Re: Dry Ice Refrigerator Car Test
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lsittler
Further in regard to Bill Welch’s comments, attached is builder’s photo
from FGE files showing WFE 67564 in which Thermo-King heating and cooling unit
was installed. Transmittal memo attached to photo is dated at Alexandria
Virginia, March 12, 1949. Les Sittler
From: Bill Welch
Sent: Wednesday, June 10, 2020 4:25 PM
To: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io
Subject: Re: [RealSTMFC] Dry Ice Refrigerator Car
Test Interesting
find Bob. Although the test facility was at FGE, I am pretty certain they did
not use A Fruit Growers car. In the years after WWII feeling the pressure from
trucks equipped with Thermo-King Mechanical FGE began experimenting with several
mechanical and non-mechanical systems in an attempt to find an effective and
economical way to transport frozen commodities at Zero and below. One system
used Dry Ice. While the system could effectively maintain Zero, the cost was
prohibitive and they quickly moved on to alternative technologies. By 1952 FGE had a small fleet of 40-foot Mechs powered both by Diesel (Frigidaire) and Gasoline (Thermo-King) and a few 50-footers being evaluated. In 1953 the FGE shops at Alexandria began building what would eventually by 1957 number 1,100 All-Temperature 50-ft Mechs for FGE, WFE, and BRE. the largest Mechanical fleet operated by any Refrigerator Car entity at the time. A modern model of these is very desirable i think, but i am prejudiced. Model on Ya'll Bill Welch 
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