Hi Everyone,
It’s time once again t move the Diner. Because were in the heat of the summer, this month we’ll be looking at refrigerator cars and RR refrigerator operations. I recently found out that often ice blocks for ice bunker reefers were cut out of lakes and somehow stored for later use. So, let’s see more about reffigerator cars. I’m hoping for lots of participation this month.
The RIP Track by Jim S, on Flickr
Thanks for getting us started Jim.
When icing platforms got overworked and could not keep up with all the reefers they would use these boxcars and go alongside and ice the reefers that way. They would throw a plank across and slide the block over.
Great topic.
All the best to all.
Hi Everyone, …again!
There’s lots of things to cover with refrigerator cars. Here’s an example of an early reefer. Notice the truss rods and the archbar trucks.
Swift Refrigerator Car by Jim S, on Flickr
Of course, everyone has a beer reefer.
Everyone Has to Have a BeerCar by Jim S, on Flickr
Here’s how they loaded ice bunker reefers back in the day.
Loading Ice Bunkers by Jim S, on Flickr
Thanks for the flawless Diner move, Jim!
C&NW Ice House by Edmund, on Flickr
Jack Delano always seemed to get those cool assignments!
Regards, Ed
I’ve got a number of ice bunker reefers on my layout, mostly beer reefers from Evergreen. I started to like the concept of icing to preserve freshness in transit, so after building a roster of reefers, I thought up some industries that needed refrigerator back in the Transition Era. I have a brewery, a slaughterhouse and an icing plant to fill the reefers in transit and to pre-ice them before loading. I even extended my “connected industries” by adding a tannery to use the hides from the slaughterhouse and even a couple of “hide service only” boxcars. For those that don’t know, once you start using a boxcar for fresh hides, you don’t want to use it for anything else.
So, head for that “reefer” in the kitchen, grab a few cubes and celebrate with a cold beverage as we move into the second half of the year!
Thanks for moving the Diner Jim!
Cheers!!
Dave
As you are all aware, several of our forum members like to post music videos in the Diner from time to time. I have never posted a music video but I came across this one on YouTube that I thought might be worthy. I certainly enjoyed it!
Cheers!!
Dave
Good call on featuring David Gilmour for your first ‘M-TV’ posting, Dave! Here’s a little more of Mr. Gilmour’s fabulous fretwork:
I’ve got this on DVD and the resolution of the video is far superior to what YouTube calls “HD”.
Enjoy, Ed
Good morning
Thanks for opening the Diner Jim.
What do we got going this month, refrigerator box cars and David Gilmour?
Never been a stranger to the good stuff over here eh.
Found this old reefer photo, helping my friend Erv clean out his Moms attic, in a very old house.
Great Northern Western Fruit Express 1923
TF
Good Morning Diners.
Nice job moving the diner! Looking forward to this month as well.
My dog goes in for his surgery tomorrow. I feel bad for him. He obviously has no idea what’s coming. Going to be a rough couple months for him, but will have a better long term outlook than letting it go.
Cheers!
Good afternoon Diners. Flo, a coffee with a shot of rum in it please.
Some people know I am waiting (now) over two months for results on my x-rays.
Doctors kept telling me ‘No news means all is well’.
Newsflash!!!
All is not well. Letter arrived today I have to enjoy hospital food whilst I undergo an exploratory operation.
When? They will let me know.
Now I know something is going to happen. [:D]
Meanwhile: Life goes on. Stay positive. Flo. Add more rum to the coffee.
Taking granddaughter to Brownies this evening, then home. It will be nearly 9.00pm when I get home.
David
Oh, …The site’s working like crap for the Kids at home again too?
I’M TELLING!!!
MOM!!! …THE SITE’S WORKING LIKE JUNK AGAIN!!!
TF
That sucks David! Keep your chin up my friend.
Recently saw my chart from my colonoscopy two years ago. So just found out my biopsy was negative.
It is said healthcare professionals have a practice. Perhaps they should meet with the coach more than one night a week.
TF
The way up is the only way I know. [:D]
David
Good Afternoon,
Happy Canada Day to all my fellow Canucks!
A cool, wet day here. I doubt there will be fireworks tonight not that many people set them off as they are tough to get.
Mike, hope your dog’s surgery goes well. The toughest part when ours had it was keeping him from running until it healed. Afterwards he never had a problem again and could run around as if nothing had happened.
No plans for today.
CN Charlie
Hi David,
That’s not great news, but your very positive attitude will serve you well. My recent hospital stays required me to keep a positive attitude so I could cope with my crazy roommates. I hope that the hospital food on your side of the pond is better than what I was served!
Best of luck!
Cheers!!
Dave
Hi CN Charlie,
Happy Canada Day to you and all the rest of us who reside in the far north![swg]ý
The weather here in Bradford is absolutely perfect! It will be a great night for fireworks!
I have two more days of playing bachelor. Dianne comes home on Wednesday night. This is the longest we have been apart in 44 years!
Cheers everybody!!
Dave
Hi Everyone,
If you remember in our last thrilling episode (last evening), we saw a couple of really old refrigerator cars. Well, gone are the days of labor intensive ice bunkers and loading them. Now, we have mechanical refrigerator cars. they started appearing I think in the early 60’s. I remember seeing SP fruit trains come up to the Eastern part of the country from California. They were long trains and would come through 2-3 times a day. It really bogles the mind to think of how much stuff a train can actually haul. Here are a couple of pics of mechanical reefers.
PFE Mechanical Reefer by Jim S, on Flickr
If modelers don’t have a train of beer reefers, then they probably have a train of PFE reefers. The car in the picture seems yellowish. I remember PFE reefers as being a robust orange, usually darkened from all the dirt and grime on the sides and ends.
Here is a different color reefer.
Mechanical refrigerator car by Jim S, on Flickr
I’ll be John for the day. We don’t live in flyover country, but it would be nice to get some rain here in Delaware, too. Most of our farmland around here is used for animal corn. It’s good when we don’t see farmland being dug up for houses. Nice days for a while, 70s mostly. The cats like spending time on the back screened-in deck in this weather.
A couple of small bears have been reported in Delaware over the last couple of months. They are unusual wildlife here. Mostly all we see is waterfowl. It’s nice to see our egrets back again.
Howdy diners. Janie, grilled ham & cheese and a chocolate malt please.
Short version: The dog’s surgery went well yesterday, according to the vet.
Long version: The meniscus was still intact (thank goodness) and while the procedure was fairly indepth, the vet was happy with how it went and how everything looked. That said, we’ve had a rough 18 hours or so. As part of the procedure, they gave him an epidural which came with an unfortunate side effect. Loss of bladder control. He was fine until we got him home at which point we tried to get him to go, but he lacked the stregth/control of his rear leg(s) so it was fruitless. As soon as we laid him down inside though, the pee started coming. And coming. And coming. For about 14 hours. Just a steady dribble. Thank goodness we had plenty of training pads left over from when they were just pups. The night was spent between bouts of wimpering to almost crying. Clearly the pain meds had worn off, but we were under strict orders of no more until morning. I ended up sleeping (laying more like) by his “play pen” all night to keep an eye on him, change out pee pads, take him out, etc. Finally, on our third attempt going out (about 7:30 am), he had his stregth back and was able to relieve himself outdoors. Poor dog peed for an eternity. That seems to have brought back bladder control too. It’s good to see him starting to act more like his non-sedated self. The first of 12(!) follow up appointments this afternoon. Going to be a long few months.
Cheers to everyone. Now for a nap…[zzz]