I have a questtion about RPO cars and in particular the L&N 1100 at steamtown. Were RPO floors painted? It was always my impression that the answer was no. I figured that since the doors were open quite a bit, often in incliment weather, that painted floors would be a hazard when wet, especially when running at 70+ with doors open. Now steamtown has their L&N 1100 floors painted bright red. Before the restoration of this car I know the floors were not painted not even a trace, to thorogh to have been worn away(except for 1 closet, most likely done after the car was sold by the L&N to a farmer). Is this painting of the floor a mistake? Its possible, espicially taking into account that the restoration staff mispilled "area" as era with a stencilling on the bulkhead that reads "Mail bags are not to be placed in the era". Thoughts anyone? <br>



bing@epix.net

In our organization we have a PRR RPO and two NYC RPOs. The NYC cars are at least 40 years apart in their construction. None of the three had painted floors. Each floor was coated with varnish.<p>Ask Steamtown to show their research and justification for painting the floor. They should be able to 1) show the documentation that showed the car had a red painted floor (paint sample removed from floor would be acceptable) or 2) show the original specifications, article, photo, or other documents about that car that indicated it had a red floor. <p>Everyone has been preaching the gospel of thoroughly researching the artifact before restoration. There is a reason it has been preached, and this is a wonderful example of why.<p>This is a RESTORATION, correct? Not a REFURBISHMENT or REBUILD.<br>

I have a vague memory that the GTW (ex-GT) RPO that was once used by Project 1225 had remains of red paint on its floor when bought in 1971. That car no longer exists, but there is a twin at IRM. And even the unpainted floor was slippery.<p>But speaking of RPO restoration mistakes, even though GTW 9683 is history, I had the odd experience of walking into it at the Post Office museum next to Washington Union Station. Its interior hardware was installed in a plywood half-length replica of a Southern RPO carbody. All the sorting tables and pigeonholes I remember being stuffed full of 1225 parts were massively restored in a replica of a 30-foot RPO section. (The floor is, I think, varnished wood.) I hugely enjoyed seeing the restored doorless crapper, folding sink, and electrical cabinet. The picture frame that should have held the GTW electrical-inspection record had been lovingly restored, but instead holds the typed instructions for starting a gas generator that was installed by Project 1225. Of course I told our former clerk that his typing is now curated by the Smithsonian.<p>I'm told that the rest of the 60-foot RPO interior was used in the Postal Service exhibit train that is now touring the country, and I wonder if anyone can confirm this.<p>Aarne Frobom<br>M.S.T.R.P., Inc.<br>P. O. Box 665<br>Owosso, MI 48867-0665<br>



froboma@mdot.state.mi.us

The RPO car you refer to currently touring the U.S. as part of the USPS Celebrate The Century Express is a former Southern RPO that for many years has been on exhibit at the Gaithersburg, Maryland Depot as part of a small rail equipment collection there. It is privately owned and was on loan to the museum there. Before being dispayed there it was in storage at the Potomac Yards in Alexandria, Virginia, where I first got a chance to tour inside. Originally I heard that the intent was to have it included in the Postal History Museum of the Smithsonian, but whether the installation costs were to prohibitive or the musueum's design couldn't handle an artifact of that size, the Smithsonian opted to recreate a portion of an RPO compartment using some availible interior artifacts and a little stagecraft. The car was taken out of Gaithersburg and fully restored exterior and interior for the Century travelling exhibit.While here in Gaithersburg the car was open to the public one day a year during "Olde Towne Days" and staffed with former RPO clerks as a sort of Living History demonstration. I really miss the opportunity to meet with these guys and hear about a craft now long gone from the rails and the mail service. After the car finishes its U.S. tour, I guess there are a number of museums vying for it as an exhibit, the B&O in Baltimore for one.Oh and by the way, the cars floor is wood. <br><br>



JMFouchard@aol.com

Have to learn when to hit the return key and not obliterate my name and other info in other screen fields. Anyway, the Century Express was just in Baltimore at the B&O Museum in September. It also was in Gaithersburg again on the tour and I got a chance to see it as restored- probably it was never as clean as you see it now- varnished floor, polished brass candle lamps and such- just waiting for the first mailbag to be dragged in and dropped on the sorting tables...<br>



JMFouchard@aol.com

While we're on the subject of R.P.O.'s; how many of these cars survive and how many of these have interiors that are pretty much "as in active service?"<br>



midlandblb@cs.com

Orange Empire Railway Museum of Perris, California, has two steam road 60' RPO's and a bag-RPO. Additionally, it has the body of an electric (ex-SP and ex-PE) exp-RPO car.<p>Santa Fe #60 was the class car for the Santa Fe's first group of 60' steel RPO's in 1924. The car was dressed inside a number of years ago by retired Ry Postal clerks to make look like an in-service car. It is slowly being repainted on the outside; the inside has not been touched paint-wise.<p>Union Pacific #2065 was built as #1267 in 1914. This is a "Harriman" roofed 60' RPO car on 6-wheel trucks. The interior was slightly reconfigured during the 1940's. Except for providing some interior storage the car has not been touched since the museum received the car in 1969.<p>The baggage-RPO is Santa Fe #2055 built in 1930. The car came to the museum about 1970. A few years after that received a new exterior gray coat of paint. It, likewise, has been used for storage without any interior modification or refurbishment.<p>The former Pacific Electric 1406 was built by Brill as an express-RPO motor in 1913 for Southern Pacific's Oregon electrification. In Oregon it was first lettered PE&E #452 and later O&C #772. Upon arriving it Southern California it became a full express motor without any exterior modification. It later rebuilt back to an express-RPO car #1406. Upon termination of electric express and mail service in the early 1950's the car was stripped and became a "relief" car (chain and rigging car for the PE's wreck derrick). Later it was sold to a scrape yard that used it as an office. At that time the museum obtained the trucks. Two plus decades later, the body was obtained by the museum and remounted on the trucks.<p>Brian Norden<br>



bnorden@gateway.net

Juniata Terminal has an ex-PRR RPO.<br>



blevin@engr.psu.edu