Are express reefers necessarily be a part of a passenger train?

mikebalcos · 04-30-2008, 06:30 AM

I have an Athearn express reefer:

Athearn - HO RTR 50' Express Reefer, ARE #256

I don't know if it should necessarily be a part of a passenger train. I want it to be a part of a freight train.

jeffrey-wimberl · 04-30-2008, 07:07 AM

Express reefers can be and were used in high speed freight service as well.

Russ Bellinis · 05-01-2008, 04:17 PM

Express reefers were only used on passenger trains if there were perishables that were to be shipped at passenger speeds. If the railroad didn't have the call for them, they would leave them off the passenger train. The main difference between a standard reefer and an express reefer was that the express reefer was equipped with steam lines because the heating, cooling, and cooking in a passenger train was accomplished by the use of steam that was generated in the locomotive.

wjstix · 05-15-2008, 05:33 PM

Yes, an express reefer like yours was set up so it COULD be used on a passenger train, between the engine and the regular passenger cars. That doesn't mean it HAD to be used there, just that it could be used in passenger trains.

slekjr · 05-15-2008, 07:03 PM

There were also regular box cars fitted with steam lines and high speed trucks for LTL shipments on passenger trains.
Charlie

CNJ999 · 05-15-2008, 07:37 PM

Much would depend upon what supposed purpose the express reefer was serving. If it had highly perishable goods onboard, it would be essentially limited to the consist of some high speed, long distance passenger train.

In the case of more common, longer-lived produce, if a standard reefer wasn't available, it could have been employed and placed on a secondary train, or fast freight...and if it happened to hold something like say potatoes, it might simply be included on any old freight train.

In short, express reefers saw a wide varitety of service situations beyond what they were specifically designed for, especially if more common reefers happened to be in short supply at the moment.

So...it is really up to the operator to assign a supposed cargo suitable to the situation that places the reefer in a particular consist, passenger or freight.

CNJ999

04-30-2008, 06:30 AM	#1 (permalink)
mikebalcos Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Quezon City, the Philippines Posts: 82	Are express reefers necessarily be a part of a passenger train? I have an Athearn express reefer: Athearn - HO RTR 50' Express Reefer, ARE #256 I don't know if it should necessarily be a part of a passenger train. I want it to be a part of a freight train. __________________ http://balcos.blogsite.org

04-30-2008, 07:07 AM	#2 (permalink)
jeffrey-wimberl Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Leesville, Louisiana, USA Posts: 1,522	Express reefers can be and were used in high speed freight service as well. __________________ Jeffrey Wimberly Native American by birth, Caucasian by politics. Managing director of the Midland Gulf Railway. http://www.jeffreywimberly.proboards100.com/index.cgi

05-15-2008, 05:33 PM	#4 (permalink)
wjstix Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 204	Yes, an express reefer like yours was set up so it COULD be used on a passenger train, between the engine and the regular passenger cars. That doesn't mean it HAD to be used there, just that it could be used in passenger trains. __________________ Stix

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05-01-2008, 04:17 PM	#3 (permalink)
Russ Bellinis Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Lakewood, Ca. Posts: 4,351	Express reefers were only used on passenger trains if there were perishables that were to be shipped at passenger speeds. If the railroad didn't have the call for them, they would leave them off the passenger train. The main difference between a standard reefer and an express reefer was that the express reefer was equipped with steam lines because the heating, cooling, and cooking in a passenger train was accomplished by the use of steam that was generated in the locomotive.

05-15-2008, 07:03 PM	#5 (permalink)
slekjr Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Work SCHENLEY, PA HOME E Palestine, Ohio Posts: 761	There were also regular box cars fitted with steam lines and high speed trucks for LTL shipments on passenger trains. Charlie

05-15-2008, 07:37 PM	#6 (permalink)
CNJ999 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 104	Much would depend upon what supposed purpose the express reefer was serving. If it had highly perishable goods onboard, it would be essentially limited to the consist of some high speed, long distance passenger train. In the case of more common, longer-lived produce, if a standard reefer wasn't available, it could have been employed and placed on a secondary train, or fast freight...and if it happened to hold something like say potatoes, it might simply be included on any old freight train. In short, express reefers saw a wide varitety of service situations beyond what they were specifically designed for, especially if more common reefers happened to be in short supply at the moment. So...it is really up to the operator to assign a supposed cargo suitable to the situation that places the reefer in a particular consist, passenger or freight. CNJ999