By the 1940s, new reefers were being built entirely of steel. Insulating techniques improved to the point where economical refrigeration could be accomplished using steel side plates in place of wood sheathing. Cars with steel roofs and sides were more durable and required fewer repairs. In general, steel cars replaced wood due to their strength and longevity. In the case of reefers, the better insulating quality of the wood was not an issue, as the steel cars continued to be wood lined (until urethane insulation replaced the wood). As late as August of 1957, ice was still used to keep railroad cars cold.

But mechanical refrigeration-diesel powered units in each car soon took over. The "plug" door was introduced in the 1960s as an option that provided a larger door to ease loading and unloading of certain commodities. These tight-fitting doors were better insulated and could keep the car at a more even temperature.

Features:

• Fully Assembled
• Razor-sharp lettering & printing
• McHenry scale knuckle spring couplers
• RP25 profile machined 33" metal wheel sets
• Weighted for optimum performance
• Minimum radius: 18 inches