HO 36' Wood Reefer, PFE #4707 / 4711 / 4715 / 4719 (4) Overview
A âreeferâ is a refrigerated boxcar, designed to carry perishable freight such as dairy, meat, and vegetables at specific temperatures.
The first consignment of dressed beef left the Chicago stock yards in 1857 in ordinary boxcars retrofitted with bins filled with ice. In 1878 Swift hired an engineer to design a ventilated car that was well insulated, and positioned the ice in a compartment at the top of the car, allowing the chilled air to flow naturally downward. The meat was packed tightly at the bottom of the car to keep the center of gravity low and to prevent the cargo from shifting. This design proved to be a practical solution, providing temperature-controlled carriage of dressed meats, This allowed Swift and Company to ship their products across the United States and internationally.