ATSF #101438, one of a hundred specially-built "Conditionaire" centerflow hoppers purchased by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway in 1972.
This is a Mechanical Reefer. Are any modeles available. More information about them and similar Burlington Northern cars built 1969 (have not found photos of the BN cars) on this site:
http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/Refrigerator_car
I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.
I don't have a leg to stand on.
The only Conditionaire hoppers I've ever heard of are from Digital Fox (ATSF and NP) but their website says they're sold out. Ebay is probably your best bet. They are illustrated on DF's website, however, if you're interested.
Thankyou cabman. They look like nicely done stand ins - standard center flows with conditionaire lettering. insulation represented by paint, but no refrigeration equipment.
Found this with a photo of a model made by modifing a centerflow and lettering with decals. http://www.trainboard.com/highball/index.php?threads/santa-fe-conditionaire-hoppers.73366/ I think the texture is a little overdone.
The Santa Fe cars are in series 101400-101499, built 4-72. They were gone by April of 1980. Not signalling great success in the design.
Here's a shot of "the guys" doing the lettering on one of the Santa Fe cars:
The BN cars that are similar are in series 453000-453060. I couldn't find any pictures, neither, except for this teeny one from Digital Fox:
They ARE listed as RLO cars (same as Santa Fe) and there is a comment saying "...Heating-Cooling-Air Circulation..." which pretty much says they were mechanical reefers, too. There were still 2 left in the April 1980 ORER (453002, 453048), so they were obviously on the way out, too.
There were also the NP cars, series 419910-419960 (built 1969), which look also to be remarkably similar:
The first ten NP cars were owned by ACF, at first. So there's another paint scheme. Plus, there was another NP paint scheme--a bit more wordy.
These cars were all 4600 covered hoppers, so you could make them from the Accurail or the upcoming Athearn.
I'm sure Athearn would consider making models of these IF someone gave them good, detailed pictures of the variou versions. Operative word: "consider". Good news is: (1) they'd only have to make up the special parts for the conversion and (2) figure out how to apply the spray insulation and (3) they're very interesting cars for two popular railroads. Bad news is (1) and (2) above, plus they were only around for maybe 8 years or so.
I know I'd buy one of each.
Ed
They were used to ship potatoes and oranges. Unfortunately they found out that loading such crops from the top of the car did damage to those crops.
azrail They were used to ship potatoes and oranges. Unfortunately they found out that loading such crops from the top of the car did damage to those crops.
Visions of orange juice and "potato juice" leaking out of the bottom of the cars come to mind.
Perhaps they could have loaded both into one car and had a head start on producing a Screwdriver.