Train Crew Shirt Colors

Took a ride on the LIRR Main Line and the Oyster Bay Line. On the Train to Oyster Bay, the conductors were wearing white shirts, while on the Main Line trains the conductors were wearing the typical MN/LIRR blue shirts with the white stripes. What do these different color shirts designate?

The color of the shirts mean actually nothing. We actually get issued a number of blue shirts and an equal number of white shirts yearly for our uniform. Some people request just blue shirts since the white shirts get dirty very easily. I rarely wear my white shirts, especially if my job requires me to start at a yard where climbing up and down trains will turn your white shirt into a black one. But the colors don't mean anything. It was just a coincidence the everyone one that OB train were wearing the same color that day, it happens.

This is quite a surprise. You'd think in a uniformed job there would be some rank designated by shirt color such as the conductor would have a white shirt and other crew members would have blue or some such logic. Very interesting revelation!

In the 1940s, LIRR conductors wore brass buttons and a brass cap badge.

The trainmen wore nickle-finished (silver-toned) buttons and cap badges.

Dave Keller