08-15-2012, 05:32 PM
There was an implication in the post that ice bunker produce reefers might carry meat on the return trip home (to Southern California). Not true. Produce reefers and meat reefers are not interchangeable. Meat reefers (Type RA, RAM and RSM) and produce reefers (Type RS) are not the same and were not used interchangeably. Produce reefers, when they returned home, carried dry loads only.
On the Railway Bull Shippers Group (<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Railway_Bull_Shippers_Group/">http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Railway_B ... ers_Group/</a><!-- m -->) Doug Harding gave a good explanation about the some of differences between a meat reefer and a produce reefer. Below is what he had to say.
The reason for brine tanks in meat reefers and not other reefers was meat required colder temps than fruit and produce when shipped. The salt enabled colder temps. Thus meat reefers required lots of salt. The only reefers that required more were the frozen food reefers, which also had heavier insulation. But most of these came into play in the 50's and I believe were of a steel design.
Another distinction with all meat reefers, not just those with brine tanks, the ice melt never entered the car proper. The ice bunkers were sealed from the load, so no melt could contaminate the load.
Produce reefers, which might have ice blown on top of the load, were equipped (in later years) with fans so cold air from the bunker could be blown into the load area. You will not find a circulation fan on a meat reefer. The nature of produce/regular reefers were such that water/melt from the ice bunker could be on the floor in the load area. These kind of reefers had drains open all the time, so ice in the ice bunker or ice on the load could melt and run off 24/7. This was the dripping one might experience if track side.
Doug Harding
<!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.iowacentralrr.org">www.iowacentralrr.org</a><!-- w -->
On the Railway Bull Shippers Group (<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Railway_Bull_Shippers_Group/">http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Railway_B ... ers_Group/</a><!-- m -->) Doug Harding gave a good explanation about the some of differences between a meat reefer and a produce reefer. Below is what he had to say.
The reason for brine tanks in meat reefers and not other reefers was meat required colder temps than fruit and produce when shipped. The salt enabled colder temps. Thus meat reefers required lots of salt. The only reefers that required more were the frozen food reefers, which also had heavier insulation. But most of these came into play in the 50's and I believe were of a steel design.
Another distinction with all meat reefers, not just those with brine tanks, the ice melt never entered the car proper. The ice bunkers were sealed from the load, so no melt could contaminate the load.
Produce reefers, which might have ice blown on top of the load, were equipped (in later years) with fans so cold air from the bunker could be blown into the load area. You will not find a circulation fan on a meat reefer. The nature of produce/regular reefers were such that water/melt from the ice bunker could be on the floor in the load area. These kind of reefers had drains open all the time, so ice in the ice bunker or ice on the load could melt and run off 24/7. This was the dripping one might experience if track side.
Doug Harding
<!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.iowacentralrr.org">www.iowacentralrr.org</a><!-- w -->