# History of REA?



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I don't know all the history, but I believe that REA was the precursor of the AristoCraft G scale brand.

I also believe it was made in Korea.

What surprised me was I have a document that REA was a Wisconsin Corporation.

Just out of curiosity, does anyone know how (and by whom) REA started?

Thanks, Greg


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Hey Greg, 
I googled that for you.... 

http://www.aristocraft.com/insiders/2010/InsiderJanFeb2010.pdf 

won't say much about REA's mgmt tho', yet might clarify history. 

John


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## Trains (Jan 2, 2008)

Greg,

The first catalog I have from REA, on the back,

NO.1 Gauge catalog Railway Express Ageney, Inc PO Box 1247 Milwaukee WI 53201 

I believe it was started by Mr. Polk but had problem with using REA so he changed to Aristocraft.

Don


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yeah, kinda wanted to know who started REA and where it went... 

The insider shows there was an association and then it ended... 

Greg


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

If memory serve me correctly, go to the Polkyman site and seach for the long caboose REA thread. I beleive it was mentioned in there.

Dam im good, I dont forget nothing.

Wonder why my head so big.


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## Dr Rivet (Jan 5, 2008)

Greg 

IIRC... 
REA started as the second importer of LGB to the US. Charles Merzbach [sp?] in NY was the first. In 1968 the ads called LGB "K", the King of gauges. Mr. Polk started REA Trains after they lost the LGB distribution. After trademark issues surfaced, Nate went back to using the Aristocraft name, something that Polk's Model Hobbies had used with HO for many years previously. I have an LGB Orient Express set with a grey Zillertal 0-6-2T and three 3060 family passenger cars painted in blue and creme lettered for the Orient Express. The flimsy "set box" has a large REA diamond logo on it. 

Regards


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

That's sort of weird Don, since the Aristo insider says:

"1990 - Aristo-Craft and REA parted company as REA was spending its time and fortune in litigation against another company. Aristo-Craft also moves its production from Korea to China."

Of course, REA disappears and Aristo take over in the product line... 

The thing I was interested in if they were indeed 2 separate companies, as the Aristo Insider says, where did REA come from, and where did it go in 1990?

I've always wondered... 

Thanks for all info, it will make an interesting story I am sure... I just keep running into REA boxes!

Greg


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

I was thinking you meant the "real" REA company. 
Lewis just had the use of the trade mark for a few years. Then changed.


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## Lawrence Wallace (Jan 2, 2008)

Greg,

I think MR.Polk Bought REA but didn't get the red REA logo in the deal.
The logo couldn't be used.
So Aristocraft as it is today came into being.
Later REA cars didn't have the red REA logo just the black lettering.

So The REA co. didn't go anywhere. The name was just changed to AC.


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Does not really matter now, its all in the past.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yes Yogi, I believe the real REA tried to strongarm Aristo... companies are usually quiet unless they they think they are missing out on some dollars. 

I was interested in the history, it's interesting how companies got their start and how the names and associations changed. 

10 years from now, maybe someone will have it written down so the history won't be lost. 

Just like the deal when LGB sued Aristo, but failed, since they did not really have exclusive rights to the name or had patented their track. (I believe this facts are correct) 

If Aristo had not won, there might not be any Aristo today. 

History is interesting. 

Greg


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

Greg, 
Before history gets rewritten with the passage of time, as it usually does, perhaps a refresher course is in order. 
LGB did not patent the track Per Se. 
I believe the patents referred to were for the way the brass joiner was put on rail and the notch for the plastic tie clip between each rail section. 
I don't believe AristoCraft did win. They just didn't lose. In the USA that is. 
As I understand it, the outcome in Germany was a little different. 
As you know I still have a sample of the AristoCraft made track in question. 
Apart from an obvious quality difference, the AristoCraft track looks to be a dead set copy of the original LGB track to me.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks Tony, your clarification dovetails nicely with the other information I have, and explains why the "screws for the rail joiner" was emphasized in one account from Aristo. I thought that was a strange detail to bring up, but if it was a fundamental difference in the suit. 

I did also understand the not patenting the track by LGB. 

Well, I'm doing my best. I'm also compiling several other manufacturers, but the Aristo story is pretty colorful. 

Their first product was the long caboose, which is still made. 

Regards, Greg


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## Twisted Weasel RR (Jan 17, 2010)

Back in the early nineties I purchased an FA-1 REA 22005 Locomotive from Polk's Model Craft Hobbies, Inc. The box is a silver blue color with the red REA logo on it. They sent a catalog along with I need to find it and see what it says.


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

I thought you were talking about the Dudes in the Green Truck with the Red Lettering on the side from my Childhood.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yeah, should have put Aristo / REA in the title... but then would have been bashed for asking about Aristo... even then, got a rebuff from Marty. 

Ya just can't win. 

Greg


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## Tom Leaton (Apr 26, 2008)

Greg, 

You mentioned that REA was a Wisconsin corporation. Long ago there was a hobby shop and distributor located in downtown Milwaukee. I believe it was called Raillway Express Agency. They sold LGB, too. It was operated by a Mr.William Lamping. I suspect that this may have been the REA entity you were thinking of.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yes, Bill Lamping of REA was mentioned by Aristo as their partner. That's apparently where the Wisconsin address came from. 

Now that reinforces the beginning of REA. What I have been wondering about also is what happened to REA and Bill Lamping after Aristo "left". Did the REA name just die then? Did Bill Lamping continue? 

That was the part I was curious about, since Aristo did not state they "owned" REA, but it was a partnership, and Aristo "left" REA. 

I believe REA also built some O scale. 

