Tropicana Questions

[ericsp]

I am trying to kitbash an HO scale model to resemble the TPIX 200 series of cars. However, the location of the fuel tank means that the brake gear needs to be moved. I have looked over the photographs on the internet. However, I have not been able to determine the placement of all of the brake gear. Does anyone know where this equipment should be on the TPIX 200 series?

Also, I was looking at some satellite photographs of the Jersey City, NJ terminal and noticed a UPFE and three VCY reefers sitting there (http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&cp=qsdr708tsfrf&style=o&lvl=2&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&scene=1892644&encType=1). At first I thought that maybe Tropicana brings in some orange juice from California. This seems unlikely since they ship orange juice out here. Perhaps Tropicana leases some space for other commodities. I wonder if they were a few reefers short and leased some from UP.

Does anyone know if that GE 70 tonner(?) is still being used?

[JSGreen]

I know there are orange juice trains out of Florida, so perhaps that is the source of the Tropicana cars.  At one time, the growing seasons of Florida and California actually complemented each other, so you would occasionally get truck loads of Citrus from Florida into California...don't know if that is still the case or not...

[ericsp]

Thanks, the Tropicana cars definitely came from Florida. I wonder where the UPFE and VCY cars came from though.

I just thought of another question. We know that the Juice Trains originate at Bradenton, FL. However, Tropicana also has a plant at Fort Pierce, FL that ships by rail. I wonder if all of these cars are shipped loose car or if they are added to the Juice Trains.

[BillyDee53]

The 'foreign' cars were probably due to a car shortage at the Tropicana plant.  I've seen juice trains in Bradenton with CSX boxcars in them.  The Ft Pierce cars are added to the cars from Bradenton, at Jacksonville.

[Andrew Falconer]

The UPFE and VCY Refrigerator Cars are commonly heading from coast to coast. Because of this CSX dispatchers might have been able to route a few down through Florida so they could move their products. If they can skillfully route locomotives to fulfill horsepower needs, then they might also work to get a few cars routed to a location to benefit the customer.

Andrew