Steel ice & early mech reefers

[sirenwerks]

I'm getting frustrated... searching on the web for "reefer" just gives me tons of asinine sites to look at. Having lived in the Emerald Triangle and put up with that crap first-hand, I'm so over it.

I'm looking for good intel and imagery of private owner/leased steel ice reefers and early mechanical reefers. Basically, I need to learn more about the fleets run by Hormel, Swift, Armor, and the the like found in the 60s around the Midwest; with rosters and photos to model off of, preferably in color.

Does anyone know of any good sources online? Articles? Books? I know Morning Sun has Refrigerator Car Color Guide and Signature Press has Billboard Refrigerator Cars, but I've never thumbed through either. Can anyone who owns one or both tell me whether steel cars are featured and Hormel, Swift, and Armor cars (the three I need info on most) specifically? Just by the cover, it seems the latter is aimed at wood cars, but I'm wrong on a regular basis.

I'm not so interested in PFE cars yet and RR-owned cars will be the least of my worries. I have numerous color guides for reference to these.

Any input would help. Thanks!

Bryan B.

[Bob Bufkin]

I'm a member of the Yahoo Group "Reefer Madness".  The members in that group should be able to answer almost any question you have. 

[tom mann]

I have both books.  The Morning Sun is all color photos from the 50's on featuring the cars you are interested in.  The Sig Press Book is mainly wood reefers and B/W builders photos, but there is a chapter in color of newer steel reefers.

When I get home, I'll look at the MS Book and left you know how many pages/photos are dedicated to what you want.

[wcfn100]

When you do a google search, include the reporting marks.  

Regarding the Morning sun book, get it.


Jason

[Sokramiketes]

The Morning Sun book has good photos of those carriers, steel cars, ice.  Not much if any mechanical reefers, but not sure Hormel/Swift/Armour had many anyway.  

[wcfn100]

To add to my post, don't worry too much about the Swift reefers.  The trian lists I have show basically two groups.  One in the 15xxx number series which is what the Intermountain car is (don't know exaclty how proto it is though), and a double digit number series.

For Mike, the double digit series SRLX car is a 40' mechanical reefer.  there is about two 40' mech. cars for every three cars in the 15xxx series listed.

Jason

[Sokramiketes]

For Mike, the double digit series SRLX car is a 40' mechanical reefer.  there is about two 40' mech. cars for every three cars in the 15xxx series listed.

Jason

Ah, cool.  Explains why they haven't jumped out in photos if they are 40' cars.  Do you happen to have your train lists digitized? 

[wcfn100]

The only pictures I've ever found of the 40' mech. reefers appear in ads in the Car Builders 'Cyclopedia.  I have, however, identified a series of HFPX cars as being the same cars.

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1450435

I have been working on transferring the train lists to excel for about 3 years.  I just finished as the southbound trains from Oelwein to Des Moines.  I have a ways to go on the northbound trains as I am including all cars that were billed from the Des Moines district (for example, extras out of Chicago might have cars that were from Marshalltown).

As maybe a preemptive strike, I won't make this available for other unless Jason Klocke (sp.?) e.i. the guy who scanned all the originals, is completely on board and/or compensated somehow.  Hopefully I'll get 'er done this year and I'll ask him his thoughts about making it available.



Jason

[Frank Amato]

The Santa Fe Historical Society has an excellent soft cover book that covers the ATSF fleet of ice and mechanical cars.  Well worth the price, with loads of pictures as well as roster and rebuild information.

  Frank

[Sokramiketes]

As maybe a preemptive strike, I won't make this available for other unless Jason Klocke (sp.?) e.i. the guy who scanned all the originals, is completely on board and/or compensated somehow.  Hopefully I'll get 'er done this year and I'll ask him his thoughts about making it available.

Jason

Ha, small world... I finally met Jason at Trainfest this year.  Thanks for the heads up, I'll send him a note.

[bbussey]

The Great Yellow Fleet:A History of American Railroad Refrigerator Cars
John H White
Golden West Books
ISBN 0870950916
162 pages

Out of print but relatively easy to find on the secondary market.  It contains much of the information you seek.

[sirenwerks]

Bryan Bussey,

I vaguely remember seeing this book, but remember it featuring wood reefers predominantly. Do you have a copy to prove or disprove that theory? I'll definitely throw in a few wood cars for flavor, but the (excuse the pun) meat of the fleet will be steel.

One weird question I'll throw out there for shits and giggles, I found someone who has a handful of IM Hormel cars for sale. I remember many of the yellow IM cars being unpainted, pad printing laid directly onto the yellow colored plastic. The unpainted IM cars, IMO, always have a strange glow about it, a certain modicum of translucency it seems. I may be imagining that, but can anyone speak to whether or not weathering takes that glow away and makes it look painted? Those Hormel cars would make a nice, cheap addition to my fleet.

And thanks for the input so far, everyone. I joined the group Bob mentioned (I'll lurk for a bit until I learn the lay of the land) and ordered the Morning Sun reefer book from Chuck @ Railroadbooks.biz.

Brian, if your suggestion offers more on steel cars I'll look for it too. I've been on a successful tare with used books lately, finding some out-of-print ones on the CGW.

BB

[bbussey]

It covers the entire history of the refrigerator car from the beginning, so both wood and steel (ice and mechanical) cars are covered.  I'll take a look tomorrow when I'm able to put my hands on the book.

[bbussey]

Morning Sun Refrigerator Car Color Guide.  The book covers ice reefers only, but you should pick it up as it features a plethora of paint schemes for the companies you are interested in.
  Armour - pp 22-26, photos from 1954 through 1957, steel cars
  Hormel (leased from NADX) - pp 74-77, photos from 1958-1971, wood and steel cars
  Hormel (leased from URTX) - p 117, photo taken 1957, steel car
  Swift - pp 96-103, photos from 1954 through 1968, wood and steel cars

The Great Yellow Fleet.  More informational as opposed to photos, covering when the companies were established and how they handled various business events and technological advancements over the years.  Very informative if you want historical information, but not helpful regarding deco schemes.
  Armour - established 1883, acquired by GATX in 1932
  Hormel - established c.1930, acquired by NATX
  Swift - established 1875, acquired by GATX 1930

I do not own a copy of Billboard Refrigerator Cars so I cannot offer an opinion in that regard.

[wazzou]

The Northern Pacific owned some 40' Mechanical Reefers.