RPO Cars

[cnwfan51]

I just finished reading the article in Classic Trains on moving the Mail By Rail for the 100th time and My question is Was the pickup crain on the side of the car was it flipped over when the car went in oppsite direction I can not inagine they turned the whole car, and how was that done  Thanks Larry

[AltonFan]

I believe RPOs had pick-up cranes on both sides of the car.

[TomDiehl]

I just finished reading the article in Classic Trains on moving the Mail By Rail for the 100th time and My question is Was the pickup crain on the side of the car was it flipped over when the car went in oppsite direction I can not inagine they turned the whole car, and how was that done  Thanks Larry

The sockets for the pickup or "catcher" arm were mounted on the frames of the side doors on both sides of the car. The arm simply lifts out and can be turned around, moved to the other side of the car, or stored inside to clear the door to be used as, well, a door. What was called the crane was the part mounted on the ground that held the bag to be caught.

[rogruth]

The crane could be mounted on either side of the tracks,depending on which side the station was on.I think the catcher armscould be reversed when the car was going the other way.