Regards, Greg


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

Greg. 
I have an 1990 REA catalogue which does indeed mention that the relationship was: 

"A joint venture of Polk's Model Craft Hobbies, INC, and Railway Express Agency, Inc." 

The address was then 346 Bergen Avenue NJ. 

The catalogue runs to 50 pages. Lots of interesting stuff listed as future items.


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## NYC Buff (Sep 21, 2008)

Greg,

I have several REA cars in the light blue boxes. Most were purchased in the early nineties. I pulled the instrution manual from two different cars a 40 ft. single door box car PRR REA46004. On page 1 the "Introduction," the information includes W. J. Lamping, President, Railway Express Agency, Inc. The address and telephone number are the following: P. O. Box 1247, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201; 414-276-5757. On the 42 ft gondola covered NYC REA 41102 the information changes in the instruction manual. Lamping is still listed as President but the mailing address and telephone number change. They are the following: Polk's Modelcraft Hobbies Inc., 346 Bergen Avenue, Jersey City, New Jersey; 201-332-8100. This same information was included on a limited warranty flyer included with the gondola.

I suspect that the arrangement between the two organizations was one that was mutually beneficial from a sales and marketing standpoint. REA could have Aristo-Craft cars painted in paint schemes not being considered by Aristo-Craft for distribution both regionally and nationally. This arrangement would lessen the burden on Aristo-Craft for additional paint masks but sell to a cooperating competitor Aristo-Craft's molded product. Similar to what Aristo-Craft does now with discounters like RLD, G Scale Junction, the hobby shop iin the Baltimore-Annapolis area that does Western Maryland and C&O special run cars and the Georgia hobby shop in the Atlanta area that does Southern railway heralds. REA probably didn't have the financial wherewithall to support product development for new items and could not afford its own dies.

Respectfully,

Gordon G. Perrin, Jr.
Plymouth, Michigan
Lakeshore Garden Railroad Club Portable Modular Railway Layout Master


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Posted By Greg Elmassian on 18 Oct 2010 03:43 PM 
Yeah, should have put Aristo / REA in the title... but then would have been bashed for asking about Aristo... even then, got a rebuff from Marty. 

Ya just can't win. 

Greg 

You do have some sort of a track record


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

My starter set was REA and I bought it in 1990. I do believe they ran into the problem of actually haveing a real company named REA. Later RJD


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## Allan W. Miller (Jan 2, 2008)

I purchased my first LGB Mogul directly from Mr. Lamping at REA in downtown Milwaukee when I was in town for an NMRA National Convention. Hauled that locomotive back to Hawaii (where I lived at the time) as carry-on for the flight. The REA store was in a major downtown office building and it was one gorgeous store--absolutely beautiful inside and as neat as a pin. I spent a long time there admiring the goodies.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Allan, what year was that? I would expect that the "Aristo years" and "LGB years" did not have a lot of overlap. 

Greg


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## Allan W. Miller (Jan 2, 2008)

Greg: That would have been the 1985 NMRA National--one of the best conventions I have attended, although all have sure been a lot of fun. 

The Mogul I bought was the red and green one--the first model of that locomotive that LGB released, I believe.


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

That would have been the 1985 NMRA National--one of the best conventions I have attendedI'm sure the other "best" was the one in San Jose in 2000 - where you met me!


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I think he was trying to forget Dwightt! ha hahahaha... just kidding... 

Yep, in 1985, must have been a tough year for REA, they sued someone for selling gray market LGB. That really helped no one, the "exclusive contract" REA had to distribute LGB was terminated in 1988. 

Greg


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## Allan W. Miller (Jan 2, 2008)

Dwight: Indeed, the San Jose convention was a great one in every respect. Not only did I first meet you there, my friend, but we also visited some great garden railroads during the convention. I also had the pleasure of seeing you win big in the modeling contest with your first-ever entry. That sure doesn't happen often at ANY NMRA convention!


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## Ted Doskaris (Oct 7, 2008)

I have several Korean (and Chinese) made Polk / REA "Joint Venture" cars and locos in the gray-blue boxes. The early ones were Korean made whilst the later ones were made in China - both having the gray-blue boxes. Later Chinese made cars and locos used the black boxes, then the yellow boxes.


I retrofitted the car shown below with Aristo's Lowered floor and ART-29111B metal wheels. Otherwise the car is as it came from the Korean factory. The car is painted glossy yellow and silver, and the trucks are painted gray. (Gray painted trucks were common on these REA cars.) The black band paint appears to have bled through some areas of whatever masking the Korean factory employed. Later Aristo products have a much superior Chinese factory paint job than one on this car.











The Booklet that comes with this car is shown below.










-Ted


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

Interesting thread.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Starting on the USAT and Bachmann ones soon... some of "how they got there" often turns up explanations of why things were done a certain way. 

Greg


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## Bubba_in_NV (Oct 26, 2010)

Hello and this is my first post in here. I too have several REA in the gray boxes. Including a FA1 22001 NYC. I came across you guys looking up some history for REA and Delton. Found some good Delton info in here. I just obtained a supposedly Delton 53896 NYC&Hudson River grain line transit co ELEVATOR all wood, as in real all wood with all brass parts, non opening doors and cast brass trucks. (a gift) I was trying to find out if it was really a Delton box car. I also have two of the REA Rogers 2-4-2 engines commented about earlier in here. 

Now that I am finally retired I am starting to collect G Scale and go from there. Never rains or nothing rusts here where I live..... 

Greg, I have found in the past year that your posts are very informative and just would like you to know that for many like myself still starting out, we thank you.


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