National Museum of Transportation near Kirkwood in St. Louis County, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Chicago, Burlington & Quincy #1942

— 1922 —

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), April 22, 2019

1. Chicago, Burlington & Quincy #1942 Marker

Inscription. The mail was picked up, sorted and delivered in this 70' car. Mail destined for this train was placed in a large pouch and attached to a crane (hook) located alongside the track. On each side of the mail car is a steel V-shaped catcher arm. Without stopping the train, a clerk in this car looks through a wind shield and aims the catcher arm at the mail pouch. The catcher arm then picks the mail pouch from the crane. At the same time the clerk kicks off a pouch containing any mail for this station. At the height of Railway Post Office service in the 1950's the railroads carried 90% of the intercity mail in the U.S. This RPO car was donated in 1969 by the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad.

Erected by Museum of Transportation.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Communications • Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 1922.

Location. 38° 34.291′ N, 90° 27.772′ W. Marker is near Kirkwood, Missouri, in St. Louis County. It is in National Museum of Transportation. It can be reached from Barrett Station Road east of Old Dougherty Ferry Road, on the right when

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traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3015 Barrett Station Road, Saint Louis MO 63122, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Greater St. Louis.

It is also in the American Midwest,

in the Lewis & Clark Corridor,

in the Corn Belt,

and in the Great River Road Region.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

the Louisiana Purchase,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: UTLX #3882 (here, next to this marker); Pitman Arms from S.S. Admiral (here, next to this marker); ACFX #26640 (a few steps from this marker); Baltimore & Ohio #50 (a few steps from this marker); UTLX #14387 (a few steps from this marker); Joplin - Pittsburg #2003 (a few steps from this marker); General American Transportation Company #96500 (a few steps from this marker); The Push Poles and Poling (a few steps from this marker).

Chicago, Burlington & Quincy #1942 and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), April 22, 2019

2. Chicago, Burlington & Quincy #1942 and Marker

Touch for a list and map of all markers in Kirkwood.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 1, 2026. It was originally submitted on April 28, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 206 times since then and 13 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 28, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.

Editor’s want-list for this marker. • • Better closeup photo of the marker. • • • Can you help?