I'm looking to model a milk train from the mid to late 40's in N scale. What would be an appropriate car for the SP. I've seen a few pictures of the Pacific Fruit Express milk cars. Were there any other company names used on the line such bordens or reid, which are available in the Pfauldler cars from Athearn?
Not sure. I've got a Carnation Milk car. Looks like a standard boxcar?? Got a pic of these cars to show?
Here is a picture of the pfaudler car and a PFE car. I am looking for a possible milk company name that would have been served by the SP.
Thanks for the pics! My Carnation car is a bit different. Probably just the model manufacturer making a generic version by using a plain ole boxcar. The only other one I can think of is Crystal, as in ice cream. Here in Nor-Cal, we had several small distributors but I don't know of any that were railserved nor if they had milk cars. Anybody else??
Southern Pacific milk train service, at least on its Coast and Valley divisions, appears to have been less of an undertaking than in other U.S. regions and railroads (particularly the northeast). By the 1940s, the service had dropped to next-to-nothing, judging from the few timetables I've seen (and am still trying to locate for this thread). I do recall that Espee's "train-of-all-trades" (and stops) on the Coast division picked up a milk service car at or near Santa Maria bound for L.A. The car might have been similar to the one in this photo (taken at Oakland, CA, ca 1946): http://www.sacramentohistory.org/admin/photo/982_1946.jpg Hope this helps somewhat. Regards, Paul
It appears to have been one of Southern Pacific's better-kept secrets, or at least outside those regions that were directly affected by it. The website, "Historic Centerville Depot," ( http://centervilledepot.railfan.net/ ) contains information and links to timetable samples regarding local milk train service between Centerville (now Fremont), CA, and Oakland -- San Jose dairy operations. Additionally, I was able to track