开云体育

Peter Hayward commented:

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

Bruce -?

?

My memory is that you could load a 40 ft ice bunker reefer in 5-6 hours.? I'm trying to find a source to back that up, but can't find any.? Normally, the empties would be delivered overnight or early morning with an afternoon pickup, but this was driven more on what time cars needed to be ready at the yard to be blocked into outbound through freights.? If it was a particularly busy season, then it is possible for packing houses to load cars twice during a 24-hour period (again assuming the railroads schedule could support it).

?

It would be rare for a packing house to hold on to a reefer (or any car) for more than 24 hours.? Generally, railroads gave customers 24 hours to load, or unload, a car.? After that the customer would have to pay a demurrage charge.

?

One thing to keep in mind is that the loading cycles and the train schedules (even those for any extras) needed to line up.? If the last train through town is at 3pm, then you need to have all cars loaded by then or they are sitting until tomorrow.? Moving perishables was a time sensitive operation and the railroads and shippers worked together to develop the most expeditious schedules to do this, which means the railroad normally would not hold up trains just for one shipper.

?

--

I am asking this question from a modeling standpoint and looking for advice for operations.

?

How often did cars get set out and picked up at Citrus packing houses.

I know it varies so maybe some additional questions...

How long did it take to load a 36 foot or 40 foot ice bunker reefer?? How about a 57 foot mechanical reefer?

Would a car be iced and delivered the same day?? Could a car be delivered and loaded the next day?

Are there examples of cars being iced and delivered for loading in the AM and then picked up loaded in the PM?

I am looking for answers for a packing house without its own ice making capability.

?

I am modeling the Santa Barbara area.? The Puritan Ice Company supplied ice to the citrus packers (lemons).? There were two packing houses in Carpinteria, one in Goleta and at least one in Santa Barbara.? I believe they all received daily service.? Another train ["The Smokey"] originating in San Luis Obispo came down the coast every day, picking up perishables as it traveled toward Los Angeles.

?

Any help is appreciated.

?

Bruce Morden

Carpinteria, CA

,.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,//////////////////////,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,//////////,,

Freight Cars In Detroit (Icing Platform)

A post by Andrew Henderson on the Facebook Railroad Images of Bygone Days group.

He comments:

Original caption: “A general view of a train yard in the Detroit area". Photographed by Arthur Siegel 1943.

My Notes:

A partial view on an icing platform appears in the lower righthand corner.

For a better view use this Library of Congress photo link:

Bob Chaparro

Hemet, CA

Greet ‘Em with Oranges: Riverside’s Bold Welcome to the West

An illustrated article by Glenn Wenzel from The Raincross Gazette posted on the Facebook Riverside Historical Society group.

Summary:

In the 1920s, the Riverside Chamber of Commerce turned a simple citrus gift into a nationwide sensation, greeting train passengers with fresh oranges, music, and grand spectacle.

Article With Photos:

Bob Chaparro

Moderator

Postcard: Orange Groves, Riverside, Circa 1905

A post by David Eck.

Description:

This hand-tinted postcard is in the collection of the New York Public Library.

Bob Chaparro

Moderator

Provision Dealers Despatch Reefer 2172

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

Description:

I&WPDD 2172 Chicago IL 2-16-1902 (Pullman lot 1988)

My Notes:

“Assigned To The Santa Fe Fruit & Refrigerator Line”

The Santa Fe Fruit & Refrigerator Line was organized as a subsidiary company on March 1, 1892. All fruit and refrigerator cars of the system were assigned to this organization. Also on that date, E. H. Davis, the Assistant General freight Agent at Topeka, was appointed General Manager of the new line of cold storage facilities of the system. The Santa Fe also had a separate subsidiary known as the Santa Fe Refrigerator line. The existence of the two similar companies within the Santa Fe apparently was a scheme to aid in the clandestine pooling of fruit traffic between these two companies and the Producers' Fruit Dispatch Company. This is according to the testimony of Edwin T. Earl of the E.T. Earl Fruit Company.

Around 1896 arrangements were made with the Santa Fe Fruit & Refrigerator Line, the Continental Fruit Express and the Fruit Growers Express (A refrigerator car leasing company that began as a produce-hauling subsidiary of Armour & Company's private refrigerator car line) to supply the line with sufficient numbers of the latest improved refrigerator cars. These cars were not satisfactory to the shippers, and in 1901 the Santa Fe purchased all the modern cars of the Santa Fe Fruit and Refrigerator Line and built a sufficient number of modern forty-foot refrigerator cars to take care of the traffic.

On July 1 (or July 21 according to some sources), 1902, the Santa Fe incorporated the Santa Fe Refrigerator Despatch (not “Dispatch”) organization as an independent company using the assets of the Santa Fe Fruit & Refrigerator Lines. This was just one of several reorganization actions taken by the railroad at that time.? The Santa Fe Refrigerator Despatch Company was to handle all perishable freight in system.

