Back to the Double Mystery

Two weeks ago, in my Double Mystery post, I began dissecting the evidence in a photo owned by Sandy Forest. A couple of readers asked about the hat worn by the man on the right. It’s a big clue.

It’s difficult to read the hat, but it says “Asst. Engineer” with letters beneath it. The first letter is “H,” followed by what I think is an “E” and maybe a “D.” Initially, I thought the second letter was an R, but there seems to be a bottom line to the letter. So what does it stand for? That’s the big question.

He’s holding a spike and is an engineer. That suggests a railway connection. But I’m not sure it’s a locomotive railway line. It could be a street railway. Perhaps they are celebrating the inauguration of the first tracks being placed where Felix lived.

Railroad spikes come in different shapes, but the ones used to lay the rails have an off-set head. I’ve spent time researching spikes and so has Sandy. Something doesn’t seem to quite add up.

I’m looking for an expert on railroads and think I’ve found one. Hopefully, I’ll be back next week with an answer.