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Micro-Trains - 70010 - Reefer, 50 Foot, Mechanical - Pacific Fruit Express - 302212

14 of these are for sale right now on marketplaces, with a low price of: $13.60$13.60 (14)14 of these are for sale right now on marketplaces, with a low price of: $13.60
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23  of these sold for an average price of: 11.8411.8423 of these sold for an average price of: 11.84
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Collectors value this item at an average of 16.4916.49Collectors value this item at an average of 16.49
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Stock Number70010
Secondary Stock Number070 00 010
Original Retail Price$12.65
BrandMicro-Trains
ManufacturerMicro-Trains Line
Body StyleMicro-Trains 070 Reefer Steel 51 Foot Mechanical Rib Side
Prototype VehicleReefer, 50 Foot, Mechanical (Details)
Road or Company NamePacific Fruit Express (Details)
Reporting MarksPFE
Road or Reporting Number302212
Paint Color(s)orange, black ends
Coupler TypeMT Magne-Matic Knuckle
Wheel TypeInjection Molded Plastic
Release Date1993-07-01
Item CategoryRolling Stock (Freight)
Model TypeReefer
Model Subtype51 Foot
Model VarietySteel, Ribbed Side
Prototype RegionNorth America
Prototype EraNA Era IV: 2nd Gen Diesel (1958 - 1978)
Scale1/160



Prototype History:
The purpose of a mechanical reefer is to keep perishable items cold. Early reefers were of all wood construction and used ice for cooling. By the 1940s, new reefers were being built entirely of steel. Insulating techniques improved to the point where economical refrigeration could be accomplished using steel side plates in place of wood sheathing. Fifty foot mechanical reefers date back to at least the late 50s / early 60s.

The mechanical reefers could keep a more regular temperature, and often times colder than what the ice bunker cars were capable of. Initially mechanical reefers were used primarily in frozen food service. This would soon change as mechanical refrigeration began to replace ice-based systems. Soon after, mechanical refrigeration units replaced the “armies” of personnel required to re-ice the cars.
Road Name History:
Pacific Fruit Express (reporting mark PFE) was an American railroad refrigerator car leasing company that at one point was the largest refrigerator car operator in the world. The company was founded on December 7, 1906 as a joint venture between the Union Pacific and Southern Pacific railroads. It began operation on October 1, 1907, with a fleet of 6,600 refrigerator cars built by the American Car and Foundry Company (ACF).

In 1923, the Western Pacific Railroad joined the venture by leasing its own, brand new fleet of 2775 reefers to PFE. They were painted in standard PFE colors with only WP heralds on the cars instead of the paired UP-SP markings. The WP cars were all retired by the late 1950s, among the last wooden reefers in PFE's fleet. WP ended its partnership with PFE in late 1967 and joined Fruit Growers Express instead.

PFE's assets were divided between the UP and SP when the company was split on April 1, 1978. It is now a UP subsidiary.
Brand/Importer Information: Micro-Trains is the brand name used by both Kadee Quality Products and Micro-Trains Line. For a history of the relationship between the brand and the two companies, please consult our Micro-Trains Collector's Guide.
Manufacturer Information:
Micro-Trains Line split off from Kadee Quality Products in 1990. Kadee Quality Products originally got involved in N-Scale by producing a scaled-down version of their successful HO Magne-Matic knuckle coupler system. This coupler was superior to the ubiquitous 'Rapido' style coupler due to two primary factors: superior realistic appearance and the ability to automatically uncouple when stopped over a magnet embedded in a section of track. The success of these couplers in N-Scale quickly translated to the production of trucks, wheels and in 1972 a release of ready-to-run box cars.

Micro-Trains Line Co. split off from Kadee in 1990 to form a completely independent company. For this reason, products from this company can appear with labels from both enterprises. Due to the nature of production idiosyncrasies and various random factors, the rolling stock from Micro-Trains can have all sorts of interesting variations in both their packaging as well as the products themselves. When acquiring an MTL product it is very important to understand these important production variations that can greatly enhance (or decrease) the value of your purchase.

Please consult our Micro-Trains Collector's Guide
Item created by: Lethe on 2015-05-31 17:46:30. Last edited by Lethe on 2020-05-18 10:17:41

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