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Fun fact, there were originally plans to build entire city networks of those pneumatic tube delivery systems until the USPS decided it would be too much fun (as
by legitster 4y ago
Fun fact, there were originally plans to build entire city networks of those pneumatic tube delivery systems until the USPS decided it would be too much fun (as well as bypass their mail delivery monopoly). They successfully convinced congress to ban them in any situation where they could compete with delivered mail (basically, they can't run between any two addresses).
After email killed off intra-office mail, banks are one of the last viable economic uses for pneumatic tube systems.
Still bums me out.
- mikeodds 4y agoAlthough they’re using rails in pipes, not pneumatics, you might like https://i.pipedreamlabs.co/ https://i.pipedreamlabs.co/ They’re aiming to solve last mile delivery with city wide networks of pipes
- escape_goat 4y agoI'm not sure where you got that story from, but there was pneumatic tube mail in New York city from 1897 to 1953, operated under contract to the USPS. Networks existed in four other cities but New York's was the largest. It eventually halted because it was ridiculously expensive compared to moving mail on trucks. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pneumatic_tube_mail_in_New_York_City# https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pneumatic_tube_mail_in_New_Yor...
- jessaustin 4y agoAn example of USPS operating them doesn't really contradict parent's story about USPS forbidding anyone else from operating them. Trucks probably weren't very competitive in 1897.
- clorohk 4y agoThey’re used quite a bit in hospitals to transport blood transfusions, medications, etc. as far as I know
- deleted 4y ago[deleted]