Sun is setting on California's Daylight Saving's Time...

[1939]

43. The whole concept of Standard Time

was developed by the railroad industry. Prior to that, each locality set their own time by solar observation. Some agreed authority would determine high noon and set the "master clock" for the town and everybody would adjust their watches and clocks by that time. Early short railroads would decide which clock on their route was the "regulating" clock and set their schedule accordingly. The "railroad time" for arrivals and departures from Podunk might vary several minutes from the local Podunk time. A longer railroad journey which required several changes of rail lines en route required a detailed mastery of the concept of longitude. The railroads finally got together and developed the idea of dividing the US into four standard time zones. A lot of fundy preachers at the time would fulminate against the use of "railroad time" versus "God's time".