B-M-X #3-#5 - Page 2

HISTORY (Continued)

In 1912 the Post Office created standards for mail cars, and baggage-mail cars #10-12 were rebuilt with narrow gauge standard 15'-0" mail compartments. Prior to this rebuilding, the mail sorting cases were arranged in a “U” shape with its bottom against the end wall of the car. This may have been for security, so someone could not get in from the car's end platform. It also explains why the early photos show the window at the mail end of the car between the door and the end of the car. The new Railway Mail Service standard called for just the opposite: the bottom of the “U” was to be against the midships bulkhead, thus securing access from that side, and end platforms were removed. This explains why in the later photos the windows in the mail section were inboard of the mailroom door.

Baggage-mail car #11 was in the shops late in 1925, for what purpose we do not know, but apparently no change was made to the interior arrangement or to the construction of the car, since no inspection was required by the Postal Department.

Baggage-mail car #10 was dismantled in January 1929, apparently the first of the many cars dismantled that year. Cars #11 and #12 were used for another 10 years, and were dismantled May 1939, #12 after having been stripped down and used as a bunk car for the line’s dismantler, Platt Rogers, Inc.

PHOTOGRAPHS & PLANS

(Photos with Source and Page in blue are best to show car details.)

Continued