Riverside-Highgrove Citrus Association

A post by David Eck.

Description:

Packing House Crew - Riverside-Highgrove Citrus Association - Circa 1940s

A group of men stand near citrus crates with Blue Globe Brand and Red Glove Brand labels. This may be the staff who do the heavy lifting, or supervise, at the packinghouse. The boss night be the gentleman in the tie.

Thanks to Eric Oliphant for pointing out the Red Globe labels in this image.

Photo from Corona Public Library.

Eric Oliphant commented:

That packer also had a Yellow Globe label. Do you have any idea why they would pack two different 'Sunkist' grade brand labels at the same time? Riverside-Highgrove used to be Riverside Heights if you look at earlier labels. That Blue Globe label I've seen had a 1952 patent office stamp on the backside.

Bob Chaparro

Moderator

The End of Greenspot Citrus Association - 1931

A post by David Eck.

He comments:

This newspaper article appeared in The San Bernardino County Sun on October 4, 1931, and details the final disposition of Greenspot Citrus Association.

The association was formed in the fall of 1916 and construction on their packing house was finished in early 1917. There were eight growers initially, but one of these was the 1,200 acre Redlands Heights Ranch Company. The ranch was unusually large for the area, and kept the packinghouse busy, but it would ultimately lead to the association's demise.

In 1930, the packinghouse updated their equipment with the hopes that they could double output with many younger groves coming into production. However, a major rival of Greenspot, J.S. Edwards of the Gold Buckle Association, purchased the Redlands Heights Ranch which then resigned from the Greenspot association. This left Greenspot with only 100 acres of citrus to pack; too little to sustain it.

The packinghouse was sold to Gold Buckle Association in 1931, and Greenspot Association went out of business. With the Redlands Heights Ranch now owned by Mr. Edwards, it became part of Gold Buckle Association. Gold Buckle operated it as a second packing house and retained the brands that Greenspot used to pack, such as Sun Brand and Greenspot Brand.

Bob Chaparro

Moderator

Western Refrigerator Line Reefer WRL 7001 (Western Pacific)

A post by Raymond Breyer on the Facebook Pre-Depression Era Railroad Modelers group.

Taken at Chicago January 1923, Built by AC&F.

William Moyer commented:

That same image of car 7001 was published in the "Stockton Daily Evening Record" on Mar. 10, 1923, page 31, accompanied by a brief article: "Western Pacific Orders Two Thousand Refer [sic] Cars. Here is the latest arrival in the family of refrigerator cars to be seen In California. Delivery of the first cars of the Western refrigerator line begins on March 15, and from March to June of this year 2,000 of these refrigerator cars will be rolling westward for the use of shippers of perishables along the Western Pacific, Sacramento Northern and Tidewater Southern lines. The cars of the Western refrigerator line follow closely the designed [sic] prepared by the United States government for an ideal refrigerator car for fruits and vegetables. These plans were drawn by refrigerating engineers of national reputation, whose services the United States was able to command. The Western refrigerating line, of which J. W. McClymonds is the president, will be very much in evidence in the shipment of perishables this coming season, having obtained not only the cars, but adequate icing facilities wherever needed. Following the custom of railroads, the Western refrigerator line has adopted yellow as its standard color, but it is a lighter yellow than the colors of other roads."

I found some more info about the Western Refrigerator Line in the "Fresno Morning Republican" on Apr. 27, 1923, page 13: "ROADS LINE UP COOPERATIVELY TO SHIP FRUIT. Better Facilities In Transportation To Be Assured. Refrigerator Cars Of Two Lines Will Be Pooled. Closer traffic relations are being established in central California between the Western Pacific and the Southern Pacific railroads. Among other things it is the desire of both railroads to bring about a better and more rapid handling of fruit shipped eastward. Already the refrigerator cars of the subsidiary car line of the two railroads have been pooled. The two thousand new refrigerator cars of the Western refrigerator line have been added to the car supply of the Pacific Fruit Express, a Southern Pacific subsidiary, according to announcement of Charles M. Levey of the Western Pacific The Western will get refrigerator cars for its fruit traffic from the Pacific Fruit Express. This revives a relationship that existed up to January 1 of the present year. On the other hand, according to statements given out in New York by Julius Kruttschnitt, chairman of the board of the Southern Pacific, negotiations are well advanced by which the Southern Pacific and the Western Pacific tracks from Winnemucca, Nevada, and for about two hundred miles, will be used jointly by both railroads. The formation of the refrigerator car pool and the pending creation of what amounts to a double track system in Nevada, are collectively the largest traffic deals that have developed in California since the end of Government control. J. W. McClymonds, president of the Western refrigerator line, who was in Fresno yesterday gives the following reasons for making the new deal as to refrigerators: "The shippers demand of the railroads that they make every possible effort to expedite the handling of fruit. It is unquestionably to the advantage of shippers and producers that refrigerator cars be handled from one head. We think it is a case of all working for the good of all, and we have pooled our new refrigerators with those of the Pacific Fruit Express. We are assured of a car supply. Unquestionably by combining energies we can get better results in bringing about the quick return of refrigerator cars from the east. That question of quick return of refrigerators was paramount last season; the carriers intend to make an improvement in the round trip time of refrigerators to and from the east, if we can possibly effect it." "Incidentally, I do not wish anybody to think that the cars of the Western Refrigerator line have been sold, as has been reported. They have not been sold. The investment of the Western Refrigerator line thus far is about six million dollars in these cars."

