Modern 57' Reefer Cars?

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1

I know most of the reefers seen on the rails today are the large 64’ variety with the external refrigeration unit on the end. I have a few of the ARMN reefers from BLMA. As I understand it, these types of reefers only go between a small number of large refrigerated transport warehouses in the country?

What about smaller industries that use reefers? Do they still use 57-footers?

I model modern-era UP and also have a whole bunch of UPFE/SPFE 57’ reefers. Are they all obsolete now, or are they still in use?

2

I think there may be some 57’ cars left, but many have been scrapped. BNSF scrapped their entire BN/ATSF fleet(there appear to be a few floating around in company service, minus their refrigeration equipment), and replaced them with even an larger version of the TrinCool 64’ car(72’ long). My understanding is that UP is now ordering the 72’ version as well. I suspect we will see models of these monsters in the future. Many of these cars predate 1974, and are affected by the 40 year ‘rule’ - 2014 is approaching fast, and they also will need to replace the refrigeration units to meet EPA Tier 4 standards next year.

IIRC, the FGE and ‘Juice Train’ may be still using the 57’ cars. Most of the produce seems to go via truck, but I am sure you can find some packing houses still shipping by rail,

Jim

3

I see the older 57’ cars frequently on the nearby UP, so some shippers must be using them. It’s been a long time since I saw any with the old diesel powered refrigeration units, as everything now seems to have the semi-style units. I haven’t seen a reefer in the old PFE/UPFE/SPFE schemes recently either (which makes some sense to me if the cars were repainted when the refrigeration units were swapped out).

Remember that the 57’ reefers dated mostly from the late 60s-early 70s, so are running afoul of the 40-year underframe rule unless they’ve been reworked for 50-year compliance. Some must have been as there are still late-60s style peak-roof cars in service. Sheer age will claim most of the remaining cars soon enough. I’m not sure if any will end up meeting the new 65-year rule.

4

The PCF ARMN reefers are former SPFE and (mostly) UPFE. I think all of the former PFE reefers that did not get rebuilt were scrapped a few years ago. I don’t remember the year, but a few years on more than one occasion I saw several UPFE reefers without doors.

From time to time I will see an occasional NRDX (Cold Train), former SPFE reefers.

All of the PCF built reefers, and most of the FGE built reefers, are over 40 years old. The ARMN rebuild must have been an AAR Rule 88 rebuild. The Code of Federal Regulations has restrictions on operating cars 50 years old or older, so I suspect there will be massive retirements of the the PCF reefers from 2015 to 2021 and FGE reefers from 2019 to 2023.

In this post, reefer refers only to mechanical refrigerator boxcars. There are insulated boxcars (designated RBL or RB) that are classified as reefers.

5

I saw quite a few 57’ reefers while out today, including from a bridge over a UP yard. Many of the reefers in evidence had brackets on the roof where running boards were initially installed, indicating build dates of 1966 or earlier. Some of these were apparently in blocks with other types of reefers, such as the larger and newer “Cryo-Trans” cars. None were with the newest “Trin-Cool” type cars.

6

Casual observation indicates about 5% of the Juice Train is 57’ cars. And maybe about 15% of that are CSX, not Tropicana.

7

Thanks for the report! Which UP yard is this? Did you see any 57’s in PFE livery (either white or orange)?

As I understand, the Trin-Cool cars run either in unit trains, or are part of autorack or intermodal trains. They never run alongside other reefers.

8

This was UP’s North Yard in Salt Lake City. No sign of any orange/yellow/white PFE scheme cars. All were the newer ARMN repaints. They were in several different trains, plus I saw some more in another train outside the yard.

9

The 57 ft reefers are all over the place. They come through Omaha all the time. ALL PFE and SPFE cars have been rebuilt as ARMN cars. There are no orange PFE/SPFE reefers anymore.

10

Very interesting. This is the kind of info I was looking for. Thanks!

11

They are pretty much in every UP manifest train on the east-west main between N Platte and Chicago and between N Platte and the pacific NW or California.

There is a PFE maintenance facility at Council Bluffs (14th Ave & 17th St).

Here’s a line of reefers to be loaded with meat products at a packing plant in Fremont, NE

And the plant:

12

Just watched a Juice Train pass. Nearly a third of the train was older 57’ reefers. And more than half of the 57s were still painted orange.

13

The company I work for did a huge addition to the Birdseye plant in Darien, WI. All of the reefers I seen there were 57’ Switched by the WSOR, they brought frozen bulk veggies in and packaged products out, although a large number of the out-going was by truck. Most of the reefer cars were white, and had a very faded “Real Cold” or “Solid Gold” lettering on them, usually in blue. I think thats what it said. I didn’t get too much of a chance to be right up close.