can anyone provide the "decoding" of the pictured pin?

A couple of guesses on my part--
1. Brotherhood of Locomotive Servicemen, Locomotive Firemen and Engineers
2. Ladies Society -- Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Engineers

What about the "F" and "C" in the central portion? First Class? For Canada?

thanks in advance for any light and knowledge that can be shed.

sc 'doc' lewis


utweyesguy@aol.com

> 2. Ladies Society -- Brotherhood of
> Locomotive Firemen and Engineers

I think your guess number two is probably correct. It's definately the BFL&E, period, and the LS is probably Ladies Society

> What about the "F" and
> "C" in the central portion? First
> Class? For Canada?

Those letters are part of the brotherhood crest--my guess would be they stand for the BLF&E motto or creed, but I don't know what that was--I would think "Fraternity" and something else..


eledbetter@rypn.org

I believe that is actually Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and EngineMEN. Of course, don't ask me what an "engineman" is.

BofLE is the engineers' union.

> I think your guess number two is probably
> correct. It's definately the BFL&E,
> period, and the LS is probably Ladies
> Society

> Those letters are part of the brotherhood
> crest--my guess would be they stand for the
> BLF&E motto or creed, but I don't know
> what that was--I would think
> "Fraternity" and something else..


newhaven0401-NOSPAM-@verizon.net

As a guess I would suggest that it's a bilingual pin from a Quebec based local of the BLE. The current name for the BLE in french is " Fraternité des Ingénieurs de Locomotives Canada" which doesn't agree with the pin, but perhaps someone more familiar with the BLE in eastern Canada would know more. Also, the points on the pin look distinctly like the Fleur-de-lys which is prominent in Quebec culture. The "FC" could be "Fraternité Canadien"

Check out www.ble.org for some interesting info and links.

That's my 2 and half cents worth of guesses.

Mike