542:
723:
413:
had a strap around the middle, and the strap was tightened in preparation for pickup with an approximately equivalent weight of mail in either end of the pouch to prevent the heavier end from pulling the lighter end off the catcher arm. As the inbound pouch slammed into the catcher arm, the clerk kicked the outbound mail pouch out of the car, making certain to kick it far enough that it was not sucked back under the train. Outbound pouches of first class mail were sealed with a locked strap for security. Larger sacks with optional provisions for locking were used for newspapers, magazines, and parcel post. An employee of the local post office would retrieve the pouches and sacks and deliver them to the post office.
467:
679:
339:
518:
530:
506:
231:
282:
486:
84:
821:
185:
262:
fixtures that could be unfolded and set up in a number of configurations to hold mail pouches, racks and a sorting table as needed for specific routes. The fixtures were also designed so they could be folded away completely to provide a wholly open space to carry general baggage and express shipments as needed by the railroads. Harrison followed through with manufacturing his design at a factory he opened in
628:
50:
923:
the United States Post Office
Department in 1900 disclosed that postal expenditures were not and, in some cases, could not be apportioned to revenues. A remarkable anomaly in Maine, at the intersection of mail bags and a printing press, provided, at the time, a basis for costing questions of policy and regulation and, for us now, an understanding of the postal commons in its Golden Age."
687:
the POD cancelled all "mail by rail" contracts, electing to move all first class mail via air and other classes by road (truck) transport. This announcement had a devastating effect on passenger train revenues; the Santa Fe, for example, lost $ 35 million (US) in annual business, and led directly to the ending of many passenger rail routes.
204:). Purpose-built Railway Post Office (RPO) cars entered service on this line a few weeks after the service was initiated. They were used by staff to separate mail for connection with a westbound stagecoach departing soon after the train's arrival at St. Joseph. This service lasted approximately one year.
412:
With the train often operating at 70 mph or more, a postal clerk would have a pouch of mail ready to be dispatched as the train passed the station. In a co-ordinated movement, the catcher arm was swung out to catch the hanging mail pouch while the clerk stood in the open doorway. The mail pouch
346:
Because of the physical and mental demands placed on RPO clerks, the
Railway Mail Service pushed the adoption of standardized floor plans and fixtures for all RPO cars, with the first plans published in 1885. The RMS also pressed for improved lighting fixtures to help the clerks see the addresses on
134:
to carry mail aboard high-speed passenger trains. The
Railway Mail Service enforced various standardized designs on RPOs. A number of railway companies maintained nominally unprofitable passenger routes, having found that their financial losses from moving people were more than offset by transporting
922:
As the United States Postal
Service undergoes its fiscal crisis in the second decade of the 21st Century, it is well to note that these are not entirely new problems. A national pick up and delivery system to remote and small locales is a fiscally challenging model. "A Congressional Investigation of
686:
When the post office made a controversial policy change to process mail in large regional "sectional centers," mail was now sorted by large machines, not by people, and the remaining railway post office routes, along with all highway post office routes, were phased out of service. In
September 1967
654:
After 1948, the railway post office network began its decline although it remained the principal intercity mail transportation and distribution function within the Post Office
Department (POD). There were 794 RPO lines operating over 161,000 miles of railroad in that year. Only 262 RPO routes were
371:
frames and bodies, which sometimes resulted in catastrophe for RMS employees when the trains were involved in accidents. From 1900 to 1906 some 70 workers were killed in train wrecks while on duty in the RPOs, leading to demands for stronger steel cars. The RMS developed its first standards for car
329:
cars) were equipped and staffed to handle most back-end postal processing functions. First class mail, magazines and newspapers were all sorted, cancelled when necessary, and dispatched to post offices in towns along the route. Registered mail was also handled. The foreman in charge was required to
297:
in the United States. A complex network of interconnected routes allowed mail to be transported and delivered in a remarkably short time. As many as a dozen clerks might work in a single RPO car, although fewer would be required if part of the car was used for transport of previously sorted mail or
261:
RPO car interiors, which at first consisted of solid wood furniture and fixtures, were soon redesigned to support their new purpose. In 1879, an RMS employee named
Charles R. Harrison developed a new set of fixtures that soon gained widespread use. Harrison's design consisted of hinged, cast-iron
301:
Railway mail clerks were subjected to stringent training and regular testing of details regarding their handling of the mail. On a given RPO route, each clerk was expected to know not only the post offices and rail junctions along the route, but also specific local delivery details within each of
623:
At their height, RPO cars were used on over 9,000 train routes covering more than 200,000 route miles in North
America. While the majority of this service consisted of one or more cars at the head end of passenger trains, many railways operated solid mail trains between major cities; these solid
355:
Through the second half of the 19th century, most RPO cars were painted in a somewhat uniform color scheme regardless of the railroad that owned or operated them. Most were painted white with trim in either buff, red or blue, which made the cars stand out from the other cars. By the 1890s, this
277:
established government funding for the construction of a railroad from the
Missouri River to the Pacific Ocean in order to open a main line mail route across the western frontier. The act was officially entitled "AN ACT to aid in the construction of a railroad and telegraph line from the Missouri
787:
RPO #1102 and two coaches will be departing Union Depot as Train #1 bound for
Osceola, Wisconsin. It will be hauling commemorative envelopes and cards to be sent all across the United States, following which it will operate in regular service as part of the Museum operations out of Osceola, WI.
