Boston And ? Rpo Identification Help

I need help identifying this cover I just received. It is from 1865-1970 period. It starts with Boston and is a RPO. I checked references that I have and cannot find one. The closest is Boston and Albany but I don't know if RPO was used (I've seen RR used)

Thanks for any help

There were a lot of "Boston & XXXX" railroads before the B&M gobbled up many shortlines in New England.

The Boston & Albany name came into use around 1870, and then became part of the New York Central system in 1914, though Yankee pride forced NYC to keep the B&A markings on their equipment.

Other "Boston &" railroads:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...ct_railroads

Boston and Albany Railroad
B&A NYC
1867 1961 New York Central Railroad

Boston, Barre and Gardner Railroad
B&M
1849 1885 Fitchburg Railroad

Boston, Clinton and Fitchburg Railroad
NH
1867 1876 Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad

Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad
NH
1873 1883 Old Colony Railroad

Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad
NH
1863 1874 New York and New England Railroad

Boston, Hingham and Hull Railroad
NH
1880 1881 Nantasket Beach Railroad

Boston and Lowell Railroad
B&M
1830 1919 Boston and Maine Railroad

Boston and Maine Corporation
BM B&M 1963
Boston and Maine Railroad
B&M, BM B&M 1841 1964 Boston and Maine Corporation

Boston and Maine Railroad Extension Company
B&M
1844 1845 Boston and Maine Railroad

Boston and New York Central Railroad
NH
1853 1858 Midland Railroad

Boston and Portland Railroad
B&M
1839 1841 Boston and Maine Railroad

Boston and Providence Railroad
NH
1831 1972 Penn Central Transportation Company

Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn Railroad
1874 1940 N/A
Boston Terminal Company
BTCO NH
1896 1965 N/A
Boston and Winthrop Railroad
1881 1883 Boston, Winthrop and Shore Railroad

Boston, Winthrop and Point Shirley Railroad
1876 1883 Boston, Winthrop and Shore Railroad

Boston, Winthrop and Shore Railroad
1883 1891 Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn Railroad

Boston and Worcester Railroad
NYC
1831 1867 Boston and Albany Railroad

AND don't forget all of the TROLLEY lines, though I am not sure if they marked their mail differently.

Thak you for the list.

My best guess based on some more internet research is the Boston & Providence RR. I did find a period advertisment for this mail run in a Boston Commerce Magazine. It was an express run.

Also looking at the size of the words in the PM, that would seem to fit the font size. I did search for examples of this RR Postmark online but did not find much.

Unfortunately the return address of NYC was hand crossed out so I don't know exactly where it was posted from.

Alas, I know more about New England railroads than their RPO cancels! Odd... I collect all sorts of RR items and yet my stamp collection has maybe 3-4 RPOs!!

Troy and Boston. Railroads are my # 1 hobby.

Jack Kelley

Where many of the New England railroads RPO's?

I know mail was very important business for them, even up in Maine on the little narrow gauges. Maybe Jack can expand?

Jack thanks for the info.

Can you provide a reference or another visual example that confirms this for me? The postmark diameter is 25mm.

The Troy and Boston was not on my radar for this one.

Thanks

Mike

Mike,

My friend, James Van Bokkelen is an expert on this. I knew of the Boston and Troy, but he lists many more RPO routes; some not on your list. Try Googling this:

"Railway Mail Service RPO Routes in New England"

You will see Far Acres Farm and the Unofficial B&M webpage.

Jack Kelley

Here's a link to Poor's Manual Of Railroads of the United States. This is the 1885 issue. There are others available.

https://archive.org/details/poorsma...ai18newyuoft

This partial always presents a problem. Many years ago, a prominent collector I respected, commented on a similar item "If I can't read it, I don't want it." I've taken his advice to heart and passed on a number of items I would normally have tried to add to my collection on the grounds that the cancels were not fully identifiable.