Bob Chaparro's question on behalf of Keith Jordan got me to thinking
about the structures that would have been associated with
refrigerator cars (mandatory content) east of the Mississippi River.
As a part of my research I have accumulated many images of grading/
packing houses and icing facilities along the railroads served by
Fruit Growers Express, some of which will be seen in my presentation
at Naperville (shameless self-promotion).

The packing house photos are mostly in Florida, but not all, but
those that are don't seem necessarily confined to the region and
could be considered generic I think. The photos I have of the icing
facilities do exhibit certain similarities despite the variety of
railroads involved. To date I have views representing the L&N, SAL,
NC&StL, ACL, C&O and Southern. The most complete information I know
of to date is about the C&O from their very fine Archive operation in
Virginia. Using the C&O style/design would produce a very
representative model of a southeastern icing facility that would fit
on the many roads of that region in my opinion

I mention all of this for two reasons:

1.) Perhaps there is a manufacturer on this list that might be
interested in what I have or there is someone on the this that knows
someone that knows someone..... I would be happy to put together a CD
of photos of both the packing houses and the icing facilities if a
serious person can be identified. If so please pass this message on
to them.

2.) DeCoursey Yard in Kentucky and Potomac Yard in Alexandria, VA
represent the farthest north that I have photos of icing facilities,
which means I do not have any photos showing icing facilities on the
B&O, PRR, C&EI, PM, and NYNH&H, all northern owners of FGE. If
anyone knows of photos of icing facilities along any of these lines,
please let me know at one of the addresses below. This would help
everyone I hope interested learn if the facilities on these lines
shared the same look as those further south and expand the
possibilities for a kit of a representative FGE icing station.

As an aside, the FGE/WFE/BRE system had approximately 450 icing
facilities varying greatly in size, types of service and time of year
service was available. There were several locales with at least three
facilities because several lines served the various locales going on
memory at least one locale had six icing facilities.

Thanks for your attention!

Bill Welch
2225 Nursery Road; #20-104
Clearwater, FL 33764-7622
727-470-9930
fgexbill@...

I second what Bill stated.

And if the potential manufactures need another resource, there is Jim
Lancaster's excellent packing house website at:

http://coastdaylight.com/ljames1/scph.html
<http://coastdaylight.com/ljames1/scph.html>

Bob Chaparro

Moderator

Citrus Industry Modeling Group

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/citrusmodeling/
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/citrusmodeling/>

Dear Bob

Thank you for sharing this website . I cannot wait to study this. I would love to help someone in Florida do the same sort of thing with the items I have found.

Bill Welch

FGE had a large repair shop in Jacksonville, Fl it would be logical that there would be an icing station there also


"The Fruit Growers Express Company was incorporated in Delaware with shops in Alexandria VA and Jacksonville Florida along with various ice plants and stations around the east coast. By the end of the 1920's Spencer also had partner Western Fruit Express and Burlington Refrigerator Express join operations to even out traffic demands for the produce seasons in the southeast and northwest by pooling cars as needed.

Jacksonville was a major player in the roll of re-icing northbound traffic with ice platforms at the Florida East Coast's Bowden Yard, the Seaboard's Baldwin Yard and the Atlantic Coast Line in Moncrief Yard. The major FGE shop in Jacksonville was at the north end of Moncrief Yard..

FGE bought, but also built their own cars in Alexandra and Jacksonville. FGE experimented with its first mechanical reefer and heavy insolated cars without ice bunkers in 1950. In 1960 FGE began using refrigerated piggyback trailers, and moved all car building from Jacksonville to Alexandra leaving Jacksonville as a heavy repair facility"