Hi my question is this. If one was to run opreations and include loading ice bunkers on 40ft ref,s how long would it normally take to load an ice bunker before the cars need to be switched out?
Thanks
There are too many variables to consider that have an effect on the time required; i.e., is it a manual or automatic operation – is there already some ice left in the bunker because it is an intermediate stop – how many workers are employed at the site – how large is the site – etc.
For a completely manual operation, probably up to one hour per car – for automatic perhaps as little as 15 minutes per car.
Not sure I understand the question.
Are you asking how long does it take to put ice in a reefer?
15-20" and most places were able to ice multiple reefers at a time. So if the dock was 20 cars long, they could ice 20 reefers in 15-60 minutes depending on how many crews and how the dock was set up.
Are you asking how long cars went between icings?
A car could go about 4-7 days between icings. Depends on how hot it is and how much salt they added to the ice to lower the temperature.
We used to have an ice house at the family business a produce wholesale co-op and when I was a kid they had refrigerated box cars so the days of loading the ice blocks were long since past.
I do recall the stories from my uncles how the train would drop off 3 or 4 cars depending on the order and they would have to load them by hand by sliding the block down a long shoot and send them in through roof hatches. When a car was loaded they would hook a cable to it and start up a gasoline powered winch and pull the loaded car up so the next empty could be loaded with ice. I remember them telling me my one uncle was kinda on the thick headed side and would try and pull the entire cut of cars with the winch instead of one at a time usually resulting in a snapped cable and my grandfather inventing new cuss words. They retired the winch eventually and just used an old front end loader to push the cars out of the loading area. An Aloco RS3 would have been a much better choice if it were up to me.
Towards the end of the ice era, mechanical ice blowers that traveled atop docks could load a car in under 15 minutes, this included crushing and salting to the customers requirement.
The strong backed method required obtaining blocked ice from storage, cable system or a cable system with paddle wheels was employed to deliver it to the platform, whereupon manual labor will liberal use of steel pike poles would break the ice down for loading into the bunkers if that is what the customer required, otherwise the pike poles would be used to guide solid blocks into the bunkers, loading time requirements were based upon the available labor force and accurate pre-planning and car blocking priorities (sensitive shipments subject to rapid spoilage, such as strawberries-bannanas-cut flowers for example were given particular attention by ice crews) and if extra services such as heaters, salt, or mixed ice were rendered.
Dave
Icing is dependent upon the commodity being shipped and the weather. While many commodities need near-freezing temperatures, others require more moderate temperatures. If outdoor temperatures are within the desired temperature range, no icing will be required. For example, shipping apples from Washington state in January would unlikely need icing. If temperatures were below that, heaters were placed in the bunkers. Interior-car temperatures could be controlled by turning heaters on and off and opening and closing the ice hatches taking advantage of the car’s insulation. Commodity and outdoor temperatures needed to be monitored during the refrigerator car’s travels.
Mark
My railroad just got a new business! Thanks for thiis great info. A small industry that needs a few ice bunker reefers, with a single ice chute as opposed to the huge icing platform will be a great thing to model. Not sure how to handle that winch though - maybe the giant finger from the sky…
George V.