Railway Mail Service crane with pouch

c. 1890-1977

Slightly over ten feet tall, these iron cranes were common slights along U.S. railway lines from the late nineteenth century through the twentieth. They were placed near train tracks in order to allow Railroad Post Office (RPO) cars to exchange mail without stopping. Instead of stopping at every small town to receive or pick up mail, RPO cars were fitted with catcher arms that snatched mailbags off cranes such as this.