It would be nice if someone would come out with a HO modern cryogenic reefer, like those that UP and BNSF and some shippers use. I think those cars are 70’ long. Perhaps Athearn or Atlas, or even Red Caboose or Tangent. Right now the most modern HO reefers are based on the 57’ PC&F R-70-15/R-70-20 series, and those prototypes are around 35-40 years old. Though former UPFE/SPFE PC&Fs have been rebuilt, repainted white and given ARMN reporting marks, others are being scrapped. Last night’s episode of Extreme Trains showed the scrapping of a yellow UPFE PC&F.
The new ARMN and BNSF reefers are mechanical reefers. UP’s are 64’ long, BNSF’s are 72’ long. Walthers did make models of the Arcticar in the earlier or mid 1990s.
The Athearn models are close to the UPFE R-70-20 class. Con-Cors are close to the SPFE R-70-15 class. I hear Red Caboose is coming out, or has come out, with a model of the R-70-14 class.
I would like to see models of the R -70-18, R-70-19, R-70-21 through R-70-25, FGE cars, Gunderson cars (Cryo-Trans), and perhaps the TRG cars (ARMN and BNSF).
Intermountain is coming out with HO R-70-20 class too.
Here’s an example of the cars that Walthers made a few years ago…70’ Cryogenic Reefers:
Don Z.
That is good news. I see that they offer Hydra-Cushion and Keystone underframes and both roof types. Hopefully the undecorated kit will have all of the options. According the Pacific Fruit Express, 2nd Edition with the exception of SP’s first order of R-70-20s and UP’s only order of R-70-20s, the R-70-20s through R-70-25s are almost identical, so this car can be used for any of these classes.