InterMountain - TNR-18 - Reefer, 40 Foot, R-40-23 - Santa Fe - 32306

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: The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (reporting mark ATSF), often abbreviated as Santa Fe or AT&SF, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. Chartered in February 1859, the railroad reached the Kansas-Colorado border in 1873 and Pueblo, Colorado, in 1876. To create a demand for its services, the railroad set up real estate offices and sold farm land from the land grants that it was awarded by Congress. Despite the name, its main line never served Santa Fe, New Mexico, as the terrain was too difficult; the town ultimately was reached by a branch line from Lamy.

The Santa Fe was a pioneer in intermodal freight transport, an enterprise that (at one time or another) included a tugboat fleet and an airline (the short-lived Santa Fe Skyway). Its bus line extended passenger transportation to areas not accessible by rail, and ferryboats on the San Francisco Bay allowed travelers to complete their westward journeys to the Pacific Ocean. The ATSF was the subject of a popular song, Harry Warren & Johnny Mercer's "On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe", written for the film, The Harvey Girls (1946).

The railroad officially ceased operations on December 31, 1996, when it merged with the Burlington Northern Railroad to form the Burlington Northern & Santa Fe Railway.

Read more on 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.

Commissioner Information: TexNRails, Inc. is family owned and operated since 1978. Its home base is Miami, Florida.
It was previous based in Henderson, Texas.