RPO interior

Chris,

I believe Walthers used to make postal interiors but haven't seen any lately at the shows. Berkshire Valley may have made the wall mounted letter cases or something similar that could be a good substitute.

 

If you need any photos of prototype interiors let me know.

Bob

Calumet Model Works at the March meet, google for contact info.

Check Westport Model Works. Les has some interior detail items that you can use in the car.

Thank you for the leads.

Dan Pantera does not have web information, I'll have to call.

Westport doesn't seem to have an item close to what I need.

I may be able to use Berkshire Valley soda cases set up vertically for letter cases.

I too have not seen the Walthers interior.

 

I have some Walthers RPO kits...and sometimes look at them in shows or on the net,

but I have not seen Walthers interiors, but don't doubt they were made....

You might find some of the Banta Model Works Thropton's O scale Store furntiture more useful - some of the counters and the Long Parts Bin would seem a good starting point.  Chairs and tables, etc are also available. 

I don't ever remember Walthers making an RPO interior kit. I checked Walther Catalogs from 1973. 1976 and 1983 and none are listed.  I seem to remember going throught the search for RPO parts 20 years ago for a project and coming up empty and abandoning the project.

Mike,

The more I thought about it I believe Walthers did not make postal interiors. On another topic , are you the fellow I sent Champ decals for the Heinz vinegar car to some time ago? If so, did you ever have decals made?

Yes I am he.. Unfortunately the person who was to make the decals for me has dropped off the face of the planet and a number of issues had me take a sabatical from modeling for nearly 1-1/2 years. I've just started tinkering again in the last couple of months. I'm not sure but I think I may have stumbled into a set of Champ Vinegar Car decals shortly after I sent them off to be made. I'll have to go through the workshop and check.

another good lead Marty, thanks.

 

Using Firefox, I am finally able to view the Delta Models website without it crashing my browser. I will be quite interested in what is developed when ready.

 

My 2¢ would be to create wall mount modular letter cases & flat/parcel cubicles that can be arranged for the various RPO layouts. Maybe even some mail sack rack hardware that used brass rod for joinery.

Is the rpo set listed on delta models site?   I could not find it.

thanks

I don't think the RPO set is done yet.  He's building a [beautiful] MoPac RPO car (brass) and is doing the interior castings.  Once ready, I understand he will have them for sale.   

from my last conversation with Bill, he was in the process of developing the masters for the RPO interior pieces. I had sent him copies of USPS equipment diagrams for him to work from. it will take some time.

 

 

I am still working on them. A lot of parts.

 

Bill Basden   Delta Models

Looking forward to it Bill!

Erik here are some more photo up dates. Still working on the RPO Parts. Here is a little fluff for your viewing.

Bill-- o la la!   Those look dandy!

Bill looks terrible!! immediately box that up i'll send you a UPS tag and ship it to me and i'll "throw it away" for you. seriously it looks great!!!

Please include your $2000.00 USPS postal Money order. This should cover your throwaway fee and you can keep the box.

Bill what a fabulous work of art!

The can and poop shoot is especially charming.

=)

Wow

Bill,

What kind of car is this that you can't get from one end of the car to the other? Seems counter-productive and unsafe to me. Do the plans actually show it as being built that way?

 

Railway Post Office

Great progress Bill.

Now I visualize what the drawings had shown for the floor racks.

The water closet is great!

 

 

Note the small crawl through door on the bottom center of the bulkhead in another of Bill's photo's.  This allows access to the storage area of the car if needed.  The postal section of an RPO is a secure area.

 

Rusty

 

 

Rusty,

REALLY!

Did you notice that on the other side of that itty-bitty door there is a wall of "Pigeon Holes"? And, do you really think that anyone would want to crawl on their belly to get to the toilet?

 

I would suggest putting a walkway in where that wall of Pigeon Holes is blocking any passageway.

 

 

 

 

Jim,

what Bill's pieces do not show is the letter cases are NOT up on thier base, which is missing (not yet made?), that provides the room underneath the case for the crawl door.

 

Exactly, PRR Man's correct.  The pigeon holes would not be sitting on the floor.

 

I've crawled through the one in IRM's Burlington RPO, (which has a storage section, unlike the full PRO in your photo's) it's there under the pigeon holes:

If a big lug like me can make it through, anyone can...

 

Rusty

The fact that this is a combination REA/RPO must be the reason. It certainly isn't a passageway meant to be used by people. IRM photos don't show if there is a toilet on board. I would think the men went to another car if there is none on this side of the partition. Nobody in their right mind is going to crawl through that little hole when they could go out the big door to another car.

Interesting that a coal stove is stuffed in that tiny space. Holes in the baseboard suggest steam heat from the normal steam line from the engine.

 

Classic Trains devoted almost the entire Fall 2006 issue to RPO's. 

 

Working in an RPO was anything but a cushy job.  There could be anywhere from 3 to 15 clerks working the mail doing various jobs depending on the run, sometimes with less than a foot of aisle space.  All this while the car is rockin' and rollin'.  Could also get pretty dirty from the soot and exhaust from the locomotive, there was some danger when hooking the mail and the cars weren't usually air conditioned. 

 

Seems like a pretty rough life overall.

 

They built men differently back then.

 

Rusty

Thanks for reminding me about that. I had forgotten that I had saved that issue and since nothing is on TV tonight, I'll go back and read it again.

Lighting

 

More progress on the Baggage RPO Car.  There is 8 LED lights 4 in each area Baggage and Rpo. The LED's ARE .078" X .117"  rated 3.3 volts at 2o Ma and re being tested using a 9 volt battery and a 1/2 amp bridge rectifier, each led has a 820 ohm 1/2 watt resistor. I can power 50 LED using this 9 volt battery. This is for testing only.

the car will be hard wired for track power. Each section can be lighted or controled using a vey small slide switch mounted under the car floor.

here is a wired up LED module. The wires are .008" dia magnetic wire. this is what I put in the RPO car.

Thanks guys for posting exposing the 2 rail side of the hobby. We're living the dream working on the best of the best. Keep it coming.

Bill has an update on his site!

I am glad he posts here so the 3 rail crowd can see the Jedi side of the Force. ;-)

The RPO Car has been finished to 90% and that includes painting. The remainder of the work
is just interior parts that are still being worked on.

I ran short of time and said, this is good to go to O scale West in Santa Clara, CA this coming week end.
February 5-8,2015. I will be leaving Wednesday driving down with my friend.

If I have time I will get some pictures posted so you can see the finished painted model.
It is very striking in the Blue Gray and yellow stripes. The Chrome stripping is done with
Brushed Aluminum Chart Pack tape. Other wise I will post them when I get Back.

This model will be entered in the model Contest. If you like it please vote for it.

I will take a lot of photo's of the meet, and post when I get back. Will be gone almost
a week.


Regards

Bill Basden

Bill,

 

I cannot imagine a better model---someone will have to up their game to top you!!!

Brad

WOW!

Be sure and show us your trophy from OSW Bill!

This is spectacular. Good luck.