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Reefers

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WHIX 40325

Location:            Northwest Railway Museum

                              Snoqualmie - North Bend, WA

Type:                    44'9" steel ice bunker reefer

Series:                 WHIX 70000-70999

Built:                    1953

Picture taken:    Date unknown. Courtesy Richard S. Wilkens

Remarks:            This steel ice refrigerator car was built by Pacific Car

                              and Foundry in Renton as Western Fruit Express

                              WHIX 70325 in 1953. Western Fruit Express was

                              operated by the Great Northern. Refrigeration was

                              accomplished by filling ice bunkers in each end of the

                              car from the roof and electric circulation fans were

                              mounted on the bunkers, with electricity provided by

                              a generator that rode on one wheel. During extremely

                              cold winter months portable heaters burning alcohol

                              were placed in the ice bunkers to prevent the

                              perishable cargoes from freezing. This car has plug

                              doors instead of the conventional hinged type. The car

                              remained in service after the creation of Burlington

                              Northern and kept its original number. After the

                              introduction of diesel engine driven refrigeration units

                              these ice cars were phased out and it was sold to

                              Alaska Lumber and Pulp Co. for the purpose of

                              transporting food supplies by barge from Seattle

                              to the sawmill in Sitka, Alaska, becoming ALPC 2500.

                              (History kindly provided by Richard S. Wilkens)

Number history: Western Fruit Express WHIX 70325 

                                    - Refrigerator Car (1953-1970)  

                               Western Fruit Express WHIX 70325

                                    -Refrigerator Car, Burlington Northern Ownership

                                     (1970-19XX)

                               Alaska Lumber and Pulp ALPC 2500

                                    - Food and Material Transport (19XX-19XX)