N 50' Ice Bunker Reefer, WCLX #5084

N 50' Ice Bunker Reefer, WCLX #5084 Overview

A “reefer” is a refrigerated boxcar, designed to carry perishable freight such as dairy, meat, and vegetables at specific temperatures. The use of ice to refrigerate and preserve food dates back to prehistoric times. For most of the 19th century, natural ice (harvested from ponds and lakes) was used to supply refrigerator cars. Refrigerator cars required effective insulation to protect their contents from temperature extremes. The last ice bunker reefers were built in 1957, with the last ice-cooled reefers retired in 1971.