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Does anyone know about the Railway Express Agency? Could I have some info on it? Websites? Books?
-Thanks
CV Member # 1114
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My grandfather worked for the REA for several years. It was similar to todays UPS although REA used mostly rail to transport the packages with door to door delivery done by trucks just like UPS.As far as I know all of the main offices were run out of railroad stations. I'm not aware of any books about the REA specifically but please let me know what you find out. Thanks
thedaytheystoppedthetrain Member # 1115
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I have always wanted my own REA green(?) wooden baggage hand-truck with the steel wheels.
jebradley Member # 606
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I'm not really well acquainted with the REA situation, but the Railway Express Agency was jointly owned by all major U.S. rail carriers. One of their main troubles was that they were 'tied' to rail services through 'key point' restrictions promulgated by the Interstate Commerce Commission which had the legal power to regulate them; they could not haul from/to many pairs of points without routing shipments through designated 'key point cities' and using rail between those key points. This hamstrung their service and about the time passenger trains started dying wholesale, United Parcel Service, which had been around for many years but was strictly a local parcel deliverer for major department stores in big cities (thus the name), was allowed to step in and siphon off REA's traffic; also of course REA's main nemesis was always the taxpayer-funded Post Office Parcel Post service. I'm sure I saw a book on REA advertised a few years ago, so check the rail book lists on the different sites and you should find it. I'll check my files and if I find anything more I'll re-post. Jim Bradley National Director Hawk Mountain Chapter National Railway Historical Society.
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