On August 18, 1918, the United States Railway Administration announced that the SFRD (Despatch) would be under Federal control of the USRA effective January 1, 1919. Subsequently, the USRA eliminated Santa Fe Refrigerator Despatch on that date. USRA took control of SFRD (Despatch) cars with the operation of the cars remaining under the Santa Fe Railway.?

The Santa Fe immediately reorganized Despatch, which then was a separate company, as the Santa Fe Refrigerator Department, an operating department of the railroad. This allowed Santa Fe a bit more control of the refrigerator cars and operations as allowed under the USRA regulations. SFRD then stood for Santa Fe Refrigerator Department.

Bob Chaparro

Moderator

Video: Corona Model Railroad Society

A thirteen-minute video tour of this HO scale model railroad:

Several run-bys of reefer trains plus view of packing houses.

Description:

The Corona Model Railroad Society was created to represent 1940s Corona in the heyday of its citrus production. But not only its agriculture. The lumber, mining, manufacturing and all the trackside industries engaged in trade from other communities to other countries. This is the story of how Corona became what it is today, and the railroad's major role during the past.

An entire house, which sets on the park property, is devoted to the 600 sq. ft. display. The model railroad is fully operational depicting a Corona and Southern California circa 1949 when Corona was "The Lemon Capital of the World" and America's railroads were in transition from steam to diesel. The model railroad features the Santa Fe Third District with the cities of Corona, Fullerton, and Riverside modeled.

Location:

On the grounds of Corona Heritage Park & Museum

510 W. Foothill Pkwy, Corona, CA

Do not use the address posted with the video.

Open Saturdays Only: 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Bob Chaparro

Moderator

Model: SFRD 11694 (Rr-T)

An HO scale Westerfield resin model built by Al Westerfield.

The prototype Class Rr-T ice bunker refrigerator car is from the series 11651-12150. The 500 cars were built in 1915 by AC&F. Only 204 of these cars were in revenue service in 1938 and only 3 in 1940. The car has Santa Fe No. 4 type ventilators. These were truss rod cars and were similar to the ensuing Rr-U and Rr-V classes, the final SFRD truss rod cars. These three classes had composite underframes and wood superstructure framing. Good photos of these design features are found on Page 60 of the book, Santa Fe Refrigerator Cars Ice Bunker Cars 1884-1979.

This early design may explain the relatively short lives of these cars and why they were not rebuilt into more modern cars. The flexibility of their wood superstructures led to loose joints and heat penetration.

Bob Chaparro

Moderator

UP 910079 (Ex PFE)

A photo by Byron Kuehl on the Facebook Freight Car Photos group.

Taken at Ayer, Washington, in 1984.

Noe Gutierrez commented:

Interesting. Never seen one like this before. Looks like an R-40-23 that was used for an experimental conversion to mechanical refrigeration, but I've never seen one with double sets of locking bars before.

My Notes:

The R-40-30 class consisted of 500 cars, series 100003-100502, built in 1958 at the SP Equipment Company’s Los Angeles shops.

In 1972-73 the surviving 464 cars lost their refrigeration equipment and were converted to Top Ice-Vegetable (TIV) service. These cars were renumbered into the 190001-190502 series.

As you would expect, there is a very thorough discussion of PFE mechanical reefers in the PFE book. The R-40-30 class coverage begins on Page 203.

Bob Chaparro

Moderator

Diagram - Reefer Belt Drive

Description:

Refrigerator car diagrammatic drawing, mechanical engineering office

1943, Pennsylvania Railroad.

Bob Chaparro

Moderator

Old Truck In Riverside Orange Grove

A post from the Facebook Just Old Trucks group.

Description:

Kevin Thompson says, "1910 Citrus Hauling Truck. Riverside, California."

Bob Chaparro

Moderator

PFE/WP Reefer 50187

A photo post from the Digital Public Library of America.

Description:

Side view of a Western Pacific refrigerator car 50187, most likely photographed upon completion of the American Car & Foundry-built car in April 1923, by Kaufmann and Farry Company, commercial photographers. The car although owned by the WP, was operated as part of the PFE fleet.

My Notes:

California State Railroad Museum collection.

As seen here, most of you know that there were PFE refrigerator cars with Western Pacific heralds.

The story behind these WP reefers appeared on a Tony Thompson's blog post on June 25, 2013. Here is a link to the post:

Some brief points from the post:

• These cars were built to PFE blueprints and were operated and maintained by PFE.
• PFE paid a fixed monthly charge to WP, and in turn collected all mileage payments resulting from operation of the cars.
• There were WP 2,775 cars, numbered PFE 50001 to 52775. These had wood-framed superstructures and exteriors.
• WP cars were never different in color from the rest of the PFE fleet. They were a color close to Armour Yellow when new and in 1929 were repainted light orange.
• By 1950, less than 1,000 of the WP cars remained in revenue service
• During 1952–1953 the remaining cars were rebuilt with steel-framed superstructures and air circulation fans. The sides remained wood. They were renumbered as 55001 - 55899.
• There were still 31 of the WP cars in the July 1963 ORER. But the series was gone by 1965.

