GreatNortherner wrote:Haha!
Mike, the 35' reefer is absolutely on my list. The express boxcar looks very cool too, and I think I should have most necessary parts already modeled. Thanks for the pictures.
Cheers,
Michael
The top picture is actually an express refrigerator franked for the SP/UP jointly operated Pacific Fruit Express, but Pullman Standard did make some express freight cars on the same pattern. ordinarily, the old reefers and express freight cars were painted in Pullman green, the same as the early heavyweight passenger cars. Later schemes/liveries were still keyed to the trains they'd be with. The express cars were set up to run on the head end, so they had through steam and electrical lines in addition to the brakes.
Even today, Amtrak runs express fruit loads, one trip we took on the Empire Builder had us stop in Wenatchee, WA to pick up a refrigerator carload of apples for Chicago. now, the freight rides at the rear, as the cars are not equipped for the hotel pass throughs.