An article in the "Stockton Daily Evening Record" on May 3, 1923, page 7, said that the available supply of refrigerator cars will be: "Pacific Fruit Express, 28,000 cars; Western Pacific Refrigerator Line, 2,000 cars (will be controlled by P. F. E.); Santa Fe Refrigerator Dispatch, 14,000 cars..."

The last newspaper articles I found for Western Refrigerator Line were from Dec. 1-3, 1923, when several big-city papers reported "Western Pacific is understood to be preparing specifications for 2,000 refrigerator cars for Western Refrigerator Line."

My Notes:

This same photo, along with a discussion, appears on Page 105 of the PFE book.

Because of the conditions of the PFE-WP agreement, this car never was in revenue service in this paint scheme. When this and the other cars arrive in Roseville, they were painted in the PFE scheme with a Western Pacific herald.

Bob Chaparro

Moderator

Time To Pay The Piper (Donate)

I received this message from the Groups.io folks:

“This is a friendly reminder that your Premium Groups.io group [email protected] will be billed $220.00 on January 3, for the next twelve months.”

I’ve paid this annual bill for each of the last four years, and I will not be asking any of you to reimburse me this year.

Now, if any of you wish to contribute, rather than sending me a payment, I ask that you contribute to my favorite local group, the Hemet Heritage Foundation. This non-profit group owns and operates the museum in historic Santa Fe Depot in Hemet, CA.

The group receives no government funding and has no paid employees. Volunteers do all the work, and all expenses are paid through annual Foundation memberships and donations.

Donations are critical. Among other necessities, we need to accumulate funds replace the Depot roof and some of the air conditioning components. If you wish to donate, please go to this website:

I hope you will find time to visit the Museum. Admission is free.

Museum Website: ? (Open 11:00 to 3:00, Friday, Saturday & Sunday.)

Here is an eight-minute video showing some of what you will see:

Thank you.

Bob Chaparro

Moderator

Corona Foothill Lemon Company

A post by David Eck.

Description:

Ten Men and a Boy Sorting Lemons at Corona Foothill Lemon Company

This image is circa 1910. Sorting lemons is an all-male endeavor at this packinghouse. I wonder if the actual packing crew is also all-male. It's interesting that women were doing most of the sorting and packing at many packinghouses at this time, but a few were sticking with men, and only men, in these positions.

Photo: Corona Public Library.

Bob Chaparro

Moderator

Upland Packing House

A post on the Facebook Upland Proud group.

Date: Early 1900s

Photo: Upland Public Library

My Notes:

Specific packing house not identified.

Packing crate labels could be from one of several associations as noted below.

Bob Chaparro

Moderator

Nucleus bear brand orange crate label. Grown and packed by the Ontario Association / OK Fruit Exchange, North Ontario, San Bernardino County, CA. Printed by Los Angeles Litho. Company, Los Angeles; 1890 - 1906.

Cucamonga Bear Brand Lemon Crate Label, circa 1910s. Grown and packed at Cucamonga Lemon Association at Cucamonga, San Bernardino County, California. Printer not indicated but may be Crocker.

This label format was used for several grower associations in this area. This includes Upland Bear Brand and Lemon Growers' Bear Brand. Same bear, different brands.

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On Thu, Feb 20, 2025 at 08:18 AM, Bob Chaparro wrote:

"I know that empty cars are sent back via the inbound loaded routing,"

I understand there were specific contractual agreements by the 1950's between PFE and eastern railroads on handling of empty PFE cars. There were concentration points (large yards with frequent westbound services) east of the Mississippi? where the cars were to be moved and specific routing from there specified. PFE agents at these concentration points would expedite return westward by the fastest freight move possible.

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Shifting fruit and produce season locations in the west could affect the empty return routing with the PFE agent directing empties to the Idaho, Northern California or Southern California PFE cleaning and preparation facility where the cars were needed.

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There were financial penalties and incentives for eastern railroads to move loaded and empty PFE (and other refrigerator car lines) as fast as possible.

Keith,

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Do you know how the crews relayed signals to the engineer on those movements at night?

I believe that was before radio (?)

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Thanks

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Lance Buckahmmer

Kingman, AZ

One of the difficulties for model train operations is the car moves made by a shipper/consignee without a locomotive.? Perhaps you have to allow the use of the good old 0-5-0....

PFE Empty Reefer Routing Question

A discussion on the Groups.io Real Steam Era Freight Car Discussion group.

William Botkin wrote:

I am creating empty car cards and waybills for PFE reefers on my railroad in the 1950s and had a question about handling of PFE reefers:

I know that empty cars are sent back via the inbound loaded routing, but was there a central destination for returning empty PFE reefers in the 1950s or did they just get returned to the original shipper's location?

