Manufacturers

Home>Freight Cars & Loads>Freight Cars>Refrigerator Cars/Reefers>57' Mechanical Reefer - Green Bay & Western 11216

57' Mechanical Reefer - Green Bay & Western 11216

57' Mechanical Reefer - Green Bay & Western 11216


£20.99

Athearn

ATH-17522

MODEL FEATURES:

  • Fully assembled and ready for your layout
  • Razor sharp printing and painting
  • Weighted for optimum performance
  • Body mounted McHenry scale knuckle spring couplers installed
  • Machined 33” metal wheels
  • McHenry operating scale knuckle couplers
  • Window packaging for easy viewing
  • Interior plastic blister safely holds the model for convenient storage
  • Minimum radius: 10”

 

PROTOTYPE HISTORY:

Pacific Car and Foundry responded to the railroad’s migration from ice stored in bunkers as a primary cooling system to the diesel mechanical systems. The mechanical reefers could keep a more regular temperature, often times colder then what the ice bunker cars could at the time. Initially mechanical reefers were used primarily in frozen food service. This would soon change as mechanical refrigeration began to replace ice-based systems. Soon after, mechanical refrigeration units replaced the “armies” of personnel required to re-ice the cars. Several different deliveries of the PC&F 57’ mechanical to many different railroads in the mid to late 1960s. Many have been rebuilt and are still in service today.

Bangor and Aroostook often leased it’s reefer fleet to Pacific Fruit Express in the off season for the railroad. This turned out to be a peak season for PFE in California.

Green Bay and Western purchased several classes of 57’ Mechanicals from the BAR. Many were hastily patched and put into service. The GB&W cars were often seen on the North Western Pacific in California carrying butter from the Humbolt Bay to eastern markets. http://www.greenbayroute.com/orerdetail.htm#GBW11100RPL

Specifications

PROTOTYPE MANUFACTURER:Pacific Car & Foundry
COUPLER STYLE:McHenry Scale Knuckle
ERA:1960 - Present