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supply. Conductor’s time books have shown that up to 24% of
all empty reefers moving for loading could be foreign, that is,
non-PFE cars, during peak season.
It was up to shippers to request the exact car needs for the
next day or two, but a reservoir of cars had to be available
so that these cars could be supplied. That was PFE’s job, to
get enough cars to the needed area in time to fulfill those
requests.
For most crops, it was vital to remove “field heat” from the
harvest. This means both the physical heat from sun and warm
air, and also the biological heat from continuing life processes
in the fruit or vegetable. Removing the heat slows down rip-
ening and suppresses decay mechanisms during shipment.
Shippers might have pre-cooling facilities for their produce, so
it would be cool when loaded, or they might rely on getting the
cargo cooled en-route by ice in the car bunkers.
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