InterMountain - 65508-07 - Reefer, 40 Foot, R-40-23 - Fruit Growers Express - 57215

Model Information: This model was first produced in the 1990s by InterMountain and was originally only available as a kit. More recent releases are only available as RTR (Ready-to-Run) models. It is a very nicely detailed and even after 20 years in production, it remains one of the best N Scale reefer models available. This is likely due to the fact that it was originally available only as a kit that it has so many fine detail parts such as the intricate handrails. My guess is that InterMountain simply didn't worry about the cost of the assembly as they were shipping them assembled. Hence they have far more detail than similar models from Atlas or Micro-Trains.

In addition the the numerous paint schemes, InterMountain has produced a large number of special runs, with some particularly attractive examples produced for YesterYear. Over the years, the couplers supplied with this model have varied a lot. The original release featured dummy knuckle couplers, but I have also seen examples with Micro-Trains couplers, Accumate couplers and Micro-Trains knockoffs.

Prototype History: PFE built the Class R-40-23 steel ice-cooled refrigerator car in 1947. This was the largest class of steel cars they built. In this version, the placard board was moved to the left of the car door and a little higher, and the smaller board seen on Class R-40-20 was omitted. And once again, the route card board was applied at the left bolster.

These cars feature Murphy steel roofs, W-corner 3/3 Improved Dreadnaught ends and 4'-0" doors. A group of 1000 cars was converted for Temco service and renumbered 20002-21001 in 1960-61. Another group of 15 cars was rebuilt with 6' plug doors for Polarstream Liquid Nitrogen cooling and renumbered 1001-1015 in 1965. Another group of 239 cars was renumbered into the 36001-36500 series for TIV service in 1965-66. The Temco equipped cars had it removed in 1966 and were renumbered to 35002-36000. The cars 1001-1015 were renumbered 36501-36515 for TIV service in 1968.

Road Name History: Fruit Growers Express (FGE) was a railroad refrigerator car leasing company that began as a produce-hauling subsidiary of Armour and Company's private refrigerator car line. Its customers complained they were overcharged. In 1919 the Federal Trade Commission ordered the company's sale for anti-trust reasons. The company is now controlled by the CSX Corporation.

Incorporated on March 18, 1920 the firm took possession of 4,280 pieces of rolling stock, repairs shops at Alexandria, Virginia and Jacksonville, Florida, and numerous ice plants and other facilities scattered throughout the East Coast on May 1. By year's end, the Chicago and Eastern Illinois, New Haven, and Norfolk and Western railroads became major stockholders.

In order to compete with the Pacific Fruit Express and Santa Fe Refrigerator Despatch in the west, FGE and the Great Northern Railway formed the Western Fruit Express (WFE) on July 18, 1923, a move that added 3,000 cars to the equipment pool. By 1926, FGE had expanded its service into the Pacific Northwest and the Midwest through the WFE and the Burlington Refrigerator Express (BREX), its other partly owned subsidiary (formed in partnership with the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad (CB&Q) on May 1). That same year, FGE purchased 2,676 36-foot-long (11 m) reefers from the Pennsylvania Railroad.

In February, 1928 FGE formed the National Car Company as a subsidiary to service the meat transportation market. Customers included Kahns, Oscar Mayer, and Rath Packing.

From Wikipedia

Brand/Importer Information: InterMountain was founded in 1985 by Fred Brummet. They got started in the model railroad business by producing O-Scale model kits. They got started in the N Scale business almost a decade later when in 1994 they introduced the 40-23 reefer car in kit form. Later, in 1998, they started producing RTR (Ready-to-Run) models. By the early 2000s, InterMountain phased out kit production in favor of the RTR models.

The InterMountain Railway company is located at 1224 Boston Ave in Longmont, CO. They are a manufacturer of HO, N and Z scale model trains. They have produced kits as well as RTR (Ready-To-Run) models. Their N Scale products include locomotives as well as rolling stock. Their rolling stock lineup includes Boxcars, Hoppers, Tank Cars, Reefers, Gondolas, Stock Cars and Flatcars.

Their locomotive releases have primarily been diesel units, with the one major exception being their series of AC-12 Cab Forward steam locos. Their diesel lineup includes F3's, F7's, F9's, SD40's, SD45's and FT units. They are known for quality and detail. They also release their rolling stock in larger varieties of road numbers than most of the other manufacturers.