An ice-cooled reefer of the Santa Fe Refrigerator Despatch "Bulk Fruit Express" circa1894. There is disagreement among historians as to the color of these cars: white, ivory, light gray, or canary yellow.
The Santa Fe Refrigerator Despatch (AARreporting markSFRD) was a railroadrefrigerator car line established as a subsidiary of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway in 1884 to carry perishable commodities. Though the line started out with a mere 25 ventilated fruit cars and 8 ice-cooled refrigerator cars, by 1910 its roster had swollen to 6,055 total units (compared to the 8,100 units its largest competitor, the Pacific Fruit Express, operated). 1894 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Categories: Organization stubs | Rail transport | Industry trade groups ... The following are reporting marks assigned by the Association of American Railroads (AAR) to rail carriers operating in North America and the companies (railroads and rail equipment owners/operators) to which they were assigned. ... This is the top-level page of WikiProject trains Rail tracks Rail transport refers to the land transport of passengers and goods along railways or railroads. ... A refrigerator car (or reefer) is a refrigerated boxcar, a piece of railroad rolling stock designed to carry perishable freight at specific temperatures. ... The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (AAR reporting mark ATSF), often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the largest railroads in the United States. ... 1884 is a leap year starting on Tuesday (click on link to calendar). ... Ventilation good and very bad Ventilation is air circulation of air, typically between a room, a tunnel, etc. ... 1910 (MCMX) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... A string of refrigerator cars owned by Pacific Fruit Express is supplied with fresh ice in the Spring of 1964. ...
Santa Fe Refrigerator Despatch Roster, 1890–1970:
1890
1900
1910
1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
496
1,032
6,055
9,899
18,291
14,514
14,514
13,512
10,288
Source: The Great Yellow Fleet, p. 17.
References
Duke, Donald (1997). Santa Fe: The Railroad Gateway to the American West, Volume Two, Golden West Books, San Marino, CA. ISBN 0-87095-110-6.
White, John H. (1986). The Great Yellow Fleet. Golden West Books, San Marino, CA. ISBN 0-87095-091-6.
White, Jr., John H. (1993). The American Railroad Freight Car. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Maryland. ISBN 0-8018-5236-6.
SFRD #33055 bears an advertisement for the railroad's Chief passenger train. "Billboard" advertising such as this was placed on the company's refrigerator cars (and boxcars) from January 1940 to April, 1947. Note that the ice hatches are in the "ventilator" position.
SFRD #4206 bear's the railroad's slogan "SHIP AND TRAVEL Santa Fe...all the way." The white chalk marks are not graffiti, but have been placed by railroad personnel to indicate the car's status.
A 1948 print advertisement promoting the Chief. ... A boxcar (the American term; the British call this kind of car a goods van) is a railroad car that is enclosed and generally used to hold freight. ... 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ...
Refrigerator cars differ from simple insulated boxcars and ventilated boxcars (commonly used for transporting fruit), neither of which are fitted with cooling apparati.
The SantaFe Railway leased 100 of the hoppers from ACF, and in April, 1972 purchased 100 new units.
1884: The SantaFeRefrigeratorDespatch (SFRD) is established as a subsidiary of the Atchison, Topeka and SantaFe Railway to carry perishable commodities.
The SantaFe was widely known for its passenger train service in the first half of the 20th century.
The SantaFe introduced many innovations in passenger rail travel, among these the "Pleasure Domes" of the Super Chief (billed as the "...only dome car[s] between Chicago and Los Angeles" when they were introduced in 1951) and the "Big Dome"-Lounge cars and double-decker "Hi-Level" cars of the El Capitan, which entered revenue service in 1954.
Dining along the SantaFe was often a memorable experience, whether it be on-board in a dining car, or at one of the many Harvey House restaurants that were strategically located throughout the system.
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