Tool Talk

General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: kxxr on September 24, 2012, 01:30:46 PM

Title: O.C.B.St. Ry. Tape Measure
Post by: kxxr on September 24, 2012, 01:30:46 PM

I am curious to know which railroad this tape measure is from. I was able to find a reference to O.C.B.St. Ry. in a Council Bluffs newspaper archive, but they did not say what the abbreviation is for either. Does anyone know?

Title: Re: O.C.B.St. Ry. Tape Measure
Post by: john k on September 24, 2012, 01:40:16 PM

Sure do,  that would be the Omaha-Council Bluffs-Street-Railway.   Omaha being on the Nebraska side, and Council Bluffs on the Iowa side, shared a street car line, with tracks across the main downtown Missouri River bridge.    Somewhere I have a pic of the brick street car barn in Omaha, with those initials above the doors.   I once in a great while find some item with the name on it. 

Title: Re: O.C.B.St. Ry. Tape Measure
Post by: kxxr on September 24, 2012, 02:32:37 PM

Thank you, John. The tape measure seems to have survived it's journey to Montana none the worse for wear.  It must have been pretty fat times for the safety department to distribute personalized tape measures; and very nice ones at that! Thanks again.

Title: Re: O.C.B.St. Ry. Tape Measure
Post by: Fins/413 on September 24, 2012, 04:07:57 PM

As a train nut I find that cool

Title: Re: O.C.B.St. Ry. Tape Measure
Post by: john k on September 27, 2012, 09:06:26 PM

Found the shot of the front of the old street car barn, still standing and in use by the city in Omaha.  Note the intials at the top of the wall.  1905.