Without being overly critical or picky,but with all the historical context of many steam operations, what the heck ever happened to the engine crews looking like steam engine crews? Why do some ( I said some) operations have the train crew such as conductors,brakemen,etc. that look the part with a reasonable facsimlie of a steam era uniform, but yet the engine crew is dressed in poly work clothes and baseball cap and look more like a Maytag repairman? I realize there was a lot of variations in crew appearance,but am I missing something here?

From my perpective, having worked on steam myself, is that it is hot, dirty work that has a tendency to destroy any clothes that you wear. Since a lot of people (including myself) that work on steam also work on other things that exude filth, it tends to be a lot cheaper to have one set of clothes to destroy than a special set of clothes, specifically to destroy with the steam locomotive. The other side of the coin (and this is just speculation) is that if the train crew didn't wear uniforms, no one would know who they were, but every one already knows who the engine crew is -- they are the ineveitably dirty guys wearing overalls and gloves, regardless of the style.

I agree. I think if you are in the steam tourist railroad business you should try to look the part. The locomotive, cars, and ficilities are just objects that mean little without someone telling the story. Dressing and acting the part is also part of telling the story.

I think Warren makes a very good point and its been one of my pet peeves for years. Seems to me that an integral part of what we do is "entertainment" and everything we can do to send the customer away satisfied we should do within reason. The steam engine is certainly the star of the show and those around her should look the part. The publics image of a classic steam engineer/fireman is bibs,bandanna,pocket watch,denim hat,gloves and goggles! That's exactly how they should be dressed each and every day! Remember every day is opening day for the folks there that day!
Those outfits in our business that are the most successful you'll notice practice this philosophy. Coincidence?
Ross Rowland

Agreed, with the caveat that that image is from the postwar period, and as familiar as it is, is not appropriate for the many turn of the century presentations. Earlier periods saw a uniform of derby hat and tie, etc.

One of my "hot buttons", also.

Um, Ross, excuse me for bringing this up, but I seem to remember red and white polka-dot Kromer caps and dark green coveralls with big yellow embroidered letters being worn around certain large steam locos in the Northeast....kind of looked out of place. Glad to see that your aesthetic sense has been altered a bit.

At NAUG, our head-end crews mostly wear bibs and traditional engineer hats (some do wear the black NR ball cap-- it is the diesel era at our place) and the passenger train crews are in black pants and tie, white shirt, traditional conductor's hat. Even our Thomaston Station agent dresses in that "uniform".

This whole thing boils down to THEATRE. That's what we are creating when people visit our operating museum and excursion railroads; they aren't riding to get somewhere, but for the experience, and I think we need to put on a historically-accurate and entertaining show.

At some places, I've seen steam loco cab crews in psychedelic tie-dyed aqua tee-shirts. No, sorry, Jerry Garcia was NOT qualified as a engineer.....And NO Day-Glo vests on steam crews!!!!

Years ago at Valley RR, one Michael J. Robinson was well-known for his derby hat and long handlebar moustache-- he looked the part of the 1910 freight conductor!!

Goggles? We never need them at 7 mph on the D&GV heck most of the cinders fell out of the sky before the sand dome passed.....

One of the things I really had in my mind before I spent a summer fireing a locomotive was that "I would always dress the part!" Hah, you get an awakening sometimes. I started in May with bibs over my clothes,a clean shirt underneath, pocket watch, kromer cap, and a generally well shaven apprence.
The clean shirt went first, I walked in to the engine house and put my bibs on and it was dirty.
By June the Bibs where generally left hanging in the engine house cause I couldn't drink enough water to keep up with the sweat.
Well shaven, was something I had trouble keeping up with when we had charters on days we normally did track work and ended up doing both....

Now when ever I look at a picture of an engine crew with there ties peaking out from behind their coveralls I think "Man were they tought!"
But on the other hand if I was going to pull the 'Limited' over the next sub division or two and be off duty in 3-5 hours, I might just consider starching my shirt....
For my modern day, going to be out 12 or more hours before you get home, I go for the black jeans and dark blue work shirt that you don't have to scrub to hard to keep it clean looking.....

