CEFX reefers on UP trains?

Model Railroader Prototype information for the modeler
1

I model modern -era Union Pacific, and have some of their ARMN 64’ reefers. I’ve seen those and Tropicana reefers on UP trains ,but not the CEFX leased reefers. Are the CEFX reefers a common signt on Union Pacific trains?

2

I don’t have an exact answer but I was researching the subject as well. I get the sense that the ARMN reefers are used in units trains to Rotterdam NY from either Wallua Wa or Delano CA and back. The CEFX reefers I have seen seem to be used in less than unit trains. I haven’t seen the ARMN reefers in anything less than unit trains.

Check out the Railex’s website to check out pics of the operations.

http://www.railexusa.com/site/photo-video-gallery-about.html

UP’s page about Railex

http://www.uprr.com/customers/ag-prod/produce_railexpress.shtml

Hopefully someone will give us a more exact answer.

3

The ARMN reefers appear in regular UP manifest trains, too. Not just the Railex trains. I think I have seen CEFX reefers in UP manifests, but might just be thinking this from seeing those reporting marks on other rolling stock.

Jeff

4

Just curious Jeff, which size ARMN reefers did you see?

Derek

5

I’ve seen the newer big reefers, plus the older rebuilt or repainted/renumbered smaller reefers. The Railex trains usually seem to have the new reefers, while manifest trains can have either old or new ones in them.

Jeff

6

The CEFX reefers are “common” on the UP. Common being relative. Since there are more ARMN cars, they are seen more often.

Reefers are commonly seen in manifest trains (general freight) on the East-West main through Nebraska and Iowa.

7

I see many of both ARMN and CEFX on the Sunset Route through southern Arizona.

8

Jeff, I heard a few years ago (pre-Railex) that UP was giving the Express Lane trains the same priority as regular manifest trains. Is UP still doing that?

9

The UP-CSX run through, formerly the QNPSKP now the QNPCXP, when first started about 9 or 10 years ago was kind of hot. It soon became just another Q manifest. For a while, the P (perishable) part of the symbol was almost a joke, many times there were hardly any reefers in the train. Reefer traffic on this train has picked back up again, but still just another manifest.

Jeff

10

I seen a few CEFX reefers on the BNSF in there manifest freights.

11

I seen CEFX and ARMN reefers on NS as well.

12

The UP/CSX “salad bowl express” that rolls through Fostoria is all reefer and usually has UP power.

Sorry…I forgot this on my first post and due to a glitch I could edit my first reply.