Tony Thompson replied:

They were always directed to the PFE shop en route westward, such as Tucson or Roseville or Nampa. On the UP, they were routed via North Platte for clean-out. PFE then directed them from shop clearance to loading areas.

My Notes:

These comments apply to empty PFE reefers. PFE preferred to get their reefers back ASAP so westbound loads were discouraged. They did occur but they were discouraged.

Bob Chaparro

Moderator

The 1953 Reissue of Superintendent's Bulletin Instructions for the LA Division noted that there was a 5-cell Flashlight at Santa Ana for crews shoving up the Venta Spur and it was to be returned to the operator at Santa Ana.

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I never notice a car puller at the Irvine Valencia Growers packing house and with the grade at that point, gravity was likely used there. On some day they had to roll cars across Jeffrey Road.

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Cliff

Sunkist Billboard

A post by Bruce Little

He comments:

Here's a Sunkist advertising billboard in Seattle, Washington from the 1930s. The display features illuminated Sunkist lettering on top, with a clock below, all above a billboard for Sunkist Valencia oranges from California. The message -- Keep fit this summer by drinking two glasses of orange juice a day.

Bob Chaparro

Moderator

Bruce Hendrick

Corona Model Railroad Society?

The Irvine Ranch leg of Santa Fe's Venta Spur had two Orange packing houses. The Irvine Valencia Grower at Kathryn Station was a large packing house that packed and shipped significant acres of oranges. They had their own ice plant and could ice and load seven or more reefers. The Frances Citrus Assn. at Frances Station was an older packing house with few member and shipped 1-3 cars a day. Frances received pre-iced reefers.

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The Santa Fe served the line with either a Fruit Turn out of San Bernardino or what I saw more often was the Santa Ana Switcher. Most day the train would come out at night, perhaps 9-10 PM. Trains backed out onto the spur since side tracks were usually plugged with empty dry reefers and switches were arranged for switching that way. At Kathryn they pulled the loads and replace them with dry empties. The packing house loaded the cars with a conveyor at one location and then rolled loaded cars out of the way for another car to be loaded. The spur was on a grade that aided the rolling of cars and derails were in place at several points on the spur to catch any cars that got away. The dry reefers where brought in a groups of cars that were spotted on side tracks at various locations on the spur and along the main line.

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Frances got pre-iced cars that I think came from the ice plant at San Bernardino. They would come on Fruit Turns that worked the spur or set them out for the Santa Ana switch to take out to Frances. France loaded their cars with hand trucks and the cars were spotted on a side track at two door of the packing house and if more cars were loaded there, they were spotted on the spurs main track and cars were loaded through a car on the next track. Cars were usually at the packing house one day, but some times they would not finish loading a car and hold it over to the next day. A piece of card board with "BABY LOAD" written on it was places on the end of the car to tell the train crew to not take the car. On the weekend, the packing houses often worked half day and the Santa Ana Switch would come out in the afternoon to pick up the loads. There were usually two Santa Ana Switches, each bulletined to work 12 hours (such as 6AM-6PM and 6PM-6AM) one on Saturdays and none on Sundays. It sometime was needed to be done on Sundays, a Fullerton Switch could be used. (This was the common practice in the late 50s and in the 60s).

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If the Santa Ana Switch worked the spur, the loads would be set out for one of the SBX freights (San Diego to San Bernardino) to San Berdoo. The Santa Ana Switch used Alco S-4 locomotives during most time and they were quite loud as they shoved trains up the grade on the spur.

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The Santa Fe didn't want to leave the pre-iced cars at Frances for long periods of time. I looked forward to Monday morning back in the early 60s when we lived near Frances and I could get to see a daylight train on the spur. The Santa Ana Switch would bring icers out to Frances on Monday mornings. I would wait across the street from the packing house and watch them bring in orange from the groves and workers looking down the track to see if their cars were coming. Finally a dark spot showed up and slowly grew. Eventually the shape of a brown caboose came into focus. The train stopped to line the derail before shoving the caboose past the switch to the packing house siding and the reefers were spotted. In a short time the Alco S-4 had couple on to the caboose and was heading down the grade.

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Cliff Prather

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Bob Klempner commented:

Running UP trains thru Riverside sometimes we had to stop our Eastbound trains just past the UP depot while waiting to enter Santa Fe rails at Riverside Junction. The head brakeman would get off the engine and walk over to the Sunkist packing house and get us some fresh oranges.

Riverside-Highgrove Citrus Association

A post by David Eck.

He comments:

Packing House Crew - Riverside-Highgrove Citrus Association - Circa 1940s

A group of men stand near citrus crates with Blue Globe Brand labels. This may be the staff who do the heavy lifting, or supervise, at the packinghouse. The boss night be the gentleman in the tie.

Photo from Corona Public Library.

Bob Chaparro

Moderator

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Peter Hayward commented:

The body of one of these cars has been saved and is at the Kern County Museum in Bakersfield, Ca.