# Questions . . .



## GNfan (Jun 3, 2016)

1) Does anyone know what the prototype was for the cars Bachmann calls "reefers" with the little steps in the center? Most of mine say "Insulated", but so does a Pennsy 50-foot boxcar Bachmann sells as did those DRG&W 40-foot "Cookie Box" cars.

2) Does any know what the offset "DF" logo means on many older boxcars?

3) Back in the ice-reefer era, did the Milwaukee Road and Northern Pacific ever use the same icing facility? There are places here in Washington where the two tracks weren't 50 feet from each other. I ask this because www.modeltrainstuff.com has both NP and MILW Athearn 50-foot ice bunker reefers in stock, and I'm thinking traction_fan might know the answer. 

Thanks


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## Guest (Jun 13, 2016)

I don't know the answers to questions 1 and 3 but I can answer question 2. The "DF" stands for "Damage Free". Cars with the letters on the door had some kind of way to secure the loads inside so they couldn't move around and be damaged.

Good luck with your other questions. Hopefully, someone here will know the answers.


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## spookshow (Jun 5, 2015)

Bachmann started referring to their 50' mechanical reefers as "ACF" reefers in 2012, but I've never been able to find any more specific prototype information than that. Knowing Bachmann, the base model may not be an accurate rendition of any one particular car.

Cheers,
-Mark


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*"Reefers" & parallel trackage*

parallel


GNfan said:


> 1) Does anyone know what the prototype was for the cars Bachmann calls "reefers" with the little steps in the center? Most of mine say "Insulated", but so does a Pennsy 50-foot boxcar Bachmann sells as did those DRG&W 40-foot "Cookie Box" cars.
> 
> 2) Does any know what the offset "DF" logo means on many older boxcars?
> 
> ...


GNfan;

Your Bachman "reefers" may, in fact, be insulated boxcars. True refrigerated (A.K.A. reefer) cars were, well, refrigerated. (Duh!) Classic reefers were cooled by icing, more modern,mechanical, ones by refrigeration equipment mounted in the car. Insulated boxcars were not cooled at all. Their construction was similar to reefers, but they did not have ice hatches, or refrigeration equipment. They were used to transport dry goods that needed to be kept slightly cool, and moisture free; but not cold. Such freight would not rot, if not kept cold; like the fresh meat or produce shipped in reefers.

As to the using the same icing platform question, the answer is yes, and no. A train of either railroad might contain reefers from other roads, that were being forwarded.. In this case, you might see Santa Fe,DRGW, C&NW, Etc. reefers spotted at the Northern Pacific's icing platform. However The actual platform and facilities, for icing, were typically the private property of one company. That company's direct competitors would be unlikely to forward their prime, "hot shot" freight over "the enemy's" rails. There were exceptions, particularly when washouts closed part of a main line; but in general, each company shipped its own. Some icing platforms, particularly those near "Union Stations" were used by any road that was a tenant of that station. This again was an unusual exception to the rule.
Tracks of those two, and other, companies being close together was common. NP and Milw tracks often paralleled each other for miles. In some places, close enough to resemble a double track mainline of one railroad. The four transcontinental railroads that served Seattle, ( GN, NP, UP, and MILW) each had their own trackage into the city. In several places they were all close together. This redundancy is one of the things that contributed to the bankruptcy of the Milwaukee. They were the last of the four to enter a market already well covered.

regards;

Traction Fan:smilie_daumenpos:


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## GNfan (Jun 3, 2016)

*Thank You*

As far as question 1, I kind of expected that. But the newer ones are pretty nice cars, so I'm going to run them. Right now I have a minimal (if working) layout, but I like to collect cars and watch them go around in circles.
As far as question 2, I expanded a pic of the Bachmann GN 40-footer and discovered I could read the text "Lading Loader"; and googling that led me to a site (specializing in O-scale decals) where I learned some more.
As far as question 3, I think on my next layout I'll make a façade of a local ice house that's open to any and all paying customers. The section of NP/MILW "almost double track" I know best is the stretch between Easton and Ellensburg. Today the old NP line is BNSF branchline, and the MILW line is a trail named "Iron Horse State Park".


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## GNfan (Jun 3, 2016)

*Bachmann's Prototpe?*

This might be Bachmann's "50-foot reefer" prototype: modeltrainstuff.com has a Microtrains 51-footer called a "EMD DEMO FRIGIFRATER". It has the little center steps the Bachmann cars have. Nice car, too - might have to get one.


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