It’s Reefer Monday

@CAPPilot posted:

Fans meant it was equipped with a mechanical, or later an electrical, circulating fan to move the cold air around.  Always wondered what stage icing meant.  Tried looking it up a while back and lots of references to it but no definition.  Maybe our railroaders here can help us out.

According to this site...https://www.psrm.org/trains/freight/fgex-56415/

"FGEX #56415 is an RS-type car, meaning refrigerator cars using ice or ice & salt to cool their cargo space, and was one of 1,567 cars in FGE’s #55000-56566 series of ventilated Class C cars. It has a steel underframe; wood sheathing; 4-wheel FGEX trucks; AB brakes; a galvanized steel roof added in the late 1930s with walkway; rooftop ice hatches into which blocks of ice were dropped at icing stations on its route (“stage icing”); and adjustable ice grates. Its ice capacity is 9,600 lbs. (chunk), 10,200 lbs. (coarse), or 10,600 lbs. (crushed). Electric circulating fans were added in later years."

@Farmall-Joe posted:

According to this site...https://www.psrm.org/trains/freight/fgex-56415/

"FGEX #56415 is an RS-type car, meaning refrigerator cars using ice or ice & salt to cool their cargo space, and was one of 1,567 cars in FGE’s #55000-56566 series of ventilated Class C cars. It has a steel underframe; wood sheathing; 4-wheel FGEX trucks; AB brakes; a galvanized steel roof added in the late 1930s with walkway; rooftop ice hatches into which blocks of ice were dropped at icing stations on its route (“stage icing”); and adjustable ice grates. Its ice capacity is 9,600 lbs. (chunk), 10,200 lbs. (coarse), or 10,600 lbs. (crushed). Electric circulating fans were added in later years."

Ahh ha, two different things it has fans and is equipped for stage icing.

Some fine looking reefers and information you all have posted!!  Here is my reefer for this fine Monday!

Since it's mid October already ( How did that happen!?) I thought it appropriate to post this Indian Wells Brewing Co. reefer.   Oktober Fest beer reefer by MTH RailKing.    I bought this reefer brand new in the mid 2000s.   Perfect for this month!

It’s Reefer Monday 10/21/24.  Post YORK Monday. Let’s see your reefers! As always please follow the Forum’s TOS when posting. I picked up this Railking Armour reefer at YORK at about 75% off.
It was boxed, and the lower door sills were loose but I put them back on.

Here is a heavily weathered Wilson Car Lines at Fox Vally Trolly Museum.

Like I asked earlier in this thread "why does it seem all of mine are beer related?"

Well.......

- walt

It is late 1949 and the photographer caught this Oscar Mayer 37’ wood reefer headed towards the icing platform.  “Not many short wood reefers left” he thought to himself.  He knew these short wood reefers were still in use by the meat packing industry because they were easier to keep very cold for the meat and the brine ice used did less damage to the wood than to a metal car.

This is a MTH 36’ wood reefer.  Since there are no markings on it stating its length, I say it is a 37’ reefer like the ones the meat packing industry used into the late 50s.  Maybe someday a model manufacturer will make a true 37’ meat reefer.

Well here is my reefer for today.  This one I have had for a long time but it just got "lost" in my picture archives.  This is a Lionel, Burlington Northern, Tupelo "Butter Dish" Milk Car.

Best Wishes, Don

Pennsyfan - Bob you got a great looking reefer for a great deal at York!!  Great find!

This is a RailKing reefer I purchased new  in the mid 2000s.  

@trumpettrain posted:

Pennsyfan - Bob you got a great looking reefer for a great deal at York!!  Great find!

This is a RailKing reefer I purchased new  in the mid 2000s.  

Thanks Patrick, that was from the same table where WM was in the “junk” box.

@Don McErlean posted:

Well here is my reefer for today.  This one I have had for a long time but it just got "lost" in my picture archives.  This is a Lionel, Burlington Northern, Tupelo "Butter Dish" Milk Car.

Best Wishes, Don

@Don McErlean - again (I'm a broken record but I don't care) thanks for posting you very unusual old stuff. I enjoy seeing ALL of them

- walt

Thank you Walt.
Don

@Don McErlean posted:

Well here is my reefer for today.  This one I have had for a long time but it just got "lost" in my picture archives.  This is a Lionel, Burlington Northern, Tupelo "Butter Dish" Milk Car.

Best Wishes, Don

That is a great car, Don. I recently started picking up some of these “butter dish” milk cars, but never gave a thought to the fact that they really are reefers!!! Thanks for sharing.

@Apples55- Thank you for your comment.  Good luck hunting down these "butterdish" reefers.  They are not too common but I agree, their shape and normally extensive livery make them fun to collect.  Good Luck!

