[GreenKeys] When hobbies cross over...

Mon Dec 2 23:00:32 EST 2019

There's a tale told about REA losing the Altair 8800 that was shipped to 
Popular Electronics for the big spread in 1976.   It was never found and 
MITS had to assemble a second one to ship for the magazine article.  
Often wondered who got that box.....

Steve

On 12/2/19 4:49 PM, Bruce Gentry via GreenKeys wrote:
>
> Railroads are very unique businesses with regard to regulations and 
> prices. Because of extreme abuses they committed in the 19th century, 
> freight prices are regulatedï¿½ by what is being shipped as well as 
> size and weight. I never used REA for purchases from Fair Radio, but 
> G&G in New York offered it and the prices were quite reasonable. It 
> also offered another important advantage to me. I was in high school 
> at the time, and had parents who were hostile to my hobby interests. 
> The station master would hold the package for me rather than sending 
> it out for delivery. I would call to see if it had arrived, and then 
> arrainged with a friend to pick it up. REA went under for two reasons. 
> Most REA freight was shipped on passenger trains, and they were 
> disappearing in the late 60s. That did leave freight trains to 
> carryï¿½ packages, but those trains were changing to hauling specific 
> commodities rather than a variety of freight in box cars. There wasn't 
> enough traffic for REA after about 1970 and they went under. Amtrak 
> does carry packages, but except for their larger stations, it is 
> inconvenient and they aren't trying to increase it.ï¿½ï¿½
>
> ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ Bruce Gentry, KA2IVY
>
>
>> -ï¿½ï¿½ -ï¿½ï¿½ -ï¿½ï¿½ -ï¿½ï¿½ -ï¿½ï¿½ -ï¿½ï¿½ -ï¿½ï¿½ -ï¿½
>>
>> *From: *"Ralph Irish" <w8roi at wowway.com>
>> *To: *"W9DDD John" <w9ddd at tapr.org>
>> *Sent: *Thursday, November 28, 2019 8:48:47 AM
>> *Subject: *Re: [GreenKeys] When hobbies cross over...
>>
>> Does anyone remember a company known as the Railroad Express Agency, 
>> or REA?ï¿½ They shipped 'goods' from one
>> point to another, often using various railroads that were still 
>> operating.ï¿½ One unique thing about them was that they
>> charged you based onï¿½ WHATï¿½ was being shipped in addition to the 
>> weight and size.ï¿½ A 25 pound box of screws and
>> washers would cost one amount, but if those screws and washers were 
>> fastened to something, then the price went up.ï¿½
>>
>>
>> REA went out of business not long after that.ï¿½ They had some kind 
>> of Depot in the Metro Detroit area, and that is where
>> my packages were 'held ransom' until I paid that 'surcharge'.ï¿½
>>
>>
>>
>> Happy Thanksgiving to all!ï¿½ Not yet certain how we will be 
>> celebrating today.ï¿½ Somehow, though, food will be involved!
>>
>> Ralph - W8ROI
>>
>> -ï¿½ï¿½ -ï¿½ï¿½ -ï¿½ï¿½ -ï¿½ï¿½ -ï¿½ï¿½ -ï¿½ï¿½ -ï¿½ï¿½ -
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>
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