(Picture from BLW website) Why did reefers have a step/stirrup under the door, while boxcars of the same vintage didn't?
My guess is that there might be more of a need or desire to inspect perishables and/or temperature condition of the inside of the car enroute, whereas boxcar contents would be oaccessed only where loaded or unloaded and there is a loading platform, and/or a truck backed up to boxcar at a team track. Checking reefers might be more like the cell phone ad where the guy asks, "Can you hear me now?" "Can you hear me now?" "Can you hear me now?" over and over. But just a guess. I just saw it in the photo so I put it on. (Redetailed/ repainted, redecalled Bachmann "R-T-R" reefer.