563:
Most RPO cars had a mail slot on the side of the car, so that mail could actually be deposited in the car, much like using the corner mail box, while the train was stopped at a station. Those desiring the fastest delivery would bring their letters to the train station for dispatch on the RPO,
384:
for framing and major structural components. The 1945 revisions also included a requirement for end posts to prevent telescoping in the event of a collision. Railway car manufacturers adopted these requirements and carried them through to all other models of passenger cars that they built.
409:) was awarded to L. F. Ward of Elyria, Ohio, on January 29, 1867. This was about a year after apparatus for picking up and setting down mailbags without stopping was installed for equivalent UK TPOs at Slough and Maidenhead, having first been patented in UK in 1838 by Nathaniel Worsdell.
379:
for the cars' major structural components and underframes. The core of the requirements was that each car should be able to withstand a buffer force of at least 400,000 pounds. This requirement was doubled to 800,000 pounds in a 1938 revision of the standards. The requirements were again
258:, was officially inaugurated to handle the transportation and sorting of mail aboard trains. Armstrong was promoted from a supervisory position in the Chicago post office following his experiments in 1864 with a converted route agent's car on runs between Chicago and Clinton, Iowa.
541:
278:
river to the Pacific Ocean, and to secure to the government the use of the same for postal, military, and other purposes". The Act authorized government-funded railroad mail routes across the American continent.
351:
in the 1890s and the first experiments with electric lighting in 1912. Clerks' safety was also of great concern to the RMS, with the first comprehensive statistics on work-related injuries published in 1877.
594:
existed between 1864 and September 30, 1948. It was renamed the Postal Transportation Service on October 1, 1948, and existed until 1960. After 1960, the management of railway post office routes as well as
466:
655:
still operating by January 1, 1962. In 1942, the POD began experimenting with a highway version of the RPO to serve the same purposes along routes where passenger train service was not available. These
218:
George B. Armstrong, assistant postmaster at Chicago, originally came up with the idea of having mail processed and distributed while the mail was on board, en route in mail cars. With the assistance of
169:
In the United States, some references suggest that the first shipment of mail carried on a train (sorted at the endpoints and carried in a bag on the train with other baggage) occurred in 1831 on the
215:. This service is distinguished from the 1862 operation because mail was sorted to and received from each post office along the route, as well as major post offices beyond the route's end-points.
659:(HPO) vehicles were initially intended to supplement RPO service, but in the 1950s and 1960s, HPOs often replaced railway post office cars after passenger train service was discontinued. The last
517:
764:
and twenty seats for paying passengers. Currently, it is the only Railway Post Office car known to be operational and currently certified for operation on commercial rail. The
1855:
485:
760:
The Minnesota Transportation Museum (MTM) maintains Northern Pacific #1102, a 1914 Mail RPO, that is classed as a "combine" car, having sections for the RPO,
255:
68:
768:(division of MTM/reporting mark MNTX) operates the car as part of its tour line, actually "catching the mail on the fly" as a part of its regular runs.
1890:
399:
An interesting feature of most RPO cars was a hook that could be used to snatch a leather or canvas pouch of outgoing mail hanging on a track-side
375:
In 1912, the Railway Mail Service developed a set of strength requirements for new cars in an effort to push the car building companies into using
356:
practice had waned as railroads painted their RPO cars to match the rest of their passenger equipment. One RPO car that was displayed at the 1893
286:
1447:
The American postal service: history of the postal service from the earliest times. The American system described with full details of operation
568:
just as if it had been mailed at a local post office, with the cancel giving the train number, endpoint cities of the RPO route, the date, and
529:
224:
181:
officially designated all railroads as official postal routes on July 7, 1838. Similar services were introduced on Canadian railroads in 1859.
