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  2. Refrigerator Car Return Instruction 1955

Re: Refrigerator Car Return Instruction 1955

Steve SANDIFER
 

I can’t give a definitive answer. In the “off” season they were often used on branch lines, even branch lines with mixed trains. Box cars were in demand for grain so reefers did the LCL work. Also remember that this was a way of utilizing them in westward movement which was the predominate direction of LCL.

 

 

J. Stephen Sandifer

 

From: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io <main@RealSTMFC.groups.io> On Behalf Of Tim O'Connor
Sent: Thursday, November 11, 2021 10:14 AM
To: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io
Subject: Re: [RealSTMFC] Refrigerator Car Return Instruction 1955

 


Stephen, thanks! Would this mean that the SFRD reefers in LCL service were used
only between ATSF freight houses?

Tim O'Connor

On 11/10/2021 10:39 PM, Steve SANDIFER wrote:

Yes. Santa Fe even built freight houses at Kansas City and Chicago where one track was 7” lower than the others where box cars and reefers could be located. The reefer floor was 14” higher than the box car floor so instead of pushing a 2 wheel dolly up 14” (wow) you would push it 7” up to a reefer or 7” down to a box car.

I have a conductors record book from 1923 in Kansas. It shows 1088 cars in trains. 288 of those were reefers (21%) of which 43 were in LCL service. 11% of the cars in this record were LCL cars: 101 westbound and 21 eastbound.

 

J. Stephen Sandifer

 

From: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io <main@RealSTMFC.groups.io> On Behalf Of Tim O'Connor
Sent: Wednesday, November 10, 2021 9:07 PM
To: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io
Subject: Re: [RealSTMFC] Refrigerator Car Return Instruction 1955

 


I've seen many photos of cars at LCL freight houses and I can't recall ever seeing
a reefer amongst the box cars. Has anyone got photos showing this?

Tim O'Connor

 


--
Tim O'Connor
Sterling, Massachusetts

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