Atlas has just announced production of a Frisco 50' GARX Reefer in HO Scale. This model will be produced in their Master Line which will mean it will have a high level of added detailing including 8' plug doors with separate latch bars, overhanging diagonal panel roofs, accurate postwar ends, and accurate painting and printing. Atlas provided the following history of these cars: A joint effort from General American and Evans Products, these AAR class bunkerless refrigerator cars were produced beginning in the early 950's. Featuring two large horizontal panels flanking a 7'7" door, these cars had a very unique appearance due to the horizontal rivet strip that joined the panels. With fewer seams than a standard box cars, these cars were supposed to be less prone to rust and leakage. By 1959, over 1,000 of these boxcars were produced. There will be 4 road numbers produced for the Frisco. Item # Road # 20 001 803 Frisco (Yellow/Black/Green) 50050 20 001 804 Frisco (Yellow/Black/Green) 50080 20 001 805 Frisco (Yellow/Black/Green) 50089 20 001 806 Frisco (Yellow/Black/Green) 50099 The MSRP is $28.95 with an estimated delivery date of the first Quarter of 2013. Below is an artist rendering of the new car from the Atlas website:
To All: Now that I've posted this I have a question or two of the group for clarification purposes. Atlas is advertising this car as a reefer but also refer to it as a boxcar in the description. What is it? Also in Nick Molo's freight car book on the top of page 78 and on the back of the dust jacket is a QAP Insulated Boxcar that I believe to be a sister of this car that Atlas is producing although it has a different door. Is that the case?
A Refrigator Refer is a Box Car with a refrigator unit on generally on one end. I should clarify, the refrigator is equiped with a deisel engine, we was always told to report a refer not running. Bill Jackson 1) if it does not have an engine on one end of the car, then Insulated Box Car 2) If it has a Engine with a Refrigator unit (has kind if a wire mesh covering for protection) then Refer which is slang or short for Refrigator. Both are Box Cars
Sometimes Reefers are mixed up with, or confused with insulated cars. The drawing or artist rendering, appears to me to be an insulated car. The view shows no provisions for the mechanical "reefer unit". Car builders at the time were, as they are now, very capable of building very efficient boxcars. I was told, by the good people at "Budweiser" (hat in hand) that an insulated car would only rise only a few degrees (+10) between Denver and the West Coast. It just goes to show that rail equipment was the "Gold Standard" for transportation, then and now. The lading does not have to be hard frozen all the time, but just be kept cold enough. Tom Holley
Atlas purchased the Branchline line of cars, so there is probably no difference. The Atlas site shows many of the old Branchline equipment continueing on. They also are producing the passenger cars. Tony L.
I had no idea that Atlas had purchased Branchline. I thought it looked a lot like a Branchline car, and was wondering why Atlas would spend so much money on tooling for a car that appeared to already exist in HO That makes much more sense to me now. Thanks for pointing that out. Tom Holley
Yes, Atlas purchased all the assets and inventory of Branchline - about a year ago or so I think. That's good, as the Branchline models, which are quite good, are slowly becoming available again. Yes, these cars (GARX 50000's and 54000's, all leased) are insulated box cars, with no refrigeration unit. They were very similar, but not identical. One major difference was that the QAP cars came with Chrysler trucks. We had a big discussion on these cars in frisco.org several years ago. Do a search to find it. AFIK, there is no HO Chrysler truck available, so I put a pair National B1's under my QAP example, just so it is different looking. I was not aware of the different door (if that is indeed different). That is one very good thing about the Branchline tooling - which allows a multiple number of different door, roof and end details. Ken
A couple of questions ..... o I notice the new Atlas cars are numbered in the GARX 50000 group, yet carry Frisco markings. I was under the impression, based strictly on the Branchline models, that the 50000's were all QAP markings, while the 54000's were Frisco markings. Atlas does a good job in researching their cars, so this is likely not correct. Does anyone know how many of the 50000's were QAP and how many were Frisco? o The "Ship it" logo doesn't look right. Shouldn't the top bar of the "S" in "Ship" be parallel with the top bar of the "F" in "Frisco"? That's the way they have all been in my recollection, and that is the way they are on the Branchline 54000. Ken
Meteor - good catch on the "S". Every shot that I have seen has it parallel. Can't speak as to the numbering as I can't find anything.