Don

It’s Reefer Monday 10/28/24!

let’s see your reefers! As always please follow the forum’s TOS.

This reefer was headed East with a load of Maryland Crabs. There was a derailment and the reefer’s trucks were damaged. The crates of crabs were off loaded to another reefer that was brought along side. There were a few broken crates and the people in town were right there with their coolers to help clean up. 😁 The big hook loaded the box on a flatcar and it’s on the way to a wheel shop for repair.

A bright and early reefer Monday to you all…

Since @Don McErlean was kind enough to point out that “butter dish” milk cars are really a form of refrigerated cars, I think these qualify as reefer!!!

Bob @pennsyfan - very nice back story about your WM reefer.  Is that the one you found at York for $1.00?  It looks great!   Can't wait to see it once the car shop gets some trucks mounted!

Here's another post of my WM reefer.  Instead of crabs it'll be hauling pumpkins. With Thanksgiving coming, got get those pies baked.  Yum!!!

@trumpettrain posted:

Bob @pennsyfan - very nice back story about your WM reefer.  Is that the one you found at York for $1.00?  It looks great!   Can't wait to see it once the car shop gets some trucks mounted!

Here's another post of my WM reefer.  Instead of crabs it'll be hauling pumpkins. With Thanksgiving coming, got get those pies baked.  Yum!!!

Thanks Pat, your reefer is set in a perfect scene.

what was that i've said before? Oh yea, "why are all of mine beer related?".

walt

Well I am a little late today, had a long work session at my class.  Here is one which is somewhat unusual.  The seller said it was a 1930's ish vintage, German, Milk Traffic van (hence a "reefer").  This is essentially an open slotted car (like a livestock car) which takes advantage of the cold outside air to keep the milk fresh.  The milk was carried in metal cans similar to the US milk cans and iced down in the warmer weather of spring and summer.   It's German and Germany is certainly colder than much of the United States so mechanical refrigeration is often not required.  Distances are also usually much shorter from farm to market. There is no question that this car was manufactured in Germany, the couplers alone give it away.  In addition, the manufacturer's trade mark clearly states, "Made in Germany".  However the words "MILK TRAFFIC" on the side are clearly in English, so I expect it was made for export to the United States.  This means, it has to be early 1930's (well before '39 when imports were restricted) or after 1945 I cannot confirm which is accurate.

She is fully lithographed with rivet detail , especially on the car ends and sliding doors.

Now here comes the part I need help with.  This is a picture of the trade mark, painted on the bottom of the car.  The top words which cannot really be read in this picture say..."Made in Germany" .  Then you have the logo of what seems to be a little two window house, and then another saying that I cannot read.  Anyone who knows the name of the manufacturer of this item I would truly appreciate you letting me know, Thanks!.

Well I hope someone out there can help ID the maker, I may try the tinplate thread there are some fellows over there that seem to specialize in European trains esp German.  Best Wishes to all.

Don

Whew, made it just in time! Crown Model Products

Well Reefer fans, I did get some great information on my little German Milk Traffic van from Arne in the Tinplate thread.  He identified for me that the trademark is Bing ... actually its a "B" nestled inside a "W" for Bing Werke.  The car itself is a No 62/560 and dates from 1923-1928, so about 100 years old!  Neat!!

Don

@Don McErlean posted:

Well Reefer fans, I did get some great information on my little German Milk Traffic van from Arne in the Tinplate thread.  He identified for me that the trademark is Bing ... actually its a "B" nestled inside a "W" for Bing Werke.  The car itself is a No 62/560 and dates from 1923-1928, so about 100 years old!  Neat!!

Don

It takes a roundhouse.

@pennsyfan- I agree Bob, that is one of the great powers of the Foreum, access to others with knowledge that one does not have.  Thanks for your comment.  Best Wishes  Don

It’s REEFER MONDAY 11/4/24 Let’s see your Reefers! As always please follow the Forum’s TOS when posting.
For today I have an A&P Reefer. This brings up a lot of memories. My Mom always shopped at A&P when I was growing up.

I somehow just can't stop myself from saying it: "why are all of mine beer related?"   Plus, almost all of them are featuring a product from Pittsburgh Brewing Company, a Pittsburgh based business and since I'm a Pittsburgh based person, well....

- walt

Here is my new RMT Red Rose billboard reefer delivered to me on Saturday from Pat's Trains.  ( Pat's get orders shipped quickly!    Very nice looking car!! I really like it .   I also received 2 other RMT reefers ( Maryland Christmas Beer & IGA Supermarkets ... both very nice looking cars! ) along with this one.  Unfortunately the other two have couplers that failed the pull test.  Coupled directly behind the engine, one reefer ( Maryland Christmas Beer ) couldn't pull three cars ( the other two reefer and a caboose )  8 feet without the coupler springing open.  The other ( IGA ) pulled about 6 cars before the coupler would spring open.  I'm sure these car's coupler malfunction are a fluke.  They are going back to Pat's today to exchange for two others RMT reefers of the same name.    My new RMT scale boxcar, bought at York, looks great and has no coupler issues.

