1958-1963 Mechanical Reefers? 50' 57' PFE ATSF

[Anonymous]

Between the late 50's and early 60's, were PFE reefers common in 50' and 57'?
Or was it mainly still 40' PFE and Santa Fe? Also, the santa fe 57' and 50' reefers with the blue doors, when did they come about? late sixties? Thanks, bnsf97

[Anonymous]

50 foot reefers were common in your time frame, the 57 foot reefer came out about 63-64,but not athearns model,that's newer, concor made one that fits in '63 pretty close. these are for ho scale.

[Anonymous]

thanks, yea im modeling HO.

[ericsp]

The Con-Cor reefers are still available. Con-Cor states they are models of R-70-16s (which were built in 1966). However, with some minor changes they could represent R-70-14s and R-70-15s (I am still trying to figure out what these changes are, perhaps there is not external difference). It seems like the R-70-13s had a different roof pattern.

Athearn's cars are models of the first order of R-70-20s (1200 cars). I know BAR had similar reefers (now with UP), however I am not sure of the roof rib pattern.

I would say that in the late 1950s, 40 foot reefers probably significantly outnumbered 50' reefers, but I will have to check my PFE book about that.

[SSW9389]

From what I have read the very last of the ice reefers were used into the early 1970s by PFE.