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PFE "Giant" Refrigerator Car
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railsnw1 <railsnw@...>
I hope Tony Thompson or someone else can answer this, what is a
PFE "Giant" refrigerator car?. In going through some records of the Yakima Valley Transportation Co. I found the following letter from Mr. P.J. Lynch, Superintendent of Car Service, Union Pacific, from April 5, 1939: Quote Referring to Mr. Newman's letter of March 31st and Mr. McCarthy's letter of April 3rd, in connection with use of P.F.E. Giant refrigerators versus express refrigerators. There apparently has been a complete lack of understanding between P.F.E. forces, the Y.V.T. Co. forces and our people at Yakima relative handling of this class of equipment, and to remove any misunderstanding, wish to state that except in isolated cases where shipper demands an express refrigerator, such cars are to be used only when P.F.E. Giant cars are not available, and if extra switching is necessary to get the P.F.E. cars, such switching must be performed. For the information of those receiving copy of this letter, it should be clear that at any time a foreign express refrigerator is used, not only does the Union Pacific have to pay mileage at the rate of 2 1/2 cents while travelling over Union Pacific line, but the mileage made by the car on a foreign line is lost to the P.F.E. Co. Car distributor at Walla Walla should maintain a close check on this matter and see that we are not using these express cars unless absolutely necessary. Others concerned receiving copy of this will be governed accordingly. P.J. Lynch End Quote On March 31st a telegram had been sent on this matter and part of the reasoning for using these express cars instead of Giants was due to the YVT only having two tracks in the UP yard at Yakima and it was easier to grab an express refrigerator then waiting for a steam engine to switch a Giant out. So what was a Giant? Looking in the PFE book I only notice one class of cars for this time period that were longer inside. Thanks, Richard Wilkens |
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Westerfield <westerfield@...>
The "giants" were 46' R-50-1 and 50' R-50-2 cars. We make the former (#8301) while I believe Sunshine makes the latter. - Al Westerfield
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----- Original Message -----
From: railsnw1 To: STMFC@... Sent: Monday, October 01, 2007 1:55 PM Subject: [STMFC] PFE "Giant" Refrigerator Car I hope Tony Thompson or someone else can answer this, what is a PFE "Giant" refrigerator car?. In going through some records of the Yakima Valley Transportation Co. I found the following letter from Mr. P.J. Lynch, Superintendent of Car Service, Union Pacific, from April 5, 1939: Quote Referring to Mr. Newman's letter of March 31st and Mr. McCarthy's letter of April 3rd, in connection with use of P.F.E. Giant refrigerators versus express refrigerators. There apparently has been a complete lack of understanding between P.F.E. forces, the Y.V.T. Co. forces and our people at Yakima relative handling of this class of equipment, and to remove any misunderstanding, wish to state that except in isolated cases where shipper demands an express refrigerator, such cars are to be used only when P.F.E. Giant cars are not available, and if extra switching is necessary to get the P.F.E. cars, such switching must be performed. For the information of those receiving copy of this letter, it should be clear that at any time a foreign express refrigerator is used, not only does the Union Pacific have to pay mileage at the rate of 2 1/2 cents while travelling over Union Pacific line, but the mileage made by the car on a foreign line is lost to the P.F.E. Co. Car distributor at Walla Walla should maintain a close check on this matter and see that we are not using these express cars unless absolutely necessary. Others concerned receiving copy of this will be governed accordingly. P.J. Lynch End Quote On March 31st a telegram had been sent on this matter and part of the reasoning for using these express cars instead of Giants was due to the YVT only having two tracks in the UP yard at Yakima and it was easier to grab an express refrigerator then waiting for a steam engine to switch a Giant out. So what was a Giant? Looking in the PFE book I only notice one class of cars for this time period that were longer inside. Thanks, Richard Wilkens |
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Al, yes, but yours is the only one that is correct. :-)
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-------------- Original message ----------------------
From: " Westerfield" <westerfield@...> The "giants" were 46' R-50-1 and 50' R-50-2 cars. We make the former (#8301) |
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Anthony Thompson <thompson@...>
Richard Wilkens wrote:
I hope Tony Thompson or someone else can answer this, what is a PFE "Giant" refrigerator car?This name was originally applied to the R-50-1 cars, which had extra cubic capacity and thicker insulation. For this nickname, see page 119 in the PFE book . . . except in isolated cases where shipper demands an express refrigerator, such cars are to be used only when P.F.E. Giant cars are not available, and if extra switching is necessary to get the P.F.E. cars, such switching must be performed.The "Giant" cars would have been significantly bigger in internal dimensions, as well as having superior insulation, compared to most or all express refrigerators in service. So what was a Giant? Looking in the PFE book I only notice one class of cars for this time period that were longer inside.Um, see page 119 of the PFE book; see also page 48. I note that Al Westerfield reports the R-50-2 cars as being called "Giants" also. I can't confirm that PFE used that term for R-50-2, which in any case was a single multi-hatch car with overhead bunkers (page 148, PFE book). Later rebuilds of Class R-50-1, which became R-50-3, -4 and -5, were all used for frozen food with their thicker insulation. They also all had steel ends and roofs and were thus quite different in appearance from the original R-50-1 cars. If any of these were called "Giants," I would think it would be the cars of Classes R-50-3 and -4. Tony Thompson Editor, Signature Press, Berkeley, CA 2906 Forest Ave., Berkeley, CA 94705 www.signaturepress.com (510) 540-6538; fax, (510) 540-1937; e-mail, thompson@... Publishers of books on railroad history |
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Russ Strodtz <railfreightcars@...>
I can tell you this. The WWV was the biggest loader
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or express reefers in the PNW. They loaded NHIX's REX's and any other 50' car that came their way. Russ ----- Original Message -----
From: " Westerfield" <westerfield@...> To: <STMFC@...> Sent: Monday, 01 October, 2007 16:40 Subject: Re: [STMFC] PFE "Giant" Refrigerator Car The "giants" were 46' R-50-1 and 50' R-50-2 cars. We make the former (#8301) while I believe Sunshine makes the latter. - Al Westerfield |
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