926:
1503:
694:
was discontinued on June 30, 1977. The last route with a railway post office title was actually a boat run that lasted a year longer. This
635:
741:
Many RPO cars have been preserved in railroad museums across North America; some of the cars are kept in operational condition. In 1933,
144:
505:
1189:
392:(ICC) for all passenger MU locomotives as of April 1, 1956. They were extended to all passenger cars and locomotives in 1999 by the
1609:
742:
472:
163:
92:
1177:
690:
After 113 years of railway post office operation, the last surviving railway post office running on rails between New York and
302:
the larger cities served by the route. Periodic testing demanded both accuracy and speed in sorting mail, and a clerk scoring
722:
1445:
765:
17:
1401:
The railway mail clerk and the highway post office: when the mail really worked: the story of the postal service's elite
1408:
1305:
1258:
1229:
803:
547:
Former Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad post office (1916), on display at RF&P Park, Glen Allen, VA.
437:
1419:
130:
From the middle of the 19th century, many American railroads earned substantial revenues through contracts with the
1860:
799:
791:
746:
703:
239:
197:
151:
1865:
772:
424:
with RPO: the RDC-3 combine and the RDC-4 (a baggage/mail/express only unit). These models were purchased by the
357:
1875:
1331:
1323:
389:
1561:
1188:
49 CFR Part 238, Subpart C, U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration, 2015 edition
576:
558:
235:
173:. Other sources state that the first official contract to regularly carry mail on a train was made with the
1650:
1640:
367:
progressed, so too did the development of RPO cars. The first plans for RPO car designs were based on light
1635:
1602:
891:
880:
604:
131:
1209:
Budd Company Red Lion Plant Order List, Philadelphia Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society.
347:
the mail they sorted, first by improving the reflectors in the 1880s, then calling for discontinuance of
174:
564:
knowing that overnight delivery would be virtually assured. The mail handled in this manner received a
338:
699:
678:
672:
457:
749:
in 1862. The railroad displayed the car in several cities along the railroad; it now resides at the
731:
1113:
Trolley Car Treasury' by Frank Rowsome Jr. McGraw-Hill, New York, 1956 -Library of Congress 56-11054
1885:
1880:
933:
835:
784:
695:
664:
612:
492:
449:
445:
306:
96% accuracy would likely receive a warning from the Railway Mail Service division superintendent.
170:
1531:
1190:
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2015-title49-vol4/xml/CFR-2015-title49-vol4-part238-subpartC.xml
1870:
1595:
1507:
875:
476:
315:
96:
1537:
1738:
1621:
1484:
1374:
901:
776:
761:
727:
591:
263:
243:
178:
159:
155:
38:
806:
operates a post office car and all mail posted there gets an official USPS OC&T postmark.
192:
The railway post office was introduced in the United States on July 28, 1862, using converted
1475:
523:
A view of the mail hook on GN #42, along with a track-side mail crane complete with mail bag.
441:
342:
Interior of Great Northern Railway Post Office Car 42 at the California State Railroad Museum
154:. Sorting of mail en-route first occurred in the United Kingdom with the introduction of the
1178:
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2015-title49-vol4/xml/CFR-2015-title49-vol4-sec229-141.xml
779:
as part of its "Last Mail Train" for National Train Day, 6 May 2017. At the end of the day,
115:
car that was normally operated in passenger service and used specifically for staff to sort
1794:
1246:
754:
682:
Cover carried on the last day of RPO service between New York and Washington, June 30, 1977
639:
496:
421:
364:
270:
251:
120:
207:
The first permanent Railway Post Office route was established on August 28, 1864, between
8:
596:
565:
147:
1210:
1077:
794:
in Scranton, PA has RPO car #1100, Louisville & Nashville, on display. It is an all-
1660:
1645:
1316:
865:
780:
750:
745:
rebuilt one of its baggage cars into a replica of the first RPOs that were used on the
707:
643:
433:
403:
at smaller towns where the train did not stop. The first US patent for such a device (
31:
1693:
1587:
1434:
1404:
1337:
1327:
1311:
1301:
1254:
1225:
1023:
885:
600:
453:
429:
208:
64:
1041:
230:
1825:
1804:
1683:
1572:
1461:
1427:
1250:
691:
425:
281:
1421:
The Story of Our Post Office: The Greatest Government Department in all its Phases
227:, Third Assistant Postmaster General, Armstrong was authorized to test his ideas.
1723:
1546:
1527:
1471:
1379:
1366:
1359:
29 Years to Oblivion, The Last Years of Railway Mail Service in the United States
896:
826:
608:
294:
274:
220:
124:
293:
By the 1880s, railway post office routes were operating on the vast majority of
1698:
1618:
584:
388:
The 800,000-lb buffer load and end post requirements were later adopted by the
634:
postal cancellation applied to mail handled in the railway post office car of
579:
between the killer bars . Collecting such cancellations is a pastime of many
360:
in Chicago is one of the last known examples of the early white color scheme.
