RE: (ET) Mother Earth News

[Tim Chapin <tchapin umich edu>]

I don't read Mother Earth News but I am guessing it is an honest mistake.  
I
would guess Mother Earth News is a good publication that messed up.  
Instead
of bashing them in this news group, I would suggest someone draft a
letter,(I can't even communicate using spoken words let alone type up
something--maybe Dennis's letter), pass it thru the news group to get all
the correct information (including the electra ox out of Can.).  Then send
it to Mother Earth News editor from the news group.  Invite who ever is
interested in elec trak types of mowers to join.  It will get more
information out about elec traks and who knows we might find more out there
to salvage.  Maybe even more parts suppliers.

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>From: "Hazen, Dwight L" <hazen indiana edu>
>To: "'Pestka, Dennis J'" <Dennis Pestka mkg com>,
>        Elec-Trak Email Discussion List <elec-trak cosmos5 phy tufts edu>
>Cc: "Stigall, John D." <stigall indiana edu>
>Subject: RE: (ET) Mother Earth News
>Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2000 09:15:03 -0500
>Sender: owner-elec-trak cosmos5 phy tufts edu
>
>
> With thinking like that from Mother Earth we would still be driving gas 
> hog
>cars from the 60'es. So when did big oil take over Mother earth?
>
>   Dwight 
>
>
>
>Dwight L. Hazen, Indiana University, UITS 
>Bloomington, In. 47408-7378 Phone 812-855-5367 hazen indiana edu
>http://php.ucs.indiana.edu/~hazen/ Ham Radio wb9tlh arrl net
>
>
>
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From:        Pestka, Dennis J [SMTP:Dennis Pestka mkg com]
>> Sent:        Monday, September 18, 2000 6:50 AM
>> To:  Elec-Trak Email Discussion List
>> Subject:     (ET) Mother Earth News
>> 
>> After subscribing to the Mother Earth News for over 20 years, I was 
>> really
>> disappointed with the response to a question from one of the readers.
>> There are so many inaccuracies in this that I don't know where to begin.
>> I am writing my response to this and I would encourage everyone else to 
>> do
>> the same.
>> www.motherearthnews.com
>> 
>> Dennis
>> 
>> 
>> Dear Mother, 
>> Do you know of any company making electric garden tractors.
>> 
>> Will
>> Coarsegold, CA
>> 
>> We don't know of a commercially viable electric tractor being made by an
>> established firm today. The cost of high-capacity motors and batteries 
>> is
>> just too high to compete with gas engine-powered models. The obvious
>> environmental advantages alone won't convince enough buyers to pay ten
>> times
>> what a zippy little John Deere lawn or garden tractor costs.
>>   General Electric made the Elec-Trac lawn-tractor/riding mower in the
>> 1970's but lost their shirts on every sale and discounted the line years
>> ago. You can find used Elec-Tracs for sale at well under $1000. They 
>> were
>> robustly made, and parts are still available. But they were slow and
>> heavy,
>> underpowered for attachments, too low slung to use in the garden row, 
>> and
>> lack the run time to mow a big lawn on a single charge.
>