Athearn Genesis HO G66309 FGE 57′ Mechanical Refrigerator Car, Fruit Growers Express #11700

One of the greatest freight car innovations of the 20th century was the creation of the refrigerator car, commonly referred to as a “reefer.” The ability to haul perishables such as fruits, vegetables and meat products across the country was a major factor in the development of modern America. No longer did food have to be produced close enough to urban areas, so that it could be consumed before spoiling. At the same time, areas with additional capacity for agricultural production could produce more food, since it did not have to be sold locally.

For many years, reefers relied on ice bunkers to keep loads cool. After World War II, technological advances made mechanical refrigeration practical for a freight car. In addition, a mechanical reefer could be larger than an ice reefer because of the greater cooling capabilities.

Fruit Growers Express owned the largest fleet of reefers in the East. FGE was owned by a group of ten railroads, with Atlantic Coast Line and Southern being two of the largest original owners. Many of FGE cars were built at its Jacksonville Shops, including these 57′ smooth-side mechanical reefers.

57′ MECHANICAL REEFER FEATURES:
Available with onboard SoundTraxx sound
Scaled from prototype manufacturer’s drawings and field measurements
Repaints often vary by road number in the size and style of the reporting marks, car numbers and patch shapes
See-through protective screens on the genset end
Detroit Diesel 2-71 Genset visible inside
End wall corrugation visible inside
Inner refrigerator bulkhead
See through end platforms
Two different exhaust stack types: straight pipe with “flapper” or T-shaped “smokejack” per prototype and era
Full underframe detail including Keystone cushioning, air brake reservoir, control valve, brake cylinder, brake plumbing, and fuel tank
Factory applied end ladders and door closure rods
Trainline hoses with silver ends
Three different coupler cut lever styles per prototype
Body-mounted or truck-mounted brakes per prototype
McHenry operating scale knuckle couplers
100-ton roller bearing trucks with rotating bearing caps
Fully-assembled and ready-to-run
Accurately painted and printed for prototypical realism
Highly-detailed, injection-molded body
Machined metal wheels with RP25 contours
Weighted for trouble-free operation
Minimum radius: 18″ – Recommended radius: 22″