UBB Store

Chicago & Sioux City Railway Post Office Illinois Central RPO IL IA IC Blackhawk
When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Chicago & Sioux City Railway Post Office Illinois Central RPO IL IA IC Blackhawk
Price: US $351.51

Illinois Central\'s \'\'THE BLACKHAWK\'\' Railway Post Office postmarker

This CHICAGO & SIOUX CITY RPO postmarking handstamp is in very good collection, as shown. The handle became loose so it was tightened by inserting facing slip fragments inside the handle mortise. This repair is common as these were carried around in the Clerk-in-Charge\'s road grip and rolled around on distribution tables. The first photo is a mirror image to facilitate easy viewing. The actual appearance is the next picture, following by the back side of the postmarker die.

The handstamp head is marked 2 34 on the back, indicating it was manufactured by International Postal Supply at Brooklyn, New York, during February 1934 --81 years ago. It is set for a run on Train 11, the westbound Blackhawk.

This Railway Post Office route over the Illinois Central operated with one crew during the entire 509 miles run, transversing Iowa from northern Illinois. A RPO car was depicted in a 1944 New York Central System advertisement showing a cut-away view of the car. A small-size image appears below. Although many letters were sorted, few were postmarked aboard the train. These were deposited in the \"traveling letter box\" which was a slot on the side of the car. Because access to the train platform at termini was restricted and the train had few stops en route overnight, not many imprints were made upon envelopes. The most likely non-philatelic uses were on-board passengers who wrote letters and gave them to a car porter, which might walk ahead to the RPO during a station stop.



Buy Now

Related Items