The Cannonball

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From: JERSYSTMRR at aol.com  Add to Address Book
Date: Thu, 21 Apr 2005 18:20:20 EDT
Subject: Cannonball ?????
To: f_scheer at yahoo.com

Mr. Scheer :Can you give me any information on the
former PRR-N&W-RF&P-ACL run through train to
Norfolk(?) VA.  There is almost nothing in print about
it
from the east coast rr's books.   Also, were the
tuscan cars on PRR the same shade as those on the N&W,
and likewise the RF&P ?

I bought a Walthers HO scale N&W PS 52 seat coach
model. All the photos of N&W cars I have seen were in
tuscan.  Where did this Blue letterboard w/ gold
lettering car and it's sisters operate,and were they
painted in that color scheme when purchased by Amtrak
in 1971-2.

Thank you for any information you may have.
Craig Harrison-NJ


April 22, 2005

Good morning, Craig:

Bill Griffin has written some books about the RF&P
that include some references to The Cannonball.  There
are also several other historians and modelers who are
can provide better information about the train consist
than me.  I'll pass this along and invite people to
write to you off-line at JERSYSTMRR at aol.com  If I see
any relevant postings, I'll likewise forward them to
you.

There was a Railway Post Office (RPO) operated on this
train prior to the 1960s, which was furnished by the
N&W.  If you or others want more information about
this RPO route, I can scan a schedule table and send
it along.

Best wishes,

Frank

Dr. Frank R. Scheer, Curator
Railway Mail Service Library, Inc.
f_scheer at yahoo.com
(202) 268-2121 - weekday office
(540) 837-9090 - weekend afternoons
in the former N&W station on VA rte 723
117 East Main Street
Boyce  VA  22620-9639

Visit at http://www.railwaymailservicelibrary.org