[PRR-talk] General Reefer Train Question

[Bruce Smith]

On Wed, June 4, 2008 6:49 pm, Ted Andrews wrote:
>
> Listers:
>
> What was the typical consist for reefer trains on the Pennsy? Trains like
> NW-86 and NW-88 had different blocks of cars but what was the consist of
> each block? Were these blocks typically of the same road like ATSF, PFE,
> FGE or was it a general collection of different roads?

Ted,

It depends on many things including era, the specific train and the
direction of traffic.  For example, in WWII, all reefers were placed in a
national pool and therefore the ratio on the PRR should approximate the
national ratios, with PFE first, SFRD second and the FGE/WFE/BRE
consortium next.  At other times, the reefer owners controlled the traffic
and reefers generally carried the produce produced by their owning roads. 
So, for eastern and southern produce, these would have been predominantly
in FGE reefers going north and west.  OTOH, western produce would have
been in FGE and SFRD reefers, while northwestern produce would have been
in FGE/WFE/BRE reefers.  These would have been arranged into destination
blocks at the PRR portals or along the PRR, so for eastward travel, I
would expect mixed blocks of PFE, SFPR and FGE/WFE/BRE for each
destination.  After all, Philly needed lettuce AND cantaloupes AND apples.

Regards
Bruce

Bruce Smith
Auburn, Al