Lionel's new PFE 3 Pack - Any Reviews?

I think that they are first rate. On opening the box I was pleased that they look like the better K-Line scale reefers of old. Color is true to the catalog image although if you are concerned about fidelity to the original I can't say whether they are dead on accurate or not In the color department. 

 

This is the non-Vision/freight sounds version that shipped a month or so back.

I'm not sure how accurate they are.  Sure others know much more about that subject than me.

 

I like'em though.  I've always thought the Lionel reefers were fantastic models.  

From the catalog picture, they look the same as the PFE Reefers issued several years ago: 6-11851 and 6-17319.  If that is the case, these are spot on, very accurate models.  The underfloor tanks are not prototypical, but they are easily pulled off and used for other things

 

 

You will not be disappointed:

 

 

 

 

As John said, they are the same as previous version other than road numbers. Very nice cars and worth keeping, especially if you have any SP or UP motive power to pull them.

The ones I have seen are the 6-81908 models cataloged in 2014. FWIW here's the catalog photo although the actual models look better:

 

 

You'll notice that these have both the UP shield and the SP logo, unlike the earlier version shown in the photo posted above. The applied details are nice, As far as I am concerned these are a keeper. 

I have the set, as well as a single by MTH.  I like the Lionel ones better.  The color may be more correct on the MTH one (Pale and washed out when compared to the Lionel ones.) but the over looks of the Lionel ones are better on the eyes, IMHO.  And the Lionel one has more details either added on or molded in where the MTH one has them as molded in or painted respectively.

 

 

Just wondering how accurate they are to the prototypes.

i've also wondered that.  Lionel uses the same prototype for all roads.  Most of the major haulers of perishables had more than one class of reefer.  I would like to know the basis for the Lionel model.  

 

The steel sided 40' reefer that Atlas produced (originally an Intermountain product) was was modeled after a PFE reefer.  There are differences between the Lionel and Atlas models but I don't know if they are due to Lionel's need to build a sturdier product or that it was a different PFE prototype, etc.  For example, the step below the door is more accurate on the Atlas model, but much more fragile.   

 

All that aside, I think Lionel produces an excellent reefer and even though the SFRD, C&NW, PFE, plus, versions I own may not be exactly to the prototypes, they are keepers. 

Set 81908 is on the 2nd shelf shown from the top on the right hand side. As you can see, they are the same as the top shelf, sets 11872 & 11874, as well as a couple of the single cars from years ago. There are also Atlas and MTH cars in the mix. As Sinclair said, the color is a little better on the Atlas & MTH, but nothing a can of Dull Cote and some fading won't fix.

 

Thanks for the images. Great bunch of reefers, like your weathering jobs!

Those look great.  Beautiful display.

 

The Lionel reefers are fantastic and I enjoy owning them.  I have some MTH PFE reefers but I prefer the Lionel models.

 

Like somebody has already said, I can't wait for the VL reefers to get here.

Laidoffsick -

I'm glad you posted this.  I've seen pictures of prototypes with lightened areas like those on your car.  What does that represent?  I have some good guesses but have never read the actual reason for them.   

Waiting for the VL 3 pack as well.... notice the 3 cars on the bottom left that don't belong in that reefer display The VL set will probably look identical as the 3 sets I mentioned above, just 1 car will have sound in it. 

Howard they usually cleaned off the reporting marks so they could read them, and sometimes even required them to be re- stenciled/painted. Some of the ice reefers were so dirty from soot and grime, you could barely see the logos through it all. I weathered those cars as if the reporting marks had just been cleaned. 

 

Thank you!  

Well, it looks like I will keep them. I have nearly 100 Intermountain or Atlas PFE cars and am always looking for more. I just wasn't sure about adding these to the mix but I want the VL sound ones and got these to go with those.

That top photos appears the doors have been replaced, that would make an interesting modeling subject?

The original run of Lionel reefers  with a pair of small doors on each side nicely model PFE class R40-23 reefers built in 1947 (save for the box on the underside as John S. noted).  Lionel’s plug door and a half reefer loosely resembles PFE class R40-27 reefers built in 1957.   R40-27 reefer featured diagonal panel steel roofs vs the rectangular panel roofs on R40-23’s.   Lionel’s  R40-27 incorrectly carried over the rectangular panel roof of the R40-23 model.  Another visible difference between the Lionel model and the PFE prototype is the size of the door guides – especially the upper ones.  By my rough estimate the guides on the Lionel model are 4-5 times larger than scale.  This was probably done to provide for doors that can open without breaking.  (I'd trade off opening doors for better appearance).  The paint scheme on the Lionel R40-27 is incorrect as by delivery of the R40-27 class PFE dropped the red, white, and blue UP herald in favor of a black and white one (note that PFE black and white UP heralds say Union Pacific Railroad while the colorful r/w/b ones simply say Union Pacific). 

 

If someone would post a photo of Lionel’s plug door ice reefer modeled after PFE 1950/51 built class R40-26 we could compare it with prototype data found in Pacific Fruit Express by Thompson, Church, and Jones (recognized by many as the definitive work on PFE, the company, it’s cars, shops, and operations). The R40-26 featured diagonal panel roofs and black and white UP herald like the later R40-27's.

 

For those interested in adding variety to a PFE reefer block you may want to consider:

 

• Athearn PFE R40-14 (visually similar to the R40-23) – two of which had experimental aluminum bodies
• AtlasO/Intermountain PFE R40-10 (different style hatches and ends from the R40-23)
• Weaver /Crown Models R30-21 (wood sides with steel roof & ends)
• Red Caboose PFE R30-12-9 (all wood body, steel under frame)
• For a real twist go for a Red Caboose PFE reefer with Western Pacific vice UP/SP heralds. 

 

The Intermountain and Red Caboose reefer kits were offered in a variety of well researched PFE paint schemes from the 1930’s through the 1950’s.    It was surprising to find in Pacific Fruit Express  that in 1950 62.1% of the PFE reefer fleet still had wood sheathing, and that by 1958 the number had only dropped to 42%.   For sticklers note that the AtlasO wood sided 40’ reefer is not based on a PFE prototype.

 

Ed Rappe

Excellent info Ed, thank you.