A Day in the Life of a Railway Post Office Clerk

Clerks sorting mail in a mail car
Clerks sorting mail in a mail car
Railway Post Office clerks. Courtesy of the National Postal Museum Library, Smithsonian Institution Libraries.

The life of a Railway Post Office clerk was one of adventure, excitement, practice, and hard work. Clerks spent days away from home, traveling through the American heartland. They spent off time memorizing post-offices and schemes. Their lives were filled with friendship and camaraderie, as clerks spent countless hours bonding with their colleagues. They faced hazards, like fires and wrecks, and took their jobs very seriously. Railway Post Office clerks were considered by many to be the elite of the mail service. They were highly respected by people in stationary units and strove to maintain their high reputation by always sorting and processing the mail with speed and accuracy. More than anything, RPO clerks loved their job.