Large Scale Central

Proto Reefers to Models?

Prototypes
#1

We all can spot a old style reefer car with its roof top hatches and smaller hinged insulated doors but I’m wondering when the ice boxes went away in favor of the mechanical refrigerator units?

In my collection is a mix of old style wood boxcar and reefer and newer style steel boxcars. If I wanted to paint a model of a modern boxcar and have it be a reefer what characteristics designate that car as a reefer? I’m drawing a blank and I can’t think of any modern style models of reefers. Did Aristo, LGB or USAT make one?

Years ago I was excited to get some stickers from my favorite brewery so without thought I stuck them on a regular boxcar, BIG oops since their beer needs to be kept cold and I’m paying more attention to details now. I would like to paint up another boxcar but make it a modern one with smooth sides since it is easier to stick decals on that.

Do modern reefers look like any other boxcar today with the refrigerator units either in the ends or underneath?

Inquiring minds want to know.

#2

Modern Reefer’s

Modern reefers have a refrigeration unit built in on one end, usually identified by the grill on the end.

#3

or the refrigeration unit showing on one end

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#4

USA trains makes a modern 50 mechanical reefer, Like the picture that Ken has posted… The first of these series were with the grills and totally enclosed within the car…

Lately, )with the past few years), when these cars are being refurbished, they are cutting off the roof over the refrigerator unit, and taking out the grills and just leaving a hole in that are… The refrigeration units on the refurbished cars are now the same as the refrigeration units on semi-truck refrigerator trailers… For maintenance purposes on the refrigeration units, they just lift out the whole unit, and replace it with a working unit… The old broken down unit, is then taken for repair… This allows the car itself, to stay in service…

There are also newer, 60 ft refrigerator cars in service, where the whole refrigeration unit and it’s fuel tank are all outside the car, on one end… As in the picture posted by Hollywood…

#5

In the picture below, if you look at the close end of the CSXT reefer, you can see where the side is taken out where the old mechanical unit sat… Mounted on the wall, you can see the semi-truck refrigeration unit hanging on the wall… This is type of rebuilds I am talking about…

#6

Ok that makes sense. I really was drawing a blank.

When I watch videos of modern layouts I will have to keep a close eye to see how many are running reefers. When you look at the models that USAT offers most of them are reefers. I wonder if this has more to do with having a larger area to detail with roadnames and artwork due to the smaller doors then representing a prototype.

If I wanted to keep my wood sided beer Cape Cod Beer car but update it I could make a mechanical unit and fuel tank for it and stick them on one end or to keep it really simple I could put a couple of vents at one end.

Thanks for the photos boys and girls.

#7

Reefers also have plug doors, to seal out the heat. Or seal in the cold. However you want to look at it.

The standard boxcar (Aristo, USA) has a sliding door. Although Aristo started making plug door boxcars just before they dried up and blew away. I also have a Lionel plug door boxcar, but its a bit short to call it a 40 foot car in 1:29 scale.

#8

USA has a line of 50 ft Mechanical reefers, and they also have a nice line of 50 ft boxcars… Just because it has a plug door, does not make it a reefer…

USA’s 50 ft boxcars come with a single door, double door, or a single & a plug door, all shapes and sizes…

#9

double post, sorry…

#10

Andy Clarke said:

USA has a line of 50 ft Mechanical reefers, and they also have a nice line of 50 ft boxcars… Just because it has a plug door, does not make it a reefer…

USA’s 50 ft boxcars come with a single door, double door, or a single & a plug door, all shapes and sizes…

I didn’t say that plug door cars are reefers, I said reefers have plug doors. So to bash up a reefer it would need to have a plug door.

#11

Dave Marconi said:

or the refrigeration unit showing on one end

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That makes it handy. When it breaks down, just drop it off at your local ThermoKing dealer…(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

Looks like Rooster got a hold of that one.