and modeling an ice deck provides additional operating activ-
ity as well as being visually interesting. The PFE side of this is
complex because of the size of PFE's territory, encompassing
all the lines of SP (and T&NO), UP and WP. All icing on those
lines was PFE’s responsibility, and facilities had to be provided.
It is understandable that modelers might like to model one
of the big Ice Manufacturing Plants or IMP (as PFE called
them), these were truly impressive facilities. A word of caution
though: because these were
usually mammoth in size (see
Figure 4). The PFE IMP at
Roseville, CA was the largest
Getting Real Column - 8
13: This builder’s photo of a Class
R-40-23 car with ice hatches
latched open clearly shows the
one-piece design of plug and
cover, along with the latching
hook underneath the plug which
permitted locking hatches from
inside (mostly to prevent tran-
sients from riding in empty cars). –
American Car & Foundry Company
photo for PFE, courtesy CSRM.
13
wholesale produce markets, with the expectation that local
buyers would purchase the cargoes at that market. But
many cars left the shipper’s dock without a final destination.
Fluctuating prices from city to city meant that last-minute
choice of the best market could pay off.
Such cars might be waybilled to a railroad agent at an inter-
mediate city, or to a broker in such a city, with the expectation
that a final destina-
tion could be chosen
while the car was en
route. The “diversion”
information would be
telegraphed to that
intermediate agent
or broker in time to
redirect the car. PFE
allowed up to three
diversions per car
without charge.
Once the cars were
unloaded, of course,
the cycle began
again, with PFE
agents rounding-
up cars and getting
them moving west-
ward again.
Icing
Modelers naturally
find reefer icing an
interesting topic,
14: This ice hatch is latched as far open as it can go
(note top of latch bar), for ventilation service. The
hatch plug underneath is separately hinged, thus is at
a slightly different angle. – PFE photo, courtesy CSRM.
14
MRH-Sep 2013
