Illinois Railway Museum Blog

Just a reminder that the Illinois Railway Museum will be making catches from the Coach Train this coming Saturday and Sunday (June 13 and 14, 2009) featuring former RPO (Railway Post Office) clerks all day Saturday and a portion of Sunday. Eight or more former clerks are expected to be on site with most on Saturday. Some will be at the Museum on Sunday through the morning. Many of these men will be making their first catches from a moving RPO for the first time in over 40 years.

The Union, Illinois Post Office canceling mail with a special cancellation remembering the adjacent UP (former C&NW) rail line where the Chicago & Freeport RPO once operated. IRM will be selling cachets with the special postal cancellation as a fundraiser to repaint the RPO car (former CB&Q 1923).

No formal presentations are planned. Instead, the former RPO clerks will do the talking. This year's RPO days at IRM does two things. First, this event brings together former clerks to share their experiences with visitors and to give the former clerks the opportunity to make another catch after more than 40 years since they last worked in RPOs. Second, this event allows these clerks to share their stories of working on the rails with the public.

Come on out to IRM to meet these former clerks. The website for IRM is www.irm.org.

I thank all at IRM who have made this event possible and for the former clerks traveling to IRM to share their stories. Without the support of the Passenger Car Department, the Operating Department, and all of the volunteers at IRM, this event could not take place.
Jon Habegger