Baggage OK Express.......... Hat badge for what?

[nova]

Was wondering if this hat badge might be from the RR. Or maybe a bell boy from a Hotel. Any thoughts? There is a St Paul makers stamp on the back. Measures about 5' across. It was dug.

 

[creskol]

I think it just says Baggage Express on it. My guess is that, just as you had conductors, porters, brakemen, etc. there were agents who worked the baggage cars for non-checked express baggage shipments. Just a thought.

 

[diggummup]

Nice find and definitely RR related. If I remember I think baggage masters worked on the train cars and "baggage express" would have been a worker at the RR station. It's probably a hat badge from a station worker versus an actual RR line. You would take your "baggage" (could have been anything back then) to the Baggage Express to be checked in (much like today) so it could be loaded onto the baggage express car. JMO

 

[NOLA_Ken]

Nice find and definitely RR related. If I remember I think baggage masters worked on the train cars and "baggage express" would have been a worker at the RR station. It's probably a hat badge from a station worker versus an actual RR line. You would take your "baggage" (could have been anything back then) to the Baggage Express to be checked in (much like today) so it could be loaded onto the baggage express car. JMO

I think this is right on target.