Livestock Operations: Meat Reefer Blocks

 In 1952 a large percentage of dressed meats were processed in the mid-west and shipped east. I represented this on AIR1 with at least one scheduled “Meat Block” train that ran east (Train #100), as well as many blocks of meat Reefers (Rsm*) in other eastward trains.

On AIR1 these trains set out blocks for local switching. I had a cold storage warehouse that received several Rsm cars as well as a Wholesale Grocery Warehouse.

In watching several videos of railroads in the 1950’s, especially those in the Mid West I notice lots of blocks of Reefers in hot eastbound trains. It was big business.

On AIR 2 I have one dedicated eastbound meat Reefer train that will fill tonnage with livestock, on the head end, and expedited LCL on the rear. I also plan to include Reefer blocks, both meat and produce on most eastward merchandise** trains.

The through Reefer blocks represent the huge amount of traffic running west to east. My concern is representing MTYS returning. Generally I have not bothered, but on AIR2 I actually built in a four car block of westbound freights just ahead of the caboose that will be billed “MTY: return to home road”. Additionally I added one MTY express reefer  to every westbound M&E train, so at least I am making a token effort to simulate returning MTY traffic.

This pretty much concludes my look at livestock and meat traffic operations on the AIR. I am always interested to hear what others are doing on their layouts, it’s the best way for me to steal ideas!

What are you doing to simulate livestock and/or meat traffic?

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*Rsm is the AAR symbol for Reefers with brine tanks and hanging rails (I think). I have, in past posts, referred to cars by their name first, then afterward with their symbol, for example Boxcar (Xm).I have done this simply because it’s easier to type Xm than boxcar.

** Merchandise Trains as opposed to coal trains. This distinction has troubled me and I search for an adjective to delineate between the two. I found the term “Dead Freight”, but I’m not fond of that. 

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