Side by side Natty Bo, by Atlas O, and Red Rose by RMT.  

Needs weathering, looks too new

@Mark V. Spadaro posted:

Crown Model Products

Weaver got the mold for this reefer from CMP.  Here is Weaver's version. 

I bought this Weaver reefer because it is the only model that I have been able to find that does not have the "Overland" stripe through the UP emblem (see Atlas reefer below).  The Weaver's "simple scheme", without the stripe, was used from 1942 to 1946. 

The Atlas model below has the "Overland" stripe scheme applied from 1936 to 1942. 

The scheme with both emblems on the same side, and the UP emblem in color, was used from 1946 to 1950 when the UP emblem went black and white.  Here is a Lionel reefer with the 1946 scheme.

@CAPPilot posted:

Weaver got the mold for this reefer from CMP.  Here is Weaver's version.

I bought this Weaver reefer because it is the only model that I have been able to find that does not have the "Overland" stripe through the UP emblem (see Atlas reefer below).  The Weaver's "simple scheme", without the stripe, was used from 1942 to 1946.

The Atlas model below has the "Overland" stripe scheme applied from 1936 to 1942.

The scheme with both emblems on the same side, and the UP emblem in color, was used from 1946 to 1950 when the UP emblem went black and white.  Here is a Lionel reefer with the 1946 scheme.

Ron, Thanks for the history of the different emblems.

@CAPPilot posted:

Weaver got the mold for this reefer from CMP.  Here is Weaver's version.

I bought this Weaver reefer because it is the only model that I have been able to find that does not have the "Overland" stripe through the UP emblem (see Atlas reefer below).  The Weaver's "simple scheme", without the stripe, was used from 1942 to 1946.

The Atlas model below has the "Overland" stripe scheme applied from 1936 to 1942.

The scheme with both emblems on the same side, and the UP emblem in color, was used from 1946 to 1950 when the UP emblem went black and white.  Here is a Lionel reefer with the 1946 scheme.

UP shield on opposite side, Ron. Thanks for info.

It’s Reefer Monday 11/11/24. It’s also Veterans Day. Godspeed to all Veterans. Let’s see your reefers! Keep the Forums TOS in mind when you post.
My reefer for today is a K-Line Heinz Pickle car H.P.R.L. 312,

following @pennsyfan, my Heinz cars

- walt

Well I will admit, My "reefer" population is shrinking down to nearly nothing new.  So Here is one I believe I have posted before so I apologize for that.  Its a Hafner "streamlined" reefer in the smaller size of the Hafner streamlined freight cars.  Many operators think these smaller (nominally 5") cars look better with the Hafner locomotives (typicality the 1010) than the larger cars (nearly  7") as the wheel base is the same and the larger cars have considerable overhang at each end.

Now this one, I suppose its not exactly a reefer, but it is full of Milk so it must be refrigerated somehow or at least insulated.  The Mfr is "Chad Valley" hence the C.V. logo and they are from the U.K. and these cars were post war available in the 1950's.

Happy Veterans Day everyone.  Thank you for your service!!

Don

I like the colors of these. Bottom one is MTH Premier, Middle is MTH Railking, Top is the RMT.

It's Reefer Monday 11/18/24. Let’s see your reefers! Please adhere to the Forum’s TOS when posting.
Here’s a Lionel reefer the was redecorated by RGS Trains per METCA specifications. The number of cars produced was extremely low.  

Do I even have to say it again - Oh, why not: "why do all of mine seem to be beer related?"

- walt

@walt rapp posted:

Do I even have to say it again - Oh, why not: "why do all of mine seem to be beer related?"

- walt

Maybe the needle is stuck on the record. 😂

A couple having a cup of hot joe on this fine reefer Monday

Since I am on a Friendship Train focus this week, here is one more.  From photos, the vast majority of cars on the train were boxcars.  However, there was at least one Reefer.  From the photos there was no way to tell what company the reefer came from, so I used my Weaver PFE reefer since it seemed to have the correct color sides and roof.  Plus I didn't need any more PFE reefers with the older logo.

I built the logos using PowerPoint.  It was fairly easy except the faces and sizing.  Sizing was trial and error.  The faces came off a photo of an HO model and enlarged for O which is why they are not very sharp.  Overall I am pretty satisfied with the result.  If anyone wants the PowerPoint slide, let me know.