A source reports that the Virginia Museum of Transportation (www.vmt.org) is working on its exhibits again.

Their Norfolk & Western RPO (Railway Post Office) car is being restored. This is, of course, a good thing. The source tells me that new windows are being fitted and a new exterior painting will be applied. Long-range plans reportedly involve the interior restoration of the car so that it can be walked through. The interior of the car is considered "largely intact", and my source confirms this.

Railroads at one time were the means of long-range mail transport. These specialized RPO cars were placed at the head of the train, right behind the locomotives, as they were not open to anyone but their workers and perhaps the train crew. The workers would pick up, sort, and set out mail that was bound for anywhere all over the country, all while the train was moving. Large bags of sorted mail would be chucked from the speeding locomotives onto platforms at various stations in order to make the connection.

The U.S. Mail provided much revenue for the railroads in the waning days of passenger service, until the government decided to cancel the rail mail contracts, choosing trucks and airplanes as the mail delivery system instead.

Posted by: Country Pundit at 10:08 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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