30' Railway Post Office (RPO) - Railway Express Agency (REA) - Baggage Car Combination - SLSF 131

This photograph of Frisco 131 was taken in February 1948 at Springfield, MO.

The car was reportedly dismantled in August 1954.

Does anyone have train consists showing any specific assignments for this car?

Bill Pollard

 

Bill,

Here is a photograph of a similar one in operation.

Similar 75 foot RPO cars were used on the Clinton, and Enid trains as well.

Ken McElreath

 

At the time of the Memphis Road merger neither road could boast of many steel passenger cars.

As the Frisco’s new Meteor, St. Lpuis to the Indian Territory and Kansas City to Ft. Worth, and Gulf Coast Lines service came into prominence, the Frisco ordered (1905-1912) new steel cars for these trains from Pullman and AC&F.

This included 12 70-foot Baggage-Express-RPO (30’) cars from Pullman (Lot 3541); the 124-127 went to the CSNO&P, and 128-133 went to the Frisco. The 1909 Roster notes that all were built during 1907; the diagram notes 1907-1908 build dates. Art Dubin’s More Classic Trains contains a builder photo of number 128.

During 1908, Pullman also delivered twenty-nine 60-foot, steel Baggage-Express cars; the 333-336 went to the CSNO&P, and 337-361 went to the Frisco. During the 1920s, subsequent deliveries of larger head-end cars moved the 128-series cars into other service.

McCall's and Schultz’s Frisco Southwest, page 76, has a photograph of one of the 128-series cars on train No 610 at Enid.

The class was intact as late as 1947. All the cars were gone by 1956.

I have not seen in photos anything but the six-door, 15-foot RPO cars on Clinton Sub.

Frisco 1909 equipment roster.



Frisco diagram book. By 1953 only three cars remained.