40’ ARLX STEEL REEFER PROTOTYPE AND BACKGROUND INFO:

Armour & Company was a major player in Chicago’s livestock and meat-packing industry. In 1883, Armour car lines was formed to facilitate transport of products to market without relying on leased cars.

By 1947, the company found itself with a fleet of aging wood cars, some of which were 30+ years old. Recognizing the need for modern equipment, Armour placed an order for 2000 steel reefer cars, AAR class RAM, in late 1948 and early 1949. The order for the 40-ton cars, equipped with brine tanks and beef rails, was split between GATC (#s 1-1000) and ACF (#s 1001-2000). The cars had 4’ wide swing doors with a height of only 6’4”, to facilitate the installation of the overhead meat racks.

The cars continued in service through the 1950s, but changing labor practices and competition from trucks in the 1960s spelled their demise. While almost 1900 of these cars remained in service in 1961, by January 1965, there were only 254 left. The era of the steel ice reefer had come to an end.

40’ STEEL REEFER FEATURES:

Detailed body with separate roofwalk, brake appliances, and hatches
Separate door rods
Separate steps, ladders and grab irons
Separate brine tank control valves
Detailed underframe with separate brake gear

Fully-assembled and ready-to-run
Accurately painted and printed for prototypical realism
Highly-detailed, injection-molded body
Weighted for trouble-free operation
Minimum radius: 18”

HO ATH 40' Steel Refrigerator Car, ARLX #555

Athearn - ATH-3341