Reefer Madness!

[hobo1960]

few more that slipped in during morning coffee time here..

[ozinoz]

Hadn't realised there was such a variety of cars. Certainly going to liven things up

[mindenjohn]

"Billboard" cars were banned in the 1930s so most of these repaints are more appropriate earlier than that but....... it's your Railroad and who cares about Anti-Trust law, it only applies everywhere else!

[hobo1960]

Ok...for a quick snapshot on Reefer Cars being banned -- they weren't.

They weren't banned because they still exist. Advertising on rail cars continues right up through today, across America (and probably the world, I dare say - based on my web excursions).

Now, technically' there were serious restrictions placed upon the use of billboard cars. Such cars were banned for interchange service .

What happened was that the ICC said customers didn't have to ship their products in cars with advertising for a product that wasn't theirs. Budweiser didn't have to use a car lettered for Miller Beer. That made Railroad-owned cars with billboard lettering unattractive for railroads. If a private car owner wanted to put billboard lettering on one of their cars for use in moving their products, that was perfectly fine. Swift meats had billboard reefers up until the end of their rail fleets because Swift cars were owned by Swift Meats and hauled Swift products.

Similarly, chemical companies that lease cars for their service frequently letter them for the products they carry.

That being said, private owner cars represented less than twenty percent of the national fleet back in the 1920's and they are likely more than half of the fleet today.

Later, in the 1930's as the new streamliner trains came along, railroads realized they could use their freight cars to advertise them. So one could soon see boxcars and other equipment with large lettering, new slogans and heralds promoting a railroad's new service -- think B&O Timesaver service, New York Central's Pacemaker, etc.

In films and photos in the 1940's one can find interesting advertising cars across the railroad systems in the U.S.

Moving forward through the 1950's and into the 1960's billboard/advertising car were very prominent -- how about Linde Industrial Gases in big bold lettering on a wide white stripe, to name but one prominent company car. Private owned reefers, virtually all tank cars (railroad owned tank cars were primarily company service and non-revenue), specialized covered hoppers (airslides, carbon black, chemicals), Railway Express Agency cars (boxcars, reefers, express baggage cars), government owned cars (Army, Navy, Air Force, Dept. of Defense, Atomic Energy Commission, etc.); and some high capacity cars, all employed some form of advertising.

Starting in the 1970's thousands of grain cars across the Midwest (think Lincoln Grains etc.) began using 'advertising' schemes on their cars. Additionally, numerous chemical and manufacturing companies employed 'advertising' schemes on their cars - DOW, Dupont, Huber, Englehardt, ADM Corn Syrup to name but a few.

Aren't these cars all employing 'billboard advertising?'

Anyway, that's my understanding on the history of billboard/advertising cars. Just thought I'd offer a bit of context.

Now...are my repaints useable? I think so. But as was stated above, this is a game and one can adjust reality to fit one's tastes if so desired.

And, after all, they're free!

KevinB

P.S. Many of my paints should really be placed on an older 33ft or 36ft all-wood reefer but as I hadn't found one, I did as most model railroaders have done for years, I used the 40ft reefer cars instead.

[goddrauG]

There were boxcars with the words "Wednesday is Prince Spaghetti day!" prowling the tracks of New England right up to the 80s and 90s. The practice of advertising on railcars is definitely not unheard of, especially in recent memory.

What better way to advertise than to have your company rolling across the nation?

[mindenjohn]

I agree, it wasn't me that introduced the restriction. I am not young but I am NOT that old!!!

[ozinoz]

Kevin,

Thanks for the insight. As you said, it's my railroad and I'll play how I want to

They just help bring it all to life. We had a few variations here in Australia, but nothing like there.

Thanks so much for taking on this project.

[hobo1960]

Back in December of 2008, The WSOR ran a Christmas deliver train which delivered pre-ordered Christmas trees. One of the sponsors was Sargento Cheese, who helped pay for the trees delivered by the train.

So... WSOR painted up a RBL box car [s/n 503194] in a scheme similar to that worn by Sargento Cheese's trucks.

I'd certainly call this a Billboard Reefers...er...Boxcar...!

[goddrauG]

That's a pretty solid looking boxcar

[hobo1960]

Well, I just can't escape that Reefer Madness...

Set 3 of Wood reefers got a boost last night after doing some reading and exploring my photos and 'to do' list.

So already have a good start on set 3...enjoy pics.

KevinB

[hobo1960]

...

[buzz456]

[hobo1960]

These cars deserve their own explanation...

One of the reasons I enjoy reefer cars, besides the color they add to railroading, is the wonderful and delightful history that often comes from exploring these cars.

A case in point is these two sets of cars I've just finished -- Crazy Water Crystals and Pluto Water.

Here's a quick overview of these two wonderful products:

Crazy Water
The "Crazy" Water Crystals Plant in Mineral Wells, Texas was built in 1919. Mineral water was boiled down in the plant, until only the mineral crystals were left. The crystals became an early version of "instant food" when dissolved in water. They were advertised as a natural laxative. Radio advertising in the 1930's over the Texas Quality Network, direct from the lobby of the Crazy Hotel, developed a market for the "Crazy Water Crystals" all over the world.

The "Crazy Well" was so named after the symptoms of a woman with mental illness were observed to improve after drinking the water for an extended period. Cures for a variety of other illnesses have been attributed to the "Crazy Water", but not supported by scientific evidence. One medical historian noted that lithium is present in trace amounts in many Texas wells, and is also currently used as a treatment for depression.

Crazy Water Crystals were shipped by rail nationwide in response to demand created by radio advertising.

===========================

Pluto Water
Pluto Water was a trademark for a strongly laxative natural water product which was very popular in the United States in the early 20th century.

The water was bottled at the French Lick Springs, in French Lick, Indiana, a location with natural mineral springs that was also the source of the competing Sprudel Water.

The water's laxative properties were from its high native content of mineral salts, with the active ingredient listed as sodium and magnesium sulfate, which are known as natural laxatives. The water's high native content of mineral salts generally made it effective within one hour of ingestion, a fact the company emphasized in their promotional literature. Company advertisements stated the laxative was effective from a half-hour to two hours after ingestion. The water was an extremely popular product. In 1919, it took 450 railroad cars to transport the bottler’s output.

The active ingredient of Pluto water was listed as sodium and magnesium sulfate, which are known as natural laxatives. The water also contains a number of other minerals, most notably lithium salts. The sale of Pluto water was halted in 1971 when lithium became a controlled substance.

Advertised as "America's Laxative", Pluto Water used the slogan "When Nature Won't, Pluto Will". The many advertisements featured an image of Pluto, the Roman god of the underworld, reflecting the water's underground origin.

I just love history!

[hobo1960]

..photo proof...hh...just in case their are doubters. ;)

[buzz456]