PC Hot Shot Reefer Action

Greetings Blog Followers,

A hot shot reefer train rolled through Empire City Station yesterday behind my two newest PC locomotives. The highlights of the train consist are 3  jade green custom painted NYC cars, 2 jade green custom painted PC cars, 3 Tropicana cars received from interchange with the Atlantic Pacific RR and 3 Lehigh Valley RR N.I.R.X. cars.

The NYC PC custom painted cars are 4 Bachmann  and 1 Model Power. The cars were purchased about 20 years ago in road names and paint jobs that I did not care for. They sat in the bottom of a box for many years seldom being used. After deciding to repaint and re-letter the cars I upgraded them with metal wheels, body mounted Kadees and appropriate weights. The cars were painted using rattle can jade green and lettered with Micro-scale decals.

The 3 Tropicana cars are from Athearn (Blue Box), Lionel and TYCO. The TYCO car is 60' and carries FEC reporting marks. These cars were purchased used from a former L.H.S. for the princely price of $1.00 each. The cars received metal wheels, additional weight and body mounted Kadees. Tropicana started shipping in bulk via train from Bradenton FL to Kearny NJ in 1970.  In 1971 the "Juice Train" was the first unit train in the food industry and consisted of 150 cars. An additional 100 cars were soon added. The Penn Central hauled the train from Potomac Yard in VA to Kearny NJ and back. The "Juice Train" continues today behind CSX power.   

The Atlantic Pacific Rail Road is a short line railroad that serves heavy industrial areas. The APRR interchanges with several class 1 rail roads and serves the final mile from yard to customer and back. Excellent customer service are the hallmarks of the APRRs success and they continue to operate under the leadership of long time CEO Neal M.  

The 3 N.I.R.X. Lehigh Valley Cars were purchased new from the former International Hobby Corp in Philadelphia PA at least 15 years ago for the exorbitant amount of $2.00 each. The cars have received new numbers, additional weight, metal wheels and body mounted couplers. The N.I.R.X. reporting marks belong to General Electric Rail Services and I believe a total of 4 cars were purchased by General Electric and leased to the Lehigh Valley. I have a total of six of these cars however the other three are awaiting metal wheels and not yet available for interchange.