Rocky Mount Instruments

Rocky Mount Instruments or RMI was a subsidiary of the Allen Organ Company, established in about 1966. It was based in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. It is most famous for the RMI Electra Piano, a keyboard instrument that created piano and harpsichord-like sounds without the use of strings, tines, or reeds, instead using transistors, much like the combo organs of the day.

Combo organs

In fact, the first models produced were combo organs, including the four-octave "Explorer" (using a dedicated oscillator for each key), the "Lark", the "Band Organ" (a three-octave electrical imitation of a calliope) and the "Calliope" and "Calliope B" around 1968 or early 1969. The first electric piano model was the "Model 100 Rock-Si-Chord" in 1967. Retailing for $4695, it contained only 2 sounds (string and lute) but was later updated as the "Model 100A" which contained 5 sounds (harpsichord, cembalo, lute, Guitar A, and Guitar B). The "Model 200 Rock-Si-Chord" produced in 1968 was similar the first "Model 100", but featured an accenter option that shortened the decay of the sound. The "Model 200A" however featured twice as many sounds as the "Model 100A".

Rocky Mount

Rocky Mount is the name of:

Rocky Mount station

Helen P. Gay Rocky Mount Historic Train Station, often shortened to Rocky Mount, is an Amtrak train station in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. It is served by four passenger trains, the Carolinian, Silver Meteor, Silver Star, and Palmetto. The station is located just south of downtown Rocky Mount, and the street address is 101 Hammond Street. In 2010, it was named for Helen P. Gay, a 90-year-old former member of the Rocky Mount City Council who was instrumental in the station's most recent restoration project.

History

Rocky Mount Station was originally built in 1893 by the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad. After the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad bought the W&WR, they rebuilt the station between 1911 and 1912, and again in 1916. During the 1960s ACL built a modern structure within the station to store switches and signal equipment before the railroad was merged with the Seaboard Air Line Railroad to form the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad. Between 1997 and 2000 the station was restored to its early 20th century design features, with additional ADA-compliant platforms and other amenities. The former REA Express freight house is now the home of the Rocky Mount bus depot, which serves Greyhound and Tar River Transit. Two former ACL cars are on display at the freight house; "Stainless Whopper Hopper" #500,000, and the 1902-built "Office Car" #303.