Mail hook

Post fishing hook allowed the transfer of mail from or to a moving with undiminished speed railway mail cars.

Since the arrest and subsequent start-up of a train requires a relatively large amount of time and energy, was thinking early about how it would be possible to transfer mail from one or in a moving with undiminished speed train. In Germany, only the shedding of letter bags at train stations during the passage of the train was up to the beginning of the 20th century practiced (see: here).

On, technical facilities have been installed in the UK and the U.S., which allowed the transfer of mail in both directions. There was, for a stationary racks next to the track, in which a mail bag could be hung or had an arm with hook which could accommodate a held to a corresponding hook from a railway mail car out mail bags. Also in the reverse direction, the method was possible.

Its technical limit in the extreme acceleration of the mail bag, which occurs at higher speeds of the train. This can not only lead to damage of the mail, but also lead by striking back or beating against the train mailbag damage. Therefore, the method was abandoned when the train speeds increased in the 1950s during the transition from operating with steam locomotives to diesel and electric locomotives.

Swell

• Explanation board at Burlington Zephyr in the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago.