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Missouri Pacific's ex-Express cars
The were a total of 50 built by the MoP at DeSoto in 1962, and were among the more unusual cars of the fleet, a 70-foot express car in the 135-series for express and mail handling in the 1960's. They were seen all over the system but their assignment was short-lived. Soon after thier introduction in the '60's, mail service switched off-rail and the express cars lost their major assignment. The Postal Service had changed contracts and went with the airlines. Due to a light-weight construction, the cars use for anything other than LCL service was very restricted. They were limited in general freight handling, thus those that escaped the dead lines were sent to MOW service earlier than thier contemporariesfound in a variety of MoW work.  The Express cars that stayed in revenue service are long-gone, but those that survived can still be found in MoW service today working for the Union Pacific.

Original Series No. - MP 135-184
AAR Mech. Designation - XP
Inside Length - 70' 0"
Inside Height - 8' 0"
Outside Length - 71' 3"
Extreme Width = 10' 3"
Extreme Height - 13' 7"
Door Width Opening - 9' 0"
Door Height - 6' 6"
Avg. Lt. Wt. - 67,000 lbs
Capacity - 5,040 cubic feet, 100,000 lbs (until 1976), 75,000 lbs (1977)

The following shots are of ex-express cars once painted in the all-blue express scheme. The doors and roof on these cars were of aluminum. was a weight saving option, which ultimately would 'doom' them to their lives in tool and MOW service. Ironically, this probably saved them too, in the long-run.  (thanks to Elvin Klepzig for providing most of the following images, as well as Brian Paul Ehni)

Note to modeler's - Delta Models is about to begin production of an HO-scale version of this car. Visit Delta Models - MPL Express Car---#135-184 for ordering information.

MP 152 - in this photo the car still wears the original if somewhat faded express blue paint scheme - photo © copyright Elvin Klepzig

MP 152 - detail - photo © copyright Elvin Klepzig

MP 152 - photo © copyright Elvin Klepzig

Unidentified - ex-express in original paint. Houston, TX; 9/71 - © Brian Paul Ehni photo, used with permission.

MP X 14596 - ex-express as a crew car. Poplar Bluff, MO - photo © copyright Elvin Klepzig

T&P X 15091 - Tool car, ex-express at DeQuincy, LA; 1/75 - © Brian Paul Ehni photo, used with permission.

T&P X 15091 - Tool car, ex-express at DeQuincy, LA; 1/75 - © Brian Paul Ehni photo, used with permission.

T&P X 15091 - Tool car, ex-express at DeQuincy, LA; 1/75. Notice the MP truck in the background. - © Brian Paul Ehni photo, used with permission.

T&P X 15091 - Tool car, ex-express at DeQuincy, LA; 1/75 - © Brian Paul Ehni photo, used with permission.

MP X 15124 - another home-built express box, now used as a MoW tool car in boxcar red typical for these cars. This one also has had it's original trucks swapped-out for the more common Bettendorf type - photo © copyright Elvin Klepzig

MP X 15124 - detail - photo © copyright Elvin Klepzig

MP X 15127 - ex-mail car at Poplar Bluff, Missouri - © photo Craig Meador

MP X 15127 - Poplar Bluff, MO 8/19/01 - photo © copyright Elvin Klepzig

MP X 15127 -, 8/19/01 - photo © copyright Elvin Klepzig

MP X 15127 - 8/19/01 - photo © copyright Elvin Klepzig

MP X 15127 - 8/19/01 - photo © copyright Elvin Klepzig

MP X 15127 - 8/19/01 - photo © copyright Elvin Klepzig

MP X 15127 - 8/19/01 - photo © copyright Elvin Klepzig

MP X 15127 - 8/19/01 - photo © copyright Elvin Klepzig

MP X 15127 - 8/19/01 - photo © copyright Elvin Klepzig

MP X 15127 - 8/19/01 - photo © copyright Elvin Klepzig

MP X 15127 - 8/19/01 - photo © copyright Elvin Klepzig

MP X 15127 - 8/19/01 - photo © copyright Elvin Klepzig

MP X 15127 - 8/19/01 - photo © copyright Elvin Klepzig

MP X 15127 - 8/19/01 - photo © copyright Elvin Klepzig

MP X 15127 - 8/19/01 - photo © copyright Elvin Klepzig

MP X 15127 - 8/19/01 - photo © copyright Elvin Klepzig