1849:
1820:
1799:
1703:
1577:
1362:
1027:
840:
348:
212:
119:
en route, in order to speed delivery. The RPO was staffed by highly trained
59:
405:
1748:
1688:
1495:
1341:
1146:
735:
417:
201:
1779:
1758:
870:
668:
580:
368:
330:
carry a regulation pistol while on duty to discourage theft of the mail.
193:
83:
1753:
1733:
1728:
1718:
1708:
1568:
855:
660:
307:
184:
860:
850:
400:
381:
311:
88:
1784:
1774:
1743:
1713:
845:
711:
380:
strengthened in 1945 with specifications that precluded the use of
112:
1078:"Pacific Railroad Act – Transcontinental Railroad and Land Grants"
1834:
1830:
1789:
1678:
1582:
904:— the term for cars in British use that served similar functions.
1098:
Mosher, Willard C. (1982). "Railway Postal Service – Revisted".
1539:
The Railway Mail Service United States Mail Railway Post Office
1298:
Mail by Rail – The History of the TPO & Post Office Railway
627:
318:
car was noted for making circuits of the city to pick up mail.
143:
The world's first official carriage of mail by rail was by the
1222:
Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway: The Dixie Line
1275:"Oil Creek and Titusville Railroad – Titusville Pennsylvania"
795:
393:
376:
771:
As part of the 40th anniversary of the end of RPO service,
123:
postal clerks, and was off-limits to the passengers on the
116:
927:"It's in the Bag" – The Shape of Turn-of-the-Century Mail"
535:
Belfast & Moosehead Lake RR #15 RPO, Belfast, ME 1947
150:
in November 1830, using adapted railway carriages on the
1564:— photographs and short history of an RPO built in 1950.
298:(often in a separate compartment) express and baggage.
1617:
624:
mail trains would often carry 300 tons of mail daily.
1211:
http://www.trainweb.org/phillynrhs/BuddCarOrders.html
1013:
1011:
1439:. New York: Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation.
1274:
816:
1856:
History of rail transportation in the United States
511:
A close-up view of the mail hook on CB&Q #1923.
37:For the equivalent term in the UK and Ireland, see
1481:The Fast Mail, History of the Railway Mail Service
1315:
1022:. Vol. 7, no. 3. Fall 2006. p. 27.
1008:
420:offered two versions of its self-propelled diesel
1494:, National Railway Bulletin Vol. 60 No. 2, 1995,
1102:(March 1982). The 470 Railroad Club: 11 & 12.
698:was the Lake Winnipesaukee RPO operating between
590:The Railway Mail Service organization within the
372:design in 1891 to address some of these issues.
1847:
1504:"Railroad Postmarks of the U.S.], 1861–1886"
1240:
646:train No. 5, the inaugural eastbound run of the
1545:. Marietta, OH: Railway Mail Service Library,
1466:National Postal Transport Association. (1956)
1424:. Boston, Massachusetts: A.M. Thayer & Co.
1403:. Victoria, B.C, Canada: Trafford Publishing.
1176:49 CFR Part 229.141, 2015 edition (10-1-2015)
321:In the United States, RPO cars (also known as
200:(which also delivered the first letter to the
1603:
1562:Great Northern Railway Post Office Car No. 42
314:systems were also known to operate RPOs. The
636:Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway
1502:Towle, Charles L.; Meyer, Henry A. (1958).
983:
981:
979:
1610:
1596:
1501:
1450:. Washington, D.C.: National Capital Press
1052:
475:#1923, a heavyweight RPO preserved at the
1194:
1161:
1126:
924:
618:
491:The interior of an RPO on display at the
1891:1862 establishments in the United States
1530:. Portion available as a video clip at
1474:. Portion available as a video clip at
1398:
1150:, March 16, 1906, p6, Last night's news
999:
990:
976:
721:
677:
626:
337:
280:
229:
223:, Speaker of the House at the time, and
183:
82:
1535:
1417:
1380:The World's Work: A History of Our Time
925:DeBlois, Diane; Harris, Robert Dalton.
743:Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
473:Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
164:Railways (Conveyance of Mails) Act 1838
93:Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
14:
1848:
1443:
1372:
1097:
1093:
1091:
552:
238:#42, a restored RPO on display at the
1591:
1483:, Prologue Vol. 37 No. 3, Fall 2005,
1310:
888:French Post Office dedicated TGV sets
710:. The final date it operated with a
1522:U.S. Post Office Department. (1956)
1432:
775:will be placing #1102 on display at
162:, following the introduction of the
43:
1318:The American Railroad Passenger Car
1224:by Charles B. Castner, Jr. page 92
1088:
766:Osceola and St Croix Valley Railway
135:the mail on such passenger routes.
