Well I decided to try my hand at blogging. Please bear with me as I am new to this. I started this blog to generate interest & maybe a donation or two to help in the possible restoration of one of the few remaining Street Railway (Trolley) Railway Post Office Cars in the United States. Union Street Railway Railway Post Officer Car (RPO) #302 was built in 1907 by the J. M. Jones & Sons Car Co as a freight trailer for the Union Street Railway of New Bedford Massachusettes. In the photo above, 302 is the rear car of the train pictured. Later in its life (still researching exactly when this occured) 302 was converted to a self propelled Railway Post Office car. I am still researching more on how long the mail contract lasted and the routes the car was used on. In the lmid to late 1940's the Union Street Railway was converting over to buses as were most streetcar companies following World War II. In 1945 the Branford Electric Railway Association was formed to preserve the streetcars that were ebing scrapped. In 1947 car #302 was among the first of the Associations cars to be preserved. I'll be posting more history and photo's of the car as I can find/scan/borrow them. The view below is a more recent photo showing the condition of the car today.
As you can tell, some work is needed. Thanks for reading & look forward to comments & posting more as I learn...
As you can tell, some work is needed. Thanks for reading & look forward to comments & posting more as I learn...Steve
