats, Chore Coats and Work Jeans)
https://www.pointerbrand.com

-Round House Brand (Bib Overalls)
http://www.round-house.com

-Key Brand (Bib Overalls, Work Shirts, and Hickory Striped Work Shirts)
http://www.keyapparel.com/default.aspx

-Filson (Mackinaw Coats)
http://www.filson.com

-River Junction Trading Co. (Mackinaw Coats, Engineer's Hats and Sleeve Protectors)
http://www.riverjunction.com

-Miller Hats (Fitted Engineer Hats in both denim and hickory striped)
http://www.millerhats.com/catalog/index.php?catText=Caps%20-%20Rail%20Road%20&catID=95

-Broner Railroad Hats (Engineer Hats)
http://www.kitterytradingpost.com/mens/hats-neckwear/caps/broner-men-s-railroad-cap

-Stormy Kromer (Winter Kromer Cap)
http://www.stormykromer.com

-Cotton Kromer Caps (From the Working Person's Store)
http://workingperson.com/brands/kromer-hats-caps.html

Does the new Thompson Cap Co. still have any stock left?