132:U.S. Post Office Department (USPOD)
103:In Canada and the United States, a
24:
1350:
1135:
333:
25:
1902:
1555:
1373:Crissy, Forrest (December 1902).
1300:, Ian Allan Publishing, London.
804:Oil Creek and Titusville Railroad
1571:is available for viewing at the
1569:of a train picking up a mail bag
1526:, Railway Mail Service Library,
1470:, Railway Mail Service Library,
819:
800:American Car and Foundry Company
792:Steamtown National Historic Site
747:Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad
540:
528:
516:
504:
484:
465:
240:California State Railroad Museum
198:Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad
152:Liverpool and Manchester Railway
48:
1267:
1234:
1215:
1203:
1182:
1170:
1152:
1117:
1106:
916:
773:Minnesota Transportation Museum
717:
1324:Johns Hopkins University Press
1243:California's Electric Railways
1070:
1061:
1034:
967:
390:Interstate Commerce Commission
13:
1:
1800:Troop kitchen / Troop sleeper
1536:Wilking, Clarence R. (1985).
1492:The Evolution of Railway Mail
955:
726:The RPO section of preserved
605:terminal railway post offices
577:Postal Transportation Service
559:Postal Transportation Service
177:in either 1834 or 1835. The
960:
892:Terminal railway post office
881:Railway mail service library
663:RPO service was operated by
358:World's Columbian Exposition
7:
1433:Long, Bryant Alden (1951).
1375:"The Traveling Post-Office"
812:
458:Minneapolis & St. Louis
175:Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
57:It has been suggested that
27:Mail transportation service
10:
1907:
1578:Mobile Post Office Society
1418:Cushing, Marshall (1893).
1363:Mobile Post Office Society
1289:
673:San Bernardino, California
556:
138:
107:, commonly abbreviated as
74:Proposed since April 2024.
36:
29:
1813:
1767:
1669:
1628:
1357:Bergman, Edwin B. (1980)
1241:Demoro, Harre W. (1986).
1018:"First as well as fast".
798:car built in 1914 by the
732:Interurban Railway Museum
287:Chicago and North Western
909:
836:Boat railway post office
785:Northern Pacific Railway
714:was September 30, 1978.
700:The Weirs, New Hampshire
696:boat railway post office
665:Pacific Electric Railway
613:Bureau of Transportation
572:Railway Mail Service or
493:National Railroad Museum
450:Canadian Pacific Railway
171:South Carolina Rail Road
30:Not to be confused with
1861:Passenger railroad cars
1768:Miscellaneous equipment
1583:TPO and Seapost Society
1524:MEN AND MAIL IN TRANSIT
1296:Johnson, Peter. (1995)
1046:www.catskillarchive.com
876:Post Office sorting van
477:Illinois Railway Museum
316:Boston Elevated Railway
97:Illinois Railway Museum
1866:Philatelic terminology
1661:Travelling Post Office
1485:College Park, Maryland
1444:Melius, Louis (1917).
1399:Culbreth, Ken (2007).
902:Travelling post office
777:Saint Paul Union Depot
762:Railway Express Agency
738:
728:Texas Electric Railway
683:
651:
619:Decline and withdrawal
611:, were shifted to the
592:Post Office Department
363:As the development of
343:
290:
264:Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
247:
236:Great Northern Railway
189:
179:United States Congress
160:Grand Junction Railway
156:travelling post office
100:
91:pulling a mail bag on
39:Travelling Post Office
1876:Postal infrastructure
725:
681:
667:on its route between
630:
442:Pacific Great Eastern
341:
285:A working RPO on the
284:
233:
187:
86:
1510:on November 18, 2011
1247:Glendale, California
755:St. Joseph, Missouri
497:Green Bay, Wisconsin
271:Pacific Railroad Act
252:Railway Mail Service
234:An interior view of
188:The first RPO (1862)
121:Railway Mail Service
67:into this article. (
1656:Railway post office
1622:passenger equipment
657:highway post office
597:Highway Post Office
553:Cancellation stamps
256:George B. Armstrong
148:General Post Office
105:railway post office
18:Railway Post Office
1670:Passenger-carrying
1646:Head end power car
1629:Head-end equipment
1490:Pennypacker, Bert
1479:Romanski, Fred J.
1067:White, pp 481–482.
1058:White, pp 475–476.