I thought one was supposed to wear the bibs, but leave the shirt and pants at the enginehouse...

Yes, just stand those "workin' bibs" up in the corner at the end of each day-- don't need no hangers!!

Black jeans: "Thousand-miler" pants, another old-time railroad tradition.

Nice thing about bibs: no one displays the "Plumber's Smile" to visitors! They're great for simply working around the property for that reason....

Howards correct in that when we started the mainline steam excursions under the High Iron Co. banner in '66 so many riders came in traditional rr garb it was impossible to pick out the volunteer crewmen. This presented a problem at run-bys and in an emergency. That's why we adopted the polka dot hats for the engine crew and the Pith Helmets for the train crew. Each group wore the rest of the traditional uniform and it worked. We recieved many compliments on the crews over the years and the dress code was certainly part of the reason.
Howards point about theatre is dead right. You'll note that the successful operators in our industry all maintain a strict dress code as it should be. As for the heat in bibs-well I guess the old saying "if you can't stand the heat,leave the kitchen"- applies!
Ross Rowland

Poly?? as in polyester? I hope not. Synthetic materials in clothing is absolutely verboten on the steam crews at Heber Valley. Cotton through and through! Don't want your fireman going up like a roman candle due to a errant ember!

sc 'doc' lewis

Ben, You young guys are such wimps. Break a sweat on that little peanut roaster? Why, back when I was your age, firin' a man's engine, the 4501, (uphill both ways, at 60 mph with 20 cars, on a 4% grade in the snow, in July........ :), ) On this one, I tend to agree with Ross about dressing the part and putting up with some discomfort. However, I think that part of the problem is that we have become aclimatized to some degree by AC, as well as good heat, and are nowhere near as tolerant as our ancestors to temperature extremes. Another factor is the fabrics that we wear. 100 years ago, most people wore wool, or other natural fabrics year round. (You're thinking egads, how could they stand it). Actually, many of the natural fabrics, while warm when dry, are actually quite cool when damp from sweat. And, they protect from extreme heat better than modern blends. During the Civil War, soldiers wore the same wool uniforms year round. As a reenactor, I've experienced a 2 hour street fight on a sunny 95 degree day in July. while wearing blue wool as a "Northern Aggressor". I sweated more then than I ever did firing a locomotive. And, I've caught a chill in that same wet uniform riding back to camp in the back of a pickup. One of the things we try to achieve as preservationists is that "period moment", when the present slips away and we feel that we are in the era that we are recreating. I truly believe that wearing the period clothes helps us to better experience what the people back then experienced. We are not only putting on a better show for the public, we are also creating a richer experience for ourselves.

I must tell you Howard that I still wear my red and white polka dot Kromer hat to this day. Check out the photos on the Ohio Central. Tradition is a great thing and I am proud to have been a volunteer on the High Iron Company. We will never see those days again, but it was great to be a part of it. Uniforms have always been a strong part of every operation that I have been involved with. I am impressed with an operation where everyone is in the proper "uniform" of the period. I was most impressed with my first visit to the Wilmington & Western a few years ago. All of the engine crew and train crew was properly attired. Call me old school, but that is the way that is should be!

Ron, I do recall your HICO cap on the OHCR a few years ago-- I think it and you are in a few photos I took.

Here in New Haven country, we had the Thompson Uniform Co. in New Haven (gone since the early 70s), which supplied a particular style of "jumper" (long coat) and cap to NYNH&H crews. Some of the RMNE-NAUG folks have "new old stock" Thompson caps and jumpers, which come out and are worn for "state occasions".

One other thing: Proper cloth engineer's caps DO NOT have a plastic adjuster on the back!

TX Highballer:
Did passenger conductors in Texas wear bib overalls? That would never fly in conservative, traditional New England!!