Rapido Trains Meat Reefers "Whoo Hoo!"

[Nato]

                 I received my three Rapido Trains wood Meat Reefers today a "Hormell" and two different "Swift" schemes. Thank you Rapido  and (Mike) for doing these cars in N. They were worth the wait, some of the best underbody detailing I have yet seen, heavily weighted for great tracking, weathered free rolling metal wheels, lots of add-on not molded detail, the roof hatches are separate roof hatches which look like they may be positioned open, body mounted MT couplers and very nicely done painting and lettering these cars are right up there with my number one on the list Atlas Billboard Reefers, and are better, no couplers sticking way out at the ends. Nate Goodman (Nato). Salt Lake ,Utah.   

[bbussey]

Got my four-pack of red Swift reefers today as well.  Very pleased.  The plastic box is larger than I expected though. 

[Puddington]

Got my four-pack of red Swift reefers today as well.  Very pleased.  The plastic box is larger than I expected though. 

One size fits all..... in China's eyes..... this will be addressed....

[sd45elect2000]

I only got two sets yesterday but I'm hoping I have a chance to get some more before they are gone. I seem to be collecting "War Bonds" equipment.

Randy

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Well, those natzees ain't gonna beat themselves!

[sd45elect2000]

I think there's a few more but I don't remember where to look..

I do have all 4 of the war bonds North Shore line cars that are not pictured. 

[Ngineer]

Are these the first prototypical SWIFT reefers in N-scale?

   Javier

[wcfn100]

Are these the first prototypical SWIFT reefers in N-scale?

   Javier

No.

Jason

[Doug G.]

One "l" in Hormel and it's pronounced with the accent on the first sylable.



Doug

[bbussey]

Are these the first prototypical SWIFT reefers in N-scale?

They are close.  Swift home-built all of their wood reefers (which General American bought in 1931 and leased it back to Swift) so it's unlikely that there ever will be a 100% accurate N scale model released of a Swift reefer.  But the Rapido version is the closest model ever released.

[sd45elect2000]

General American built these cars in 1938 for URTX and Swift. These cars are too new to be built by Swift.

Randy

[up1950s]

Well because of the above happiness I just ordered these .

[wcfn100]

General American built these cars in 1938 for URTX and Swift. These cars are too new to be built by Swift.

Randy

Where does you information come from that these were built for Swift?


Jason

[sd45elect2000]

Ed Kaminski's books on reefers are a good start along with a book called "The Great Yellow Fleet" (I forget who wrote it at the moment).

Experience ! In Milwaukee, the URTX (GATX) reefer fleet was maintained. I have some of the records from the period and knew MANY of the people that worked there. URTX and SWIFT cars were routinely changed around. The cars were built for ALL of General American owned marks SRLX/GARX/URTX and others.

I remember the story about the disposal of these cars to various RR museums. The cars were difficult to scrap as they were mostly wood and insulation . GATX donated dozens of cars to museums and other groups to avoid the expense of scrapping them. SRLX were included.

At the Museum in East Troy Wisconsin we had a couple of steel GARX built cars that were Swift red and white under the URTX Oscar Mayer yellow as well as some silver swift cars. The GARX built cars have a riveted seam running the length of the car about halfway up the side, the R40-23 cars did not.

The GARX (GATX) steel reefer has yet to be done but the R40-23 intermountain car is fairly close.

The other car we are missing in N scale is the wood side, steel end car that were used by a large variety of lessors including GARX/SRLX/URTX . I have only a few that were made by I think Precision Masters years ago.

So far the new Rapido car is dead on for the 1938 built GAR cars including Swift ,who's mark (SRLX) was owned by General American and leased to Swift. I'm not sure if this was a net lease or a full service lease as many of the Swift cars were also serviced in Milwaukee at the URTX facility.

Randy

[wcfn100]

So why can't  I find a Swift car with a tabbed sill like the Rapido car?

Jason