The RCA Cartridge Tape system was introduced sometime in the late 1950's. The first catalog I have shows several dozen tapes available in June 1959.

What follows are images of some Cartridge Tapes, the first working substitute for reel-to-reel tapes. Tape speed was a good 3 3/4 inches per second, twice that of Compact Cassettes. Tape width was the then standard reel-to-reel tape width of 1/4 inch.

The Cartridge Tape was essentially a reel-to-reel packaged in a sturdy plastic shell. Many of the design innovations embodied in the Cartridge Tape anticipated the Philips Compact Cassette by nearly six years. They even have break-off tabs to prevent over-recording once the tape is made.

Image: Here's a comparison between an RCA Cartridge tape, an Elcaset and a Compact Cassette:

Image: Now a comparison of Cartridge Tape and Compact Cassette. A dinky, almost toy-looking Compact Cassette next to a real, human dimensioned Cartridge Tape.

Image: Another Cartridge tape.

Image: The front and back of a tape catalog enclosed in several tapes. Note the printing date is June 1959.

Image: The inside of the Cartridge tape catalog.

RCA Cartridges:

[KD-1] Another cool tape box cover... Sound in Space.

[KCS-3002] Chicago Symphony Orchestra Tschaikowsky Concerto In D, Op. 35 Fritz Reiner conducting, Jascha Heifetz, violin.

[KPS-2008] The Glenn Miller Orchestra's Something Old, New, Borrowed and Blue

[KPS-3022] Frankie Carle & Orchestra, Around The World . Isn't this cover art much nicer than those puny cassette J-Cards?

[KPS-3069] Buddy Morrow's Night Train Orchestra Big Band Guitar.

[KPS-3137] Melachrino More Music for Relaxation.

[KPS-4012] Evening with Lerner & Loewe

[KPS-4027] Victory at Sea - Vol. 1

[KPS-4040] Robert Shaw Chorale. A Chorus of Love

[KPS-4043] Al Hirt Trumpet & Strings

[KPS-4061] Peter Nero. Hail the Conquering Nero.

[KPS-4070] Sound of Music OST

[KCS 4087] Boston Pops. Fiddle-Faddle

Camden Cartridges:

[PCS-142] The Living Strings Magnificent Moods. Released in 1963 on the Camden label, RCA's budget line.

[PCS-142] The Living Strings Magnificent Moods. Pretty color.

[PCS-156] The Living Strings Sing Along

[PCS-157] The Living Strings Light Classics

Image: This is the box for a blank RCA cartridge that you could record on yourself. The cartridge is seen in Image 1, above. What follows in the next four images are scans of the instruction sheet contained in the blank cartridge box.

Image: Front of the instruction sheet.

Image: Inside, first part, of instruction sheet.

Image: Inside, top, of instruction sheet.

Image: Inside, bottom, of instruction sheet.

Image: This is the box for a blank 3M cartridge.

Image: This is the a blank 3M cartridge.

Yet to be scanned...

Camdem Cartridges:

 

RCA Cartridges:

As time allows I'll add to this page with more information and images. Thanks for stopping by...