Express Reefers

 A couple days ago Al Daumann posed a question about Express Reefers, a series of questions in fact. Where were they loaded? Were loads from freight reefers trans-loaded into express reefers? Did express reefers travel with freight reefers in freight trains?

So we looked into this, and posed several questions to the OPSIG* on the question.

My supposition was that, in addition to other loading points, express reefers could be loaded in the fields. From there local freights brought them to a passenger depot. This turned out to be, generally untrue.

As a general rule express reefers were loaded at packing houses adjacent to passenger terminals, then moved to the passenger train that would forward them on.

Other loading points were team tracks, depots, REA facilities. 

Loads were NOT hauled from fields in freight reefers and then trans loaded at passenger terminals into express reefers. This additional handling was both unnecessary and damaging to the lading.

Delays suffered in loading express reefers and the initial movement from packing houses to passenger terminals were made up by the speed with which these reefers made the remainder of their trips: cross country at passenger train speeds with no dwell time in freight yards.

Berries are ALWAYS the commodity associated with express reefers and this is often true, but there’s fresh fish, first picked fruits and vegetables, specialty meats; any commodity that a shipper is willing to pay to have moved QUICKLY.

Now I am told that express reefers traveled in freight trains across, and up and down, Florida to Jacksonville where they made their connections with passenger trains. This probably also happened at various points in California, but as a general rule express reefers only traveled in freights on those short hauls from packing house to passenger terminal and from passenger terminal to consignee.

On the Atlantic Inland I model a great deal of Express Reefer traffic. Generally every EASTBOUND passenger train has express reefers in it. The eastbound M&E** trains carry a lot of Express Reefer traffic. Northbound (West) trains out of the south carry a lot of express reefers. 

Seasonally this traffic increases. During months when fruits, berries, and vegetables are harvested I have always ramped up this traffic§, often times to include second sections of solid Express Reefer trains.

The vast majority of this traffic bridges the layout, but quite a bit terminates on-layout, going to grocery wholesalers and the wholesale produce mart.

On AIR2 I have built into westbound and southbound mail trains one or two MTY express reefers, simulating the return-for-loading moves of MTY express reefers.

Again on AIR2 with the institution of transfers to connecting roads, and with the intention of providing work for the Passenger Foreman job, transfers of express reefers from various connecting roads will bring copious amounts of express reefers into the game.

These reefers will travel on and off layout by various methods: transfers back to connecting roads, and connecting with through passenger trains.

It remains to be seen how this increased Express Reefer traffic will play out, but I’m looking forward to it.


*OPSIG - Operations Special Interest Group

** M&E - Mail & Express

§ I also do this with regards to mail and express traffic. In November and December op sessions the Mail trains always run in multiple sections to represent the increased holiday package traffic.


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