Rapido Announces the GARX 37' Meat Reefer in N scale

[Puddington]

Sure they did.   There are plenty of pictures showing meat reefers with one or two hatches open.  I think you guys are too hung up on how these cars operated iced and loaded.  There are other parts to a reefer's life cycle.

With that said, it doesn't bother me as long as there are kits available.

Jason

I have seen some pictures but actually not too many of them running hatches open.  My research showed them almost always running closed ergo why I was not adverse to having them stationary. And, as you said we are offering kits....

[Rapidobill]

Gee this has been fun to watch.... Makes me wonder why we should do N scale - other than to keep my friend Puddington happy!

So, a few general comments. Like many reefers, these cars were built with V-grooved siding, so the gaps or grooves between boards would be more obvious than a car sheathed with flat boards. having said that, I agree that the grooves on the Oscar Mayer image - for whatever reason - look larger than they are. I'm attaching a few shots of our gray sample. As Puddington said, in person they look great. The real model is 2-3/4" long, my screen image is 13" wide. Kind of a cruel thing to do to any model....

Regarding the hatches - Pud is right (Oh, I hate to say that in public), but other than while being iced these cars would NOT have had their hatches open in regular service. These cars were assigned to meat service (class RSM) and had to be kept clean inside. Additionally, most were equipped with meat racks, rails or other loading devices that made them unsuitable for most other cargoes anyway. General service reefers (RS) could be used for any number of products, such as lettuce, fruit and similar that did not need to be kept ice cold, but did need some cooling or airflow. In such cases class RS cars would be run with the hatches open as essentially a ventilated boxcar. The meat reefers did not do so.  Also, I imagine that a lettuce provider might not want his heads shipped in a car that had just been full of hanging sides of meat!

Finally, regarding service locations, they did travel everywhere. I have seen shots of trains in New England with Swift, Armour, Cudahy, Hormel, Kingan and other nondescript cars. These would have traveled over the NYC, PRR, Erie, etc to get here from Chicago.

Bill Schneider
Rapido Trains

[wcfn100]

Regarding the hatches - Pud is right (Oh, I hate to say that in public), but other than while being iced these cars would NOT have had their hatches open in regular service.

Like I said before, there plenty of pictures showing hatches open.  I'll leave it to you dictate what service they are in if not 'regular' 

Jason

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Ooh, while we're at it, can I get one with a giraffe head that pops down when it approaches a bridge?

If I can't have that, I'm not getting any.

[Puddington]

Ooh, while we're at it, can I get one with a giraffe head that pops down when it approaches a bridge?

If I can't have that, I'm not getting any.

Ok Ed; can I include that in the"Meat Reefers of Conrail" collector pack?

[Dave V]

I need mine to actually refrigerate and store meat.  Tiny, tiny meat...   

[bbussey]

Like I said before, there plenty of pictures showing hatches open.  I'll leave it to you dictate what service they are in if not 'regular' 

Links, or it didn't happen.   

Pics of cars in operating freight consists?  It's academic anyway, as Bill stated, because as a rule the cars did not run with the hatches open.

I might have to "up" my Swift quota.   

[Scottl]

Wow, those cars look great.

I'm surprised at how much attraction they have- I always associate those Swift cars with toy trains.  More power to those who love them and hoping Rapido has a hit on their hands.

[Chris333]

Like the kids say... shut up and take my money 

[wazzou]

I need mine to store meat.  Tiny, tiny meat...   

Is that what she said?   

[VonRyan]

The hatches are glued in place - they'd be too large if we made them opening and as previously stated meat reefers didn't run with open hatches like a fruit reefer. I am curious Von, why is an open hatch important to you; are we missing something obvious?

I prefer working hatches, as the rest of my reefer fleet (MT and Atlas) also have working hatches.

That being the case, I'll probably only get the '40s reefers to boost my war-time fleet, which I'm trying to focus on.

[CBQ Fan]

I like the car in the photos and I like the concept.

[bbussey]

I prefer working hatches, as the rest of my reefer fleet (MT and Atlas) also have working hatches.

The rest of your reefer fleet consists of ventilated equipment.  Two different animals.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Ok Ed; can I include that in the"Meat Reefers of Conrail" collector pack?

I think the "Meet the reefer of Conrail" would also work.

[Rapidobill]

Like I said before, there plenty of pictures showing hatches open.  I'll leave it to you dictate what service they are in if not 'regular' 

Jason

OK. I'll bite. I have about 75 photos of these cars from various sources - and in train, yard and builder's shots. NONE have open hatches. "Never" is a strong term and one that I probably should not have used, but I would love to see some of these photos you cite, if for no other reason than to keep me from making a fool of myself on a public forum. :>)

Bill Schneider
Rapido Trains