Extended definition of an object - Essay Example

14 June, Extended definition of Railroad Pocket Watch: What an individual chooses to wear speaks volumes about his/her personality. Therefore, in order to cast a good impression upon others, it is imperative that an individual is very choosy in the selection of accessories. I have always been very particular about my presentation. I have possessed a railroad pocket watch for quite some time. My grandfather gifted me the railroad pocket watch on my last birthday. My grandfather and father have both worked for the railroad.

My railroad pocket watch promotes safety and is totally consistent with my safety conscious nature. In the later half of the nineteenth century, the great train wrecks helped the railroad pocket watch serve as a staple for the workers of railway. It was on 18 April 1891 when in Kipton, Ohio, two trains came across each other. An engineer’s pocket watch who was on a passenger train, stopped to function for about four minutes. The temporary dysfunction of the pocket watch was making the train late.

The unfortunate event happened when the mail freighter, another train came moving in the same direction as the first train. The second train was heading towards a different side of the town. As a result of the delays caused by the dysfunction of the pocket watch, the two trains did not meet each other at the supposed location. Rather they collided near the town’s edge causing eight casualties that included the two conductors of the respective trains. This unfortunate accident instigated a lot of changes in the rail community.

One of the people for whom the incident proved fortunate was Mr. W. C. Ball who was a watchmaker as well as a jeweler and had specialized in the skill of pocket watch making. Ball knew how to keep track of time. Ball was skilled enough to make such watches that would not show temporary periods of dysfunction and would hence, prevent such dreadful events from happening as did because of the dysfunction of the engineer’s watch. Because of the quality of watches he produced, Ball was made the chief inspector and his duty was to do the timekeeping in the railroad.

Ball implemented certain rules which the railroad pocket watch holders had to abide by. The workers were supposed to keep a pocket watch full time that complied with the regulations of the American Railway Association. The pocket watches were necessarily open-faced and were supposed to keep the time within thirty seconds. Their size was supposedly between thirteen and eighteen and each piece was supposed to have at least seventeen jewels (Danny). Strict disciplinary actions were taken against a worker who violated one or more of the aforementioned conditions.

Unannounced inspections were conducted frequently to ensure that all railroad workers were safe. I am a very precautious person by nature and prefer to possess things that are safe. Safety is my biggest priority. This quality of mine makes the railroad pocket watch a perfect choice for me. This watch defines me as a prudent person. Railway is frequently employed as a means of travel in our culture. In a broader cultural sense, the watch depicts my respect and sympathies for the ones who lost their lives in the unfortunate event of train collision because of a poor watch.

Works Cited: Danny. “Railroad Pocket Watch – What You Need To Know.” n.d. Web. 14 Jun. 2011. .