The photo I have shows a freshly painted car in 1936. It does not look like a wood roof to me. Outside metal roofs were sheet metal over wood were they not? Tim O'

If I recall correctly the main IC station for servicing the banana refers as they traveled north from New Orleans was Fulton KY. Jim Murrie

The IC Historical group did an "Green Diamond" magazine issue on banana traffic. Bananas going north to Minnesota were interchanged at East Dubuque among other locations. Howard Garner

Does anyone have a link to photos showing how the banana loads were arranged inside the cars? I assume this changed over time with experienced gained on how best to protect the load. Bob

Gene Green's reefer book has a photo of URTX 5093 with the world's smallest CGW "Lucky Strike" herald, must only be 18" in diameter, last reweigh 1-52, definitely wood roof and ends, painted FCR. The

Hi Dave, Would the banana traffic have been diverted to other destinations while en-route to Chicago? Or would the bananas be transloaded in Chicago and sent to other

 Perhaps by decades would simplify the data.ArmandPremo

Per ICC reports the Banana traffic out of New Orleans (primary US port for banana imports) was almost exclusively to Chicago. I would imagine almost all distribution to nearby states would originate

I assume the person meant is Richard Hendrickson. Tony Thompson tony@...

Compiling that data would be a daunting task and the ratio would change significantly each year after WWII. I use the bound NMRA ORER as a guide and there were plenty of 36 ft. wood side box cars

Tom I have a photo of that car, URTX 97136 lettered for the CGW, just as you describe. It appears to have a wood roof, can’t really tell. The blt date is 5-23. The ends are wood, painted a dark

Yes. I believe it was John Nehrich who published a chart or table of that info in an old issue of MR. Try March 1986 and see if that article of his includes the info you seek. Regards,

Speaking of wood and metal,has anyone compiled the ratio of wood vs steel cars by decade? ArmandPremo

What was the paint scheme? URTX seemed to stick with inside metal roofs (which, for our modeling, look like wood roofs on the outside) rather late... general rule of thumb is if the car still had wood

Group, ​Perhaps four or five years ago, I received a JPEG which someone on the list, possibly the late Richard Fredrickson, sent me. The car in question is URTX 97136 leased to the Chicago Great

The IC ran directly into the south side of Indianapolis on a secondary line that came off the main at Effingham. This line is now operated by the Indiana Railroad. Bill Darnaby Sent: Wednesday,

Victor, I do not believe that the ICRR got any closer to Indianapolis then Louisville KY. Chuck Peck

Banana traffic from such ports as Tampa, Charleston, SC, and Baltimore was loaded by Fruit Growers Express. Bill Welch

Hello to all Apologies for the cross postings. I am attempting to scratchbuild some of the Santa Fe's 4000-4049 class of express reefers for my Fast Mail and other passenger trains but I am stumped

Victor Baird wrote Ice or heaters (depending on season) may be needed but unless the bananas were going to sit for a while at a wholesale terminal I would think no service would be needed so close to