Model 1867/1873 Sachsen (Saxon) Train Tschako
 
A rare Model 1867/1873 Sachsen (Saxon) Mannschaften (Other Ranks) Train Tschako. Train in the German Army were horse-drawn supply troops.

This example is marked to both Kgl. Sächs. 1. Train-Bataillon Nr.12 (Dresden/Bischofswerda) XII Armee Korps and Kgl. Sächs. 2. Train-Bataillon Nr.19 (Leipzig) XIX Armee Korps.
The Sachsen (Saxony) pattern Tschako for Train was more cap than helmet. It was made of pressed felt covered in black cloth with a flat visor which closely resembled the French or American Civil-War Kepi worn in the 1800s. The 1867 Sachsen Train Tschako Wappen was similar to infantry with a gilt star w/ silver Sachsen Wappen overlay but was only 2/3 the size. A rather volumous dark blue wool Pompon with a black center with a superimposed gilt Sachsen crown, was worn until 1873 when it was replaced with a Feldzeichen in the same colors.

Unlike the other Train Battalions of the German empire who wore a Dunkelblau (dark blue) Waffenrock with light blue collar and Swedish cuffs, the Sachsen Train Battalions wore a light blue Waffenrock with black collar and cuffs piped in red.

Illustration: Das kleine Buch vom Deutschen Heere. (1900) Lipius & Tischer
Along with Baden, Preußen, and, Württemberg, Sachsen Train troops retired the Tschako in 1903 and adopted a Pickelhaube with curved mounted pattern chinscales.
 
A view of the Sachsen (Saxon) Train Tschako Wappen (front plate) and the very rare 1873 Feldzeichen.

Like the wool Pompon worn from 1867 to 1973, the 1873 Feldzeichen was blue with a black center onto which a gilt Sachsen crown was sewn.
Some references claim that when Kgl. Sächs. 2. Train-Bataillon Nr.19 was raised in 1899, they adopted the Sachsen green/white Feldzeichen as worn by the Sachsen Ulanen and Husaren. Unfortunately, there is little evidence to support this hypothesis and surviving examples with green/white Feldzeichen could be replacements for the missing correct blue Feldzeichen. Or conversely, at some point, the blue Feldzeichen could have been replaced by the green/white Feldzeichen for one, or both Train Battalions. Unfortunately, neither will never be proven due to the Allied bombing of Dresden in W.W.II when all Saxon military records, (along with 100,000 civilians) were destroyed in the fire storms.
 
A comparison of the M1867 Sachsen Train Tschako Wappen at 82 mm with the standard Sachsen Infantry Pickelhaube Wappen at 104 mm. These measurements are average, as the Wappen are curved and the size depends on the shape of the helmet.
 
The shell of the Tschako is not made from leather, but pressed wool/felt. The top of the Tschako is leather, as are the bottom edges and front visor. The liner on issued Sachsen (Saxon) Tschako are unique, having scalloped edges tied with thick colored cord. This is common for all issued Sachsen Tschako of this pattern.
 
A view of the Sachsen (Saxon) Train Tschako profile. Train Tschako tend to be higher than the Jäger and Schützen Tschako. Note that unlike Infantry Tschako which carried holes on the right side for the permanently mounted black horse-hair plume, Train Tschako normally do not have these holes as the plume was worn only for parades. Like all issued Sachsen Tschako, it carries a single black-painted brass vent on the sides.
 
The top is clearly stamped 12.TB and dated 1874. The Tschako was then issued to TB19 and the earlier stamps were crossed out.

When Kgl. Sächs. 2. Train-Bataillon Nr.19 was raised in 1899, the bulk of the new unit came from Train-Bataillon Nr.12. For this reason, most surviving TB19 Tschako are marked both TB12 and TB19.