Railroad Route Agent Marking, i.e., cancellations used by railroad agents who accepted letters from patrons, many are scarce, a few quite rare.

A Very Rare RF-8 (4-6) as per Simpson’s, the “Atlantic & St. Lawrence” Railroad, which ran from Portland, Maine to Island Pond, Vermont on a #26 straddle pane copy from left pane with centerline and a black 32 mm “Atlantic & St. Lawrence R.R.” CDS, used from 1853-1861 (this is a very late use).

I have only seen three in 35+ years: 2 on cover and this one off cover.

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History: The St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad, known as St-Laurent et Atlantique Quebec in Canada, is a short-line railway operating between Portland, Maine, on the Atlantic Ocean, and Montreal, Quebec, on the St. Lawrence River.

It crosses the Canada–U.S. border at Norton, Vermont, and Stanhope, Quebec, and owned by short-line operator Genesee & Wyoming.

The line was built by the Atlantic and St. Lawrence Railroad in the U.S. and the St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railway in Canada, meeting at Island Pond, Vermont, south of the international border. Major communities served include Portland & Lewiston in ME; Berlin, NH; Island Pond, VT; & Sherbrooke & Montreal, Quebec.

References:

1. “Simpson’s U.S. Postal Markings 1851-61”, Second Edition, Revised and Enlarged, by Thomas Alexander, USPCS, Columbus, OH, 1979, pg. 159, tracing 18.

2. “U.S. Route and Station Agent Postmarks”, by Charles L. Towle, Ameripex Edition, Mobile Post Office Society, Chicago, 1986, pg. 8, tracing 9-B-1 and page 319.