So, how long did BN-WFE keep it’s ice reefers in service after the 1970 BN merger? These cars would have come from CB&Q’s BREX, GN’s WFE and NP. I know that ice reefers were repainted into yellow WFE with BN markings. Even some GN-WFE 40’ wood reefers got BN markings.
Here’s some ice reefers in BN-WFE paint on railcarphotos.
The fact that several of these cars have the “X” painted over makes me wonder if they are in company service rather than revenue service. Western Fruit Express marking would be WFEX for example, not WFE. The X means the car is not directly owned and operated by a railroad, which for reefers normally means it’s part of a lease agreement of some type. Due to anti-trust laws/regulations railroads were forced to move their reefers into a separate company early in the 20th century.
From the July 1980 ORER, WFE is a reporting mark for “Burlington Northern, Inc.” WFEX is a reporting mark for “Western Fruit Express Company”. So, both marks are on cars allowed in interchange service. Noting that the “NP” reefer is next to a WOOD SIDED car, they could perhaps have also been in “occasional” company service. All WFE cars in the book are ice bunker cars and there are about 300. All WFEX cars are also ice bunker cars, 40 in quantity. It looks like the cars were being transferred from Western Fruit to BN. In face, WFEX had only 86 cars total at that time.
Now, what exactly were these cars used for (It would seem unlikely that BN would have had ANY cars in company ice service at this date)? Did they still do reefer icing in 1980? Or were they used because they were insulated? Curious!
