Phil I assume you are asking about the Atlas wood 36’ wood meat reefer with 4 hinges. I believe it has been offered in a Swift p/l scheme. Atlas claims the wood meat reefer model is based upon a Cudahy reefer built circa 1925. This model was discussed at length when it was first produced as the details did not match any known prototype at the time. And no one had seen a photo of a Cudahy reefer that matched the model. Several years later I found a photo of a Cudahy reefer that is very close to the Atlas model, which I shared with Richard Hendrickson and he published in his Billboard Reefer book.

 

In the link you offered all the Swift reefers pictured are later steel reefers with a horizontal seam, from a single series of Swift reefers. Swift had a wide and diverse fleet of reefers. But I am not aware of any that matches the Atlas model exactly. Some of their wood reefers might be close. But not their steel reefers.

 

Doug Harding

www.iowacentralrr.org

 

From: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io <main@RealSTMFC.groups.io> On Behalf Of nyc3001 .
Sent: Sunday, January 3, 2021 8:15 PM
To: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io
Subject: [RealSTMFC] Atlas Swift 4-hinge reefer

 

Is the Atlas 4-hinge reefer close to the Swift 4-hinge prototypes? I've compared the Atlas reefer (a CRLX prototype) to photos at the below link, and the bodies seem pretty close to me beyond differences in the underframe crossbearers and a thin "sub-fascia" underneath the white roof fascia. Of course I could have missed some major details. I'm wondering if any of you are aware of major dimensional differences in the Atlas and Swift prototypes or other differences beyond the ones I've seen.

Thanks,
Phil

https://groups.io/g/RailwayBullShippersGroup/topic/swift_reefer_notes_door/60777034?20,0,0,0::recentpostdate%2Fsticky,,,20,2,0,60777034