Forwarded from the M&StL list... Anyone have any further info
on the Decker line?
From: Clark Propst <cepropst@...>
Date: Tue, 06 Mar 2001 10:48:55 -0600
Reply-To: mstl@...
Subject: [mstl] Decker reefers
I just got back from the library with my new treasure. It's a photo of
the Deckers reefers taken on 2-19-35. There's a string of at least a
dozen, the most prominent car is 2588. At a guess I'd say the sides are
yellow with the rest of the car being BCR. To the left of the door in
roman letters are stacked 'Decker refrigerator Line'. Below that are
the reporting marks D.M.R.X. in gothic with number under marks. Right
side of door centered is Refrigerator in roman.
As of 1933, Decker's 36' meat reefers numbered DMRX 2550-2574 and 2800-2904
and tank cars JEDX 20-50 were operated by General American. By 1940, the
reefers were incorporated in GATC's ORER entry, though still under DMRX
reporting marks, and the tank cars were no longer listed. By that time the
reefer number series was 2800-2949. By 1943 the Decker cars were no longer
listed in the ORER, having been absorbed into the GATC fleet. In the 1920s
and '30s General American operated meat reefers for a number of different
packing houses that had their own reporting marks and kept the cars in
assigned service. This practice declined during WWII, when freight cars
were pooled to get maximum mileage out of them, and the cars were absorbed
into the GARX fleet (most of them having been built by GATC in the first
place).
Clark, is it possible to get a copy of that photo for publication?
Richard H. Hendrickson
Ashland, Oregon 97520
