Reefer Comparison

"Lionel PFE 6-17397 from a few years ago. Looks identical to the current vision line reefers."

"Lionels Northern Pacific reefer, body is identical to the vision line."

I think Lionels marketing dept. could get a bonus for the VL reefers:

"First ever, highly-detailed scale Refrigerator Cars with Realistic Freight Sounds!"

While they are the first reefers with sounds, they are far from the first "highly detailed scale reefers."

Lionel has offered scale steelsided reefers over the years in a plethora of roadnames as well as a few meat packing plants. I have about 30 of them as the main source of revenue for my layout.

I think some of the folks that bought these vl reefers weren't aware they have been offered in the past, and the "First ever highly detailed" part gave a false impression of something new and different.

Street price for a " non sound" reefer is typically $40-$50, folks are shelling out $150-$400 extra to get the sound car. Maybe Lionel should have put 2 sound cars, then they would go for over $1000.

I can't justify spending more than the preorder price, and I didn't preorder so too bad for me. Someone just gave a set away on the FS forum last night

I purchased several  scale steelsided reefers a few years ago from sidetrack hobbies for $17 a piece.

For all you guys that missed the reefers with sound, I'm trying to fix that with an add-on sound board.

John,

Let us know when it happens. Can one assume that it can be used on Atlas, Weaver, and other brand of reefers?

RAY

OK, I'm confused again. Unlike a "sloshing tank car" or a "mooing cattle car", what sort of "sounds" would be associated with an insulated ice reefer?

Heres Lionels interperetation ( not my videos):

Heres what you get when you drag the brakes on the reefer:

Here what you get if you have the VL tankers too and you drag the brakes and turn on the flat spotted wheel effect:

Well, the compressor sound for one, and of course the track rolling sounds and perhaps toss in some squealing flanges occasionally.

Yep Ray, the sound board is going to be designed to work in any environment, including conventional operators.

Hmmmm. maybe not so much. One of these sets that supposedly sold for $485 was just relisted.

After $347 two bidders ran it up to $485, neither of them wanted it what about the guy who bid $347 why not offer it to him?

......and seller was a forum sponsor too, tisk tisk,

Sounds like a neat project, I certainly would be interested in one.

   Bill T.

  I'm missing something here. It was my understanding that an ice bunker reefer was just that and nothing more.  Where does a compressor come into the picture?

For the ice bunker model, it's the loud ice.  

  Now that would be interesting - reefer sitting on a siding and the sound of the steady drip-drip-drip of melting ice....  

That can be arranged.