Bob Chaparro

Moderator

Model SFRD 12581 (Rr-U)

An HO scale resin model built by Al Westerfield from Westerfield kit 10804, Rr-T/U/V Reefer, Original, 1909-1950.

The prototype Santa Fe Class Rr-U ice bunker reefers were 775 truss rod reefers in Series 12151-12925. They had Bohn removable ice tanks (I need to look up the patient details) and Santa Fe ventilator hoods.

They had wood composite underframes (wood reinforced with steel), wood superstructures and wood sheathing.

Of the original 775 cars, 642 were in service in 1936, 88 in 1940 and 22 in 1945, their final year. The longest surviving cars received upgrading over the years.

As of the build date, the “D” in SFRD stood for Despatch.

On August 18, 1918, the United States Railway Administration announced that the SFRD (Despatch) would be under Federal control of the USRA effective January 1, 1919. Subsequently, the USRA eliminated Santa Fe Refrigerator Despatch on that date. USRA took control of SFRD (Despatch) cars with the operation of the cars remaining under the Santa Fe Railway.

The Santa Fe immediately reorganized Despatch, which then was a separate company, as the Santa Fe Refrigerator Department, an operating department of the railroad. This allowed Santa Fe a bit more control of the refrigerator cars and operations as allowed under the USRA regulations. SFRD then stood for Santa Fe Refrigerator Department.

Bob Chaparro

Moderator

Crate Label - Bryn Mawr Beauties

A post by David Eck.

Description:

Bryn Mawr Beauties Brand Orange Crate Label. Packed by Bryn Mawr Mutual Orange Association in Bryn Mawr, San Bernardino County, California. Printed by Western Lithograph Company, Los Angeles. Circa 1950.

An overprint on a Western stock label. The number 1025C appears in the lower left.

Bob Chaparro

Moderator

Packing House Workers

A photo from the Garden Grove Historical Society

Description:

Workers at Mutual Orange Distributors packing house Garden Grove.

Circa 1921.

Bob Chaparro

Moderator

Postcard: Grove Near Foothills

A post by David Eck.

Description:

Penny Postcard - Orange Grove Near Foothills, Southern California

This image is circa 1910-1925. Note the snow on the mountains and the oranges on the trees. Postcard printers were aware that the public Back East or in the Midwest were fascinated by what seemed impossible - ripe fruit and snow. They almost never mention that the snow was often at 8,000 ft or higher, while foothill orange groves were at 1,000 to 2,000 ft. elevation. And California had a semi-Mediterranean climate at lower elevations.

Bob Chaparro

Moderator

Oasis Orange Company

A post from the Riverside County Heritage Association.

Narrative:

Oasis began as the Oasis Orange Company, an 80-acre orange grove set out by the famed Chase Nursery Company and other investors in 1902.? This became the first orange grove in the Coachella Valley. By the mid-1910s, orange growing was not profitable, so the land was leased by the Bisbee family for a ranch.

In 1902 Mr. Peters with P. T. Evans, D. D. Gage, formerly of Riverside, the Chase Nursery Company and others developed eighty acres in oranges for the Oasis Orange Company in what is known

as Oasis. They sunk artesian wells, and as far as is known this was the first commercial grove of oranges in the Coachella or Imperial Valley. He was also interested with D. D. Gage in the development of what was the Foothill Tract, and what is now known as the Alvord Ranch. This property consisted of 225 acres of oranges and alfalfa.

Since the development of these various properties Mr. Peters has devoted his time to the care of his varied realty holdings and business interests at Riverside and elsewhere.

My Notes:

I have yet to find a photo of this grower or related crate labels.

I assume this grower was served by the Southern Pacific.

Bob Chaparro

Moderator

Santa Fe 5015 & 5025 With Reefer Block

A post by Taylor Rush on the Facebook Railroad Images of Bygone Days group.

Description:

Shaking the ground as they storm towards the photographer at thirty miles per hour with eighty-seven cars in tow are a pair of Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 5011 class "Texas" locomotives, number 5015 and 5025. The gigantic oil-burning 2-10-4 machines were built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1944 and carried construction numbers 70821 and 70831. Designed for dual-service, these superpower behemoths rolled on 74" drivers that transferred 108,961 pounds of tractive effort to the rails. They were fitted with roller bearings on all axles, sporting a cast-steel bed with integrated cylinders, a Worthington 6-SA feedwater heater, Walschaerts valve gear with lightweight rods, and nearly 6,000 cylinder horsepower. The extra freight was captured near Abo, New Mexico on October 5, 1947.

Four of the class have been preserved. Number 5011 at the Museum of Transportation in Kirkwood, Missouri, number 5017 at the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin, number 5021 at the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento, California, and number 5030 in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Original photo taken by R. H. Kindig.

Bob Chaparro

Moderator

?

A lot of work for a fantasy.? But, it is his railroad.

?

WP ice reefers, of course, never has solid steel roofs or steel ends.??

And FWIW, PFE #36302 was not a PFE class R-40-2, and neither applied to the WP ice reefers.

?

Plenty of free correct PFE data at :

?

?

Sorry,

Dick Harley

Laguna Beach,? CA??

?

.