Vehicle Description
Many years ago, Railway Express Agency was the way to ship express
parcels. Its heritage traces back to the railroad industry's
earliest years, although the modern REA was not formed until the
late 1920s. In time, it expanded rapidly, with thousands of small
offices located in every corner of America, while its headquarters
was based in New York City. People came to depend on REA for their
shipping needs. With its trademark red-diamond sign, green delivery
trucks, baggage carts and railroad equipment, REA was a common
sight across communities large and small. It was the UPS or FedEx
of its day. Alas, things crumbled after World War II, which
coincided with a rapid decline in rail travel. Ultimately, REA
failed in the 1970s and was liquidated. Today, the Railway Express
Agency is only a memory, although it will long be remembered as one
of America's great institutions. This beautiful and rare baggage
cart was found in original condition, as photos document. It was
painstakingly restored exactly the way it was originally, with a
couple very minor exceptions. All of the metal was prepped and PPG
Concept Automotive paints were used for the finish. All of the
wheel bearings were in excellent condition. One of the bearings had
been replaced, but the other three were original. The bearing
numbers date to 1939 and were introduced by Hyatt specifically for
railroad journal boxes. All of the wood was replaced with
kiln-dried oak for the beautiful grain patterns and the wood was
cut to the exact original specifications. The tires were replaced
with the original style Firestone tires that matched the originals
exactly. This baggage cart measures 10'5" long, 45" wide and 6.1"
tall. This is a true piece of American history. From the MS Classic
Cars Collection. **SOLD ON BILL OF SALE ONLY** **SOLD AS A PAIR
WITH LOT 66**
