Greetings All,
ATSF Mechanical Temperature Control Refrigerators
and a Burlington Northern RBL Boxcar
A search for the distinctive ATSF MTC reefers recently bore fruit me to add three ATSF Mechanical Temperature Control 50' refrigerator cars and one BN/Western Fruit Express RBL to my model railroad fleet. All of the models are Athearn Ready to Run models that come with metal wheelsets and knuckle couplers..
SFRC 51398 and RBBN 64263.
SFRD 2103 and SFRP 2194.
I've been looking to add the MTC reefers to my fleet for sometime and was happy to find these three in new or like new condition for very reasonable prices from an online seller. The RBBN Burlington Northern-Western Fruit Express RBL adds another WFE car to the existing fleet.
Prototype Information
The following prototype information was provided by Eric Hiser, author of the long running Transportation Series in the Operations Special Interest Group official magazine The Dispatcher's Office. Where appropriate are links to photos of the below mentioned freight cars.
SFRD = marks used on both ice bunker and mechanical cars until 1963, when mechanical changed to SFRP.
SFRC = Mechanical refrigerator car with load dividers starting in 1955.
SFRP = Mechanical refrigerator car without loaders or load dividers starting 1963.
Others that you may see:
SFRB = Insulated car starting 1955
SFRE = Insulated car with load dividers starting in 1962
SFRA = Insulated car without load divers in 1962.
SFRM = Mechanical car in meat service starting in 1962 (meat service = meat rails)
SFRF = Liquid nitrogen car.
SFRD cars would be mostly ice bunker or mechanical cars (prior to 1963) assigned to fruit and vegetable service.
SFRP cars would likely be similar but with a broader variety of loads after 1963.
The SFRC unit is likely at Rr-89 and the SFRP is likely an Rr-60. The SFRD is likely a foobie number. I don't see class assignment information for these two classes so I don't specifically know what they were used for.
Additional Prototype Information
A 1971 freight schedule and total car count for the ATSF showed that this railroad had 75,246 freight cars, piggyback trailers and containers in service. Of these were 9,588 reefers with 3,594 Mechanical Temperature Control refrigerator cars. 3,298 SFRC, 11 SFRMs, 289 SFRPs, 4 SFRF.
The ATSF also rostered 1,922 refrigerated 40' trailers.
SFTZ 40' standard trailer, August 1965.
Other Uses
Protective Heater Service
When thinking of Ice reefers, Mechanical Refrigerator or Mechanical Temperature Control cars I've looked at them for solely keeping the cars lading cool, cold or frozen. In the Eric Hiser Transportation Series article in the October 2024 Dispatcher's Office he focuses on Protective Heater Service which opened up some additional movements for these types of cars on the layout.
Ice bunker type reefers would us use charcoal briquettes, fuel oil or alcohol liquid fuel heaters to keep their loads from freezing. Mechanical Refrigerators use diesel fuel to power the temperature control units.
Heater Territories
Heater territories encompassed much of the Northern and Central states. Heater territory 1 encompassed the northwest and midwestern states and heater territory 2 covered the northeast.
Date Range
Carrier Protective Service ran from October 15th to April 15th inclusive. The mechanical control cars in service on the layout between these dates could be used to move freight that needs to be protected from the cold or heat or both.
New Traffic
Shippers
Shippers requesting these cars during the above timeframe would be Drywell Inks to protect the water based ink from freezing which it does at around 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
Schaefer Brewery to protect the one beer to have when having more than one from freezing at around 28 degrees.
Two ATSF reefers are spotted at Drywell Inks for loading.
New Traffic
Consignees
Consignees receiving these cars during the above timeframe could be
Neal's Lumber & Hardware, American Hardware Supply, Montgomery-Ward when receiving latex paint which freezes at around 32 degrees.
Lightning Press, Berk Enterprises when receiving water based ink.
Another ATSF reefer delivers latex paint to Neal's Lumber & Hardware.
Model Information
Freight Car Anomalies
When getting these cars ready for service I noted that all cars were in the Athearn RTR line but each car had different types of screws holding the trucks in place and the couplers varied from EZ Mate semi scale to EZ Mate couplers without springs.
The four new freight cars have received a shot of Testor's Dullcote, Kadee couplers, and the trucks and wheel faces are painted flat black. The cars are now ready for revenue service on the layout.
The ATSF Mechanical Temperature Control Refrigerator cars are classified as RPs. Boxcars with or without ventilation but with mechanical means of temperature control by means other that the cars axle(s). Note these cars have fuel tanks for the diesel operated temperature control units located inside the car above them.
SFRD 2103 has a smaller ATSF herald, the same slogan in different lettering and a black roof.
On the other side of the car is "The Route Of El Capitan" slogan. The white marking on top of the car above the door is the cars road number.
BN / RBBN 64263 is classified as an RBL (Reefer Bunker Less) freight car that is heavily insulated but has no means of mechanical temperature control or ventilation.
Check out the RM-12 heading to Terminal Yard.
After arriving at Terminal Yard the new cars get moved to Bedford, NY with purloined B&O power for delivery to Ralph's Grocery Warehouse.
Time to get these engines back to the engine terminal before the 16th Street Yard guys realize they are missing!!!
Final Thoughts and Comments
I'd like to express a big thank you to Eric Hiser for his ongoing articles in the Dispatcher's Office magazine and taking the time to respond to my questions. The information provided in both is much appreciated and has benefitted my model railroad operations big time.
The Transportation Series Heater Protective Service article was an aha moment that gave me non traditional shippers and consignees on the layout during the timeframe this was happening. A reefer car at Drywell Inks in December no longer looks weird to me.
The ATSF MTC cars were on my to buy list for a long time and patience finally paid off when these cars became available for very reasonable prices. The BN RBL adds another Western Fruit Express freight car to the fleet which makes a nice block of reefers when run together.
Additional Links
Thanks for reading and watching!!!
See You Soon!!!