PC: Fw: HO passenger modeling & Bob Ried

["Garrett Rea" <glrea@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Why my father will not subcribe-

Shame about Ried- I had my hopes as a photo in the 1998 published PC Color
Guide of an oversized load (what he escorted for a living) is credited to
him, so I figured that there might be a shot that he was still with us.  But
like many books- that photo could have been submited 15 years ago.   The
opening letter of each issue dealing with his battles with the post office,
paper strikes, or loosing all of his PC stuff in a basement flood gave a
personal touch-  This is the kind of stuff that you do not see anyone admit
to in the corporate high gloss mags of today.  I never met the man, but I
can tell he was "good people".  If we ever have anything put in print, his
style and personal level should serve as an example.

Garrett Rea

-----Original Message-----
From: Fred G Rea <fredrea -AT- juno.com>
To: glrea -AT- earthlink.net <glrea@earthlink.net>
Date: Sunday, December 20, 1998 3:22 PM
Subject: Re: HO passenger modeling & Bob Ried


>Sorry but not surprised to hear Ried may be dead.  Time takes a toll.
>
>Gary edit and forward this if you would like
>
>Dad
>
>---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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>
>As for RPO's, I think they are gone for another reason.  Large central
>sorting makes sense in today's automated world.  Fed Exp invented it in
>the extreme.  Originally ALL Fed Exp was flown to Memphis sorted and
>shipped back out the same nite.  Even a package from Columbus to Dayton
>would go to Memphis.  Now Fed Exp and USPS use a few large sites and all
>but local (same zip) goes to those.  How many sites and where to put them
>is a complicated function of capital cost for sorting equipment etc. vs
>transportation cost.
>
>So sorting en route on an RPO is gone with steam and rr owned
>telephone/telegraph lines.  A huge amount of mail still goes by rail, not
>in nice heavy weight RPO and storage cars, in trailers on flats.
>
>Yes the dropping of the mail contracts was a fatal blow to passenger
>trains in the late 60's, but watch an AMTRAK train go by now.  Plenty of
>mail and merchandize back helping to pay for the passengers and fans who
>love to ride them.  The income from the "freight" is huge compared to
>ticket sales.   It brought us a day lite train through Ohio!
>
>Like many other aspects of railroading, it took the death and decay of
>the 60-70's to force a new efficient rr industry. Yes I love the old ways
>but they are gone.
>
>
>Fred G. Rea
>5541 Farms Dr.
>Columbus, OH 43213
>(614)755-4367
>fredrea -AT- juno.com
>
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