Photo: Helium Cars At Keyes Plant (1959)

A photo from the Gateway To Oklahoma History website:

https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc359288/m1/1/?q=helium

Photo can be enlarged quite a bit.

Not much detail but note that none of the cars appear to be coupled to each other. Perhaps this is to allow access to the end doors?

The Keyes plant went into operation in November 1959. In 1982 the plant was dismantled.

Bob Chaparro

Hemet, CA

Photo: Grain Sack On Flat Car (Undated)

A photo from the Museum of Ventura County

https://photographs.venturamuseum.org/items/show/2165

Click on the photo to enlarge it.

Port Hueneme did a fairly good business before Los Angeles' port facilities were developed.

Bob Chaparro

Hemet, CA

I've been told that during most of World War II and for a period thereafter, the Office of Defense Transportation initiated measures effecting the national pool of freight cars. To obtain maximum service from a limited supply of equipment, the ODT required, among other things, pooling of refrigerator cars.

By ordering the pooling of reefers, particularly the RS types, the intent was reduce empty movement and improve fleet efficiency. The ODT order was implemented by Interstate Commerce Commission service orders.

Attempts were made to have roads east of Chicago assemble solid blocks of empty RS reefers of whatever western ownership and move these empties expeditiously to the West Coast for reloading.

This was not entirely successful because car types were not yet stenciled on all cars, and in yards choked with war traffic clerks couldn't afford the time to look up every car in the ORER.

Time was lost in Chicago switching out non-RS reefers from these blocks, and some non-RS cars even made it to California terminals before being turned back.

My question is, when did the stenciling of car types on freight cars become mandatory?

Thanks.

Bob Chaparro

Hemet, CA



On Sat, Aug 8, 2020 at 10:20 AM, Bob Chaparro wrote:

https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc218238/?q=freight%20car

Photo can be enlarged quite a bit.

A wreck photo showing some underbody detail and the "B" end.

Is it possible that the side panels were added to this car after it was built?

Yes. Those are the Union Metal Products replacement sides with integral stakes. You'll notice that each stake looks like an I beam; they are actually the edge of the pressed panel bent outward with a second bend to form the flange. After each pair of sheets were fitted and riveted in place a weld bead was run on the edge both inside and out to unify the bent flanges into a structural member. The Accurail panel side car models this construction.

Dennis Storzek

I’m guessing the containers were “experimental” because they were transitioning from wood crates.

Photo: C&A Boxcar 17440 (Circa 1932)

A photo from the Gateway To Oklahoma History website:

https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc1121607/?q=freight%20car

Photo can be enlarged quite a bit.

Bob Chaparro

Hemet, CA

Photo: ATSF Boxcar 32402 (Undated)

A photo from the Gateway To Oklahoma History website:

https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc557703/m1/1/?q=flour

Photo can be enlarged quite a bit.

Double-sheathed boxcar, possibly a Bx-O.

An unidentified Rock Island boxcar also appears in this photo.

Bob Chaparro

Hemet, CA

Photos: Opened Doors Of PFE 5706 (1951)

A photo from the Gateway To Oklahoma History website:

https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc1122503/?q=fruit

Photos can be enlarged quite a bit.

There is a lot of information in this photo.

PFE 5706 is a Class R-40-23 car, first placed in service in 1947.

Note the stenciling on the doors and the printing on the boxes.

Blue Goose (American Fruit Growers Co-Op) Ventura Maid lemons in cardboard boxes. This 1951 date is a few years before Sunkist converted to cardboard shipping containers. Note the printing "One-Half Standard Box". This was the typical size when the packing houses converted to cardboard shipping containers.

Also note the printing "Experimental Container" on several boxes.

Another view:

https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc1118291/m1/1/?q=fruit

Stencil: "Floor Racks In This Car Not Safe For Lift Truck Operation"

Stencil: "Air Circulating Fans"

Ventura Maid lemons were packed by the Ventura Pacific Company in Montalvo (now Ventura), CA in a packing house served by the Southern Pacific.

Crate label, pre-cardboard box

http://www.venturapacific.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/venturamaid.jpg

Bob Chaparro

Moderator

Railroad Citrus Industry Modeling Group

https://groups.io/g/RailroadCitrusIndustryModelingGroup

On Sat, Aug 8, 2020 at 06:47 PM, Bob Chaparro wrote:

The sign on the building reads, "Pool Car Distribution".

Can someone elaborate on this?

I assume you are asking about the term "pool car" and not the building? I suspect it refers to the practice of a shipper loading freight for multiple customers on the same car, which was consigned to the cold storage warehouse where each customer could claim his portion of the shipment.

Dennis Storzek

It's gone. As the description had an address I was able to do a Google Street View search.
Bob Chaparro
Hemet, CA