As an addition to the pondering about Canadian stock cars and reefers in the U.S., some years ago we ran an article in CN Lines about loading stock cars with Alberta coal. Plywood sheets were placed against the sides, and the car filled with coal. I don't know if any of that traffic found its way to the U.S., but this is a possibility.

I have also read references to fish being loaded in CN reefers and routed to the U.S., and one certainly can't rule out Alberta beef, which has a certain reputation for quality (although those with memories of more recent years may remember an unfortunate — and fortunately seemingly one-of-a-kind — incident of mad cow disease). One presumes that there were other ladings which found their way south, as I have also seen a number of photos of CN reefers in the deep southern end of the U.S..

Ian Cranstone
Co-Editor, CN Lines
Osgoode, Ontario, Canada
lamontc@...
http://freightcars.nakina.net
http://siberians.nakina.net