A working RPO in N-Scale

[Rasputen]

Reading back through some of the older posts, what about something solid state to activate it, like an infra-red transistor?

[Cajonpassfan]

I just won a Pecos River brass Mail/Baggage on eBay last night, so once it is in-hand, work can begin to make it into a functioning RPO.

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Cody, you dog, I wanted that car
But in the same auction, I got the fishbelly baggage, an 8-1-2 sleeper and the 3776 "Max Magliaroed" Northern... all at good prices. Of course, I need another Northern like I need a hole in the head.... couldn't resist a MM engine though.

The pic below is Summit, Cal. in the fifties; that's how they picked up mail there. Delivery routine involved just throwing the bag out the open door... It was outposts like this, where trains with RPO's didn't stop, that required catching the mail on the fly. No need for such drama at real stations where the trains made their stops anyway.
Fun stuff,
Otto K.

[ncbqguy]

While vacationing in Union Pier, Michigan when I was about 10 years old I had the opportunity to watch mail being picked up "on the fly" on the Pere Marquette.  The RPO clerk was waving at me....a lot!!...I should have known from my AF Mail Pickup Car that a bag gets kicked off as the bag is picked up.  Apparently getting hit by a bag of mail going 60 mph is not good for you.
Charlie Vlk

[sirenwerks]

Apparently getting hit by a bag of mail going 60 mph is not good for you.

Who'd a thought?!

[VonRyan]

For two nights, battle has been waged.
Only moments ago victory has been achieved as the last of the solder joints gave way to heating, prying, and pulling.
The original roof is being abandoned (partially out of necessity at this point) in favor of a Micro Trains mail/baggage roof. I now need to determine how much of the bracing I should remove to accommodate the MTL roof and most importantly the mechanism for the mail arm.

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[Ed Kapuscinski]

I think I missed why you're not just using an MTL car in the first place. What's the rationale behind the brass car?

[VonRyan]

I think I missed why you're not just using an MTL car in the first place. What's the rationale behind the brass car?

I was going to use the MTL car, but that would make building the mechanism more difficult as I'd have to fabricate a whole support structure for the solenoid, linkages, etc.

With the brass car, I can just drill/tap holes in the floor to mount the solenoid, and solder guide-tubes and other bits to car itself. To me it seemed the most sensible, albeit costly, way to see this project through. Of all my crazy ideas I have come up with, this is the one I always find myself thinking about. I guess it could be said that this project is the most tangible out of all my various ideas.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Ah, that makes sense!

[peteski]

@VonRyan , here is an electromagnet which should work for this project: http://www.ebay.com/itm/361650654595

It's dimensions are 10x11x21mm.