1042:"Mail Post Office"
939:on August 15, 2013
866:Mobile post office
781:Great Northern 400
751:Patee House Museum
739:
708:Lake Winnipesaukee
684:
652:
434:New Haven Railroad
430:Boston & Maine
406:U.S. patent 61,584
344:
291:
269:The July 1, 1862,
248:
190:
101:
32:Retail Post Outlet
1843:
1842:
1749:Sleeper / Pullman
1322:. Baltimore, MD:
886:SNCF TGV La Poste
601:Air Mail Facility
454:Canadian National
416:In the 1950s the
275:President Lincoln
254:(RMS), headed by
209:Chicago, Illinois
81:
80:
76:
16:(Redirected from
1898:
1826:Rail motor coach
1805:Vestibuled train
1612:
1605:
1598:
1589:
1588:
1573:Internet Archive
1550:
1544:
1519:
1517:
1515:
1506:. Archived from
1462:Internet Archive
1459:
1457:
1455:
1440:
1428:Internet archive
1425:
1414:
1395:
1393:
1392:
1345:
1321:
1283:
1282:
1271:
1265:
1264:
1251:Interurban Press
1238:
1232:
1219:
1213:
1207:
1201:
1198:
1192:
1186:
1180:
1174:
1168:
1165:
1159:
1156:
1142:
1133:
1130:
1124:
1121:
1115:
1110:
1104:
1103:
1095:
1086:
1085:
1074:
1068:
1065:
1059:
1056:
1050:
1049:
1038:
1032:
1031:
1015:
1006:
1003:
997:
994:
988:
985:
974:
971:
949:
948:
946:
944:
938:
932:. Archived from
931:
920:
829:
824:
823:
822:
730:Car 360, at the
692:Washington, D.C.
609:transfer offices
544:
532:
520:
508:
488:
469:
446:Northern Pacific
426:New York Central
408:
295:passenger trains
145:United Kingdom's
72:
52:
51:
44:
21:
1906:
1905:
1901:
1900:
1899:
1897:
1896:
1895:
1886:Postal vehicles
1881:Postal services
1846:
1845:
1844:
1839:
1809:
1763:
1672:coaches or cars
1671:
1665:
1624:
1616:
1558:
1553:
1547:Boyce, Virginia
1542:
1528:Boyce, Virginia
1513:
1511:
1472:Boyce, Virginia
1453:
1451:
1411:
1390:
1388:
1367:Omaha, Nebraska
1353:
1351:Further reading
1348:
1334:
1292:
1287:
1286:
1273:
1272:
1268:
1261:
1239:
1235:
1220:
1216:
1208:
1204:
1199:
1195:
1187:
1183:
1175:
1171:
1166:
1162:
1157:
1153:
1136:
1131:
1127:
1122:
1118:
1111:
1107:
1096:
1089:
1076:
1075:
1071:
1066:
1062:
1057:
1053:
1040:
1039:
1035:
1017:
1016:
1009:
1004:
1000:
995:
991:
986:
977:
972:
968:
963:
958:
953:
952:
942:
940:
936:
929:
921:
917:
912:
907:
897:Transfer office
827:Illinois portal
825:
820:
818:
815:
809:
720:
648:City of Memphis
621:
561:
555:
548:
545:
536:
533:
524:
521:
512:
509:
500:
489:
480:
470:
404:
336:
334:Standardization
221:Schuyler Colfax
158:in 1838 on the
141:
77:
53:
49:
42:
35:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1904:
1894:
1893:
1888:
1883:
1878:
1873:
1871:Postal history
1868:
1863:
1858:
1841:
1840:
1838:
1837:
1828:
1823:
1817:
1815:
1811:
1810:
1808:
1807:
1802:
1797:
1792:
1787:
1782:
1777:
1771:
1769:
1765:
1764:
1762:
1761:
1756:
1751:
1746:
1741:
1736:
1731:
1726:
1721:
1716:
1711:
1706:
1701:
1696:
1691:
1686:
1681:
1675:
1673:
1667:
1666:
1664:
1663:
1658:
1653:
1648:
1643:
1641:Express reefer
1638:
1632:
1630:
1626:
1625:
1619:Rail transport
1615:
1614:
1607:
1600:
1592:
1586:
1585:
1580:
1575:
1565:
1557:
1556:External links
1554:
1552:
1551:
1533:
1520:
1499:
1488:
1477:
1468:MAIL IN MOTION
1464:
1441:
1430:
1415:
1409:
1396:
1370:
1354:
1352:
1349:
1347:
1346:
1332:
1312:White, John H.
1308:
1293:
1291:
1288:
1285:
1284:
1266:
1259:
1253:. p. 19.
1233:
1214:
1202:
1193:
1181:
1169:
1160:
1151:
1134:
1125:
1116:
1105:
1087:
1069:
1060:
1051:
1033:
1020:Classic Trains
1007:
998:
989:
975:
965:
964:
962:
959:
957:
954:
951:
950:
914:
913:
911:
908:
906:
905:
899:
894:
889:
883:
878:
873:
868:
863:
858:
853:
848:
843:
838:
832:
831:
830:
814:
811:
719:
716:
620:
617:
585:postal history
557:Main article:
554:
551:
550:
549:
546:
539:
537:
534:
527:
525:
522:
515:
513:
510:
503:
501:
490:
483:
481:
471:
464:
365:passenger cars
335:
332:
140:
137:
79:
78:
56:
54:
47:
26:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1903:
1892:
1889:
1887:
1884:
1882:
1879:
1877:
1874:
1872:
1869:
1867:
1864:
1862:
1859:
1857:
1854:
1853:
1851:
1836:
1832:
1829:
1827:
1824:
1822:
1821:Multiple unit
1819:
1818:
1816:
1812:
1806:
1803:
1801:
1798:
1796:
1793:
1791:
1788:
1786:
1783:
1781:
1778:
1776:
1773:
1772:
1770:
1766:
1760:
1757:
1755:
1752:
1750:
1747:
1745:
1742:
1740:
1737:
1735:
1732:
1730:
1727:
1725:
1722:
1720:
1717:
1715:
1712:
1710:
1707:
1705:
1702:
1700:
1697:
1695:
1692:
1690:
1687:
1685:
1682:
1680:
1677:
1676:
1674:
1668:
1662:
1659:
1657:
1654:
1652:
1649:
1647:
1644:
1642:
1639:
1637:
1634:
1633:
1631:
1627:
1623:
1620:
1613:
1608:
1606:
1601:
1599:
1594:
1593:
1590:
1584:
1581:
1579:
1576:
1574:
1570:
1566:
1563:
1560:
1559:
1548:
1541:
1540:
1534:
1532:
1529:
1525:
1521:
1509:
1505:
1500:
1497:
1493:
1489:
1486:
1482:
1478:
1476:
1473:
1469:
1465:
1463:
1449:
1448:
1442:
1438:
1437:
1431:
1429:
1423:
1422:
1416:
1412:
1410:9781412202275
1406:
1402:
1397:
1386:
1382:
1381:
1376:
1371:
1368:
1364:
1360:
1356:
1355:
1343:
1339:
1335:
1329:
1325:
1320:
1319:
1313:
1309:
1307:
1306:0-7110-2385-9
1303:
1299:
1295:
1294:
1280:
1276:
1270:
1262:
1260:0-916374-74-2
1256:
1252:
1248:
1244:
1237:
1231:
1230:0-911868-87-9
1227:
1223:
1218:
1212:
1206:
1197:
1191:
1185:
1179:
1173:
1167:White, p 190.
1164:
1158:White, p 483.
1155:
1149:
1148:
1145:
1141:
1140:
1132:White, p 480.
1129:
1123:White, p 482.
1120:
1114:
1109:
1101:
1094:
1092:
1083:
1079:
1073:
1064:
1055:
1047:
1043:
1037:
1029:
1025:
1021:
1014:
1012:
1005:White, p 475.
1002:
993:
987:White, p 472.
984:
982:
980:
973:Johnson 1995.
970:
966:
935:
928:
919:
915:
903:
900:
898:
895:
893:
890:
887:
884:
882:
879:
877:
874:
872:
869:
867:
864:
862:
859:
857:
854:
852:
849:
847:
844:
842:
841:Catcher pouch
839:
837:
834:
833:
828:
817:
810:
807:
805:
801:
797:
793:
789:
786:
782:
778:
774:
769:
767:
763:
758:
756:
752:
748:
744:
737:
733:
729:
724:
715:
713:
709:
705:
701:
697:
693:
688:
680:
676:
674:
670:
666:
662:
658:
649:
645:
641:
637:
633:
629:
625:
616:
614:
610:
606:
602:
598:
593:
588:
587:researchers.
