Railway Express Agency

Railway Express Agency

U.S. company that once operated the nation's largest ground and air express services. It was founded by the U.S. government as the American Railway Express Co. in 1918, when the nation's major express carriers—Adams & Co., American Express Co., Wells, Fargo & Co., and Southern Express Co.—were merged into a public corporation. An association of railroads bought out the business in 1929 and began to operate it as the Railway Express Agency. Its name was changed to REA Express in 1970. Poor management, strikes, and competition led to heavy losses, and REA filed for bankruptcy in 1975.