Getting Real Column - 9
like this class would be superseded in a few years by mechani-
cal reefers, which could better handle the low temperatures
needed to ship frozen loads. But in 1953, ice-salt refrigeration
still dominated frozen food shipping.
Class R-40-25.
During 1949-50, PFE acquired another 3000
all-steel cars, largely similar to the R-40-23 cars which preced-
ed them, although the cars were manufactured with the then-
new diagonal panel roof. These were also the first new PFE cars
to receive the 1949 paint scheme modification, with most side
hardware orange. Adding the correct roof could be done by
kitbashing a new roof onto any model of an R-40-23, but Inter-
Mountain has offered the R-40-25 cars with all correct parts, so
there should be no need for any kitbashing. An InterMountain
26: Class R-40-25 is important because it comprised
3000 cars, although visually it is not much different from
preceding all-steel Class R-40-23. It differs primarily in
having a diagonal-panel roof. One of my models of this
class is shown being spotted at the ice deck in Shumala.
This is an InterMountain ready-to-run model, with some
weathering and route cards added.
26
ready-to-run car, which I weathered appropriately for the age
of the paint scheme, can be seen in (26).
Class R-30/40-16.
This was one of the larger classes of
rebuilt PFE cars, about 3400 cars, and is distinctive in that
the cars were given solid steel roofs of straight-panel de-
sign when rebuilt, but retained their original wood-sheathed
ends. There has not been a commercial kit for this class, but
at one time noted die maker Terry Wegmann made roofs and
other parts for this car that could be added to a Red Caboose
car body. Terry never sold many of these kits, and they are
27: Seen here at the Nipomo Street crossing in Ballard
on my layout is a car of Class R-30-16, with its distinctive
wood-sheathed ends and steel roof. This was built with
Terry Wegmann parts on a Red Caboose body. The paint
scheme represents a postwar repaint of a car originally
rebuilt about 1940.
27
MRH-Oct 2013