586:
582:
578:
575:
571:
567:
560:
543:
538:
531:
526:
519:
514:
507:
502:
498:
494:
487:
482:
478:
474:
468:
463:
462:
461:
459:
455:
451:
447:
443:
439:
435:
431:
427:
423:
419:
414:
410:
407:
402:
397:
395:
391:
386:
383:
378:
373:
370:
366:
361:
359:
353:
350:
340:
331:
328:
324:
319:
317:
313:
309:
305:
299:
296:
288:
283:
279:
276:
272:
267:
265:
259:
257:
253:
250:In 1869, the
245:
241:
237:
232:
228:
226:
222:
216:
214:
213:Clinton, Iowa
210:
205:
203:
199:
195:
186:
182:
180:
176:
172:
167:
165:
161:
157:
153:
149:
146:
136:
133:
128:
126:
122:
118:
114:
110:
106:
98:
95:#1923 at the
94:
90:
85:
75:
70:
66:
62:
61:
60:Catcher pouch
55:
46:
45:
40:
33:
19:
1655:
1567:A film clip
1538:
1523:
1512:. Retrieved
1508:the original
1496:Philadelphia
1491:
1480:
1467:
1452:. Retrieved
1446:
1436:Mail by Rail
1435:
1420:
1400:
1389:. Retrieved
1384:
1378:
1358:
1317:
1297:
1278:
1269:
1242:
1236:
1221:
1217:
1205:
1200:White, p 476
1196:
1184:
1172:
1163:
1154:
1147:Daily Mirror
1144:
1143:
1139:
1138:
1128:
1119:
1112:
1108:
1099:
1082:www.cprr.org
1081:
1072:
1063:
1054:
1045:
1036:
1019:
1001:
996:White, p 473
992:
969:
941:. Retrieved
934:the original
918:
808:
790:
770:
759:
740:
736:Plano, Texas
718:Preservation
689:
685:
656:
653:
647:
631:
622:
589:
581:philatelists
573:
569:
566:cancellation
562:
418:Budd Company
415:
411:
398:
387:
374:
362:
354:
345:
326:
322:
320:
303:
300:
292:
268:
260:
249:
225:A. N. Zevely
217:
206:
202:Pony Express
194:baggage cars
191:
168:
142:
129:
108:
104:
102:
87:Demo of the
73:
58:
1724:Observation
1694:Compartment
1387:: 2873–2880
871:Owney (dog)
704:Bear Island
669:Los Angeles
438:Rock Island
369:baggage car
1850:Categories
1514:August 21,
1454:August 15,
1391:2009-07-10
1333:0801819652
956:References
943:August 16,
856:Mail pouch
661:interurban
401:mail crane
308:Interurban
273:signed by
244:Sacramento
1814:Motorized
1739:Passenger
1704:Couchette
1651:Horse car
1279:octrr.org
1028:1527-0718
961:Citations
861:Mail sack
851:Mail hook
640:Nashville
382:aluminium
349:oil lamps
323:mail cars
312:Streetcar
266:in 1881.
89:mail hook
1785:Crew car
1775:Autorack
1744:Roomette
1699:Corridor
1689:Colonist
1543:(MSWord)
1314:(1978).
846:Mail bag
813:See also
712:postmark
599:routes,
289:in 1965.
113:railroad
111:, was a
1835:Railbus
1831:Railcar
1795:Private
1780:Combine
1759:Smoking
1684:Bilevel
1636:Baggage
1342:2798188
1290:Sources
1100:The 470
644:Memphis
196:on the
139:History
69:Discuss
1734:Parlor
1719:Lounge
1709:Dining
1407:
1340:
1330:
1304:
1257:
1228:
1026:
802:. The
702:, and
642:&
632:R.P.O.
607:, and
327:postal
211:, and
65:merged
937:(PDF)
930:(PDF)
910:Notes
796:steel
394:USDOT
377:steel
125:train
1754:Slip
1729:Open
1714:Dome
1516:2012
1456:2012
1405:ISBN
1338:OCLC
1328:ISBN
1302:ISBN
1255:ISBN
1226:ISBN
1024:ISSN
945:2012
671:and
583:and
456:and
310:and
304:only
117:mail
1790:Pay
1679:Bar
1460:at
1426:at
753:in
734:in
706:on
638:'s
574:PTS
570:RMS
495:in
422:RDC
325:or
242:in
109:RPO
63:be
1852::
1833:/
1383:.
1377:.
1365:,
1361:,
1336:.
1326:.
1277:.
1249::
1245:.
1090:^
1080:.
1044:.
1010:^
978:^
783:,
757:.
675:.
615:.
603:,
460:.
452:,
448:,
444:,
440:,
436:,
432:,
428:,
396:.
166:.
127:.
1611:e
1604:t
1597:v
1549:.
1518:.
1498:.
1487:.
1458:.
1413:.
1394:.
1385:V
1369:.
1344:.
1281:.
1263:.
1137:'
1084:.
1048:.
1030:.
947:.
650:.
499:.
479:.
246:.
99:.
71:)
41:.
34:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
