In these modern times, are there any of these things still prowling around? I assume there has to be something someone is still shipping in these things, particularly beer. If there are, does anyone make anything in HO that works for the 1998-2009 timeframe? I know I’ve seen things about that looked like they could be insulated cars. But real world spotting was never a strong point of mine.
On a related note, I snagged one of those monster cryogenic reefers Walthers put out about 15 years ago on an impulse. I wanted one back when they were released but the layout back then couldn’t handle one. So I’m curious if these things are still out there. I’ve heard some conjecture that they didnt have much of a career.
There are a number of RBLs (Refrigerated, Bunkerless, Load restraints) running around. Atlas and Athearn make these. Some newer ones have outside bracing.
Used for beer and canned vegetables.
Most reefers around have been updated, with truck-style refrigeration units. Similar to the old Athearn car, but with the end cut opn a bit, as the newer units take less room. The newer reefers are like the Walthers CRYX car, but bigger yet, with the refrigeration unit and a fuel tank on the A-end of the car.
On a related note, I snagged one of those monster cryogenic reefers Walthers put out about 15 years ago on an impulse. I wanted one back when they were released but the layout back then couldn’t handle one. So I’m curious if these things are still out there. I’ve heard some conjecture that they didnt have much of a career.
This is a common mistake put forth by those that know very little about today’s railroads but,claim to know all about it.
I see a lot of these reefers on NS and CSX when I railfan 30 hours/week from early Spring to late fall…Relax…That’s roughly 4 1/2 hours a day…
Also beer is also shipped in 53 foot boxcars as well as tank cars…
There aren’t a lot of companies around, at least that I can see from the road, that get this sort of traffic. Going off what I see didn’t really help. And the local brewery large enough to be rail-served only gets inbound stuff and ships out by truck.
When looking for models of RBLs, I can assume that its best indicator (aside from looking on the end of the box [;)] ) is the plug door?
A couple hundred reefers (mostly ARMN mechanical or cryo reefers) roll through Omaha every day on the UP. In addition the UP runs several dedicated reefer trains several days a week from the west coast to eastern US.
Today while shopping in Reno, NV we saw a 32 car Union Pacific Eastbound refer block leaving Sparks. We weren’t close enough to see car details; they were white with black lettering and some type of refrigeration unit at one end. They were most likely loaded with lettuce from the Salinas, CA area.
Lettuce is highly unlikely. The December 2004 issue of Trains had an article titled “Fields of Dreams.” The author wrote that lettuce is not shipped by rail anymore. I do not remember if it is shipped intermodally.
UP’s perishable trains that I know of are as follows.
The first letter is the train type, the second & third are the origin, the fourth & fifth are the destination, and the P means perishables.
DL = Delfar (Delano), CA
FR = Fresno, CA
HK = Hinkle, OR
NP = North Platte, NE
PC = Pocatello, ID
RV = Roseville, CA
SK = Selkirk, NY (CSXT)
WA = Wallula, WA
WX = Waycross, GA (CSXT)
All of the CA origins are in the Central Valley. Cars from the Salinas Valley are probably added to the QRVNPP, along with cars from the northern end of the Central Valley.
If the train you saw was composed entirely of ARMN 110000 series reefers, it was the ZDLSKP. The trains from Roseville and Fresno usually have other types of cars on them, so I doubt it was either one of these.
Go to UP’s and CSXT’s websites and search for Express Lane. The November 2001 issue of Trains had an article about the Express Lane service (“Got Carrots?”). Also, do an internet search for Railex.
check out manufacturers railway of st louis for information on insulated beer cars. the fallen flags web site is a good place for photos of late equipment of this type.
It appears that there are still Arcticars in service. If you go to http://www.railcarphotos.com/ or http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/ you find many photographs of JRSX 6000 series and FURX 690000 series cars that look like Arcticars. When I looked them up in the ORER, I found they are RC class cars with dimensions about what I would expect the Arcticar dimensions to be. Most photographs were taken in 2005 or 2006, with some in 2007, and a handful in 2008. The question is whether they are still being used as RC cars or as RBLs.
I have not heard of beer being shipped in tankcars. However, Coors does ship wort in tankcars (CORX 5001-5318). Trains even did an article about that within the past couple of years.
Lettuce is highly unlikely. The December 2004 issue of Trains had an article titled “Fields of Dreams.” The author wrote that lettuce is not shipped by rail anymore. I do not remember if it is shipped intermodally.
UP’s perishable trains that I know of are as follows.
The first letter is the train type, the second & third are the origin, the fourth & fifth are the destination, and the P means perishables.
DL = Delfar (Delano), CA
FR = Fresno, CA
HK = Hinkle, OR
NP = North Platte, NE
PC = Pocatello, ID
RV = Roseville, CA
SK = Selkirk, NY (CSXT)
WA = Wallula, WA
WX = Waycross, GA (CSXT)
All of the CA origins are in the Central Valley. Cars from the Salinas Valley are probably added to the QRVNPP, along with cars from the northern end of the Central Valley.
If the train you saw was composed entirely of ARMN 110000 series reefers, it was the ZDLSKP. The trains from Roseville and Fresno usually have other types of cars on them, so I doubt it was either one of these.
Go to UP’s and CSXT’s websites and search for Express Lane. The November 2001 issue of Trains had an article about the Express Lane service (“Got Carrots?”). Also, do an internet sear
Coors still ships its beer in insulated boxcars as they do not pasturize their beer and it must be kept cold (which is why I never buy Coors if it is not in a cooler).
Also, many boxcars have been insulated and are not listed as RBL’s but as XLI’s which is that the DT&I used for its Campbell Soup business. They were shipped in insulated cars not to keep them cool but to keep them from freezing in winter months’s.
I wonder which RBL are/were more common, the Evans Double Plug 53’ cars, or the PC&F 50’ and 60’ RBLs? The Evans RBLs hauled mainly canned goods and wood products, while the 60’/62’ RBLs haul beer. What about the haulage of the 50’ PC&Fs, which look like a shorter version of the 60’ cars?
The PCF RBLs haul out various canned fruit and vegetable products. They also haul beer and possibly wine. Much the same as the 60’ RBLs.
The Railshop cars are nice models. I have 12 of them, about half from when they were made by Eel River Models. One thing I like about them is that they are offered as kits. Those were the first cars I bought that had the sides and ends a separate pieces. Before I began building them, I was afraid it would be really difficult. However, I found them easier to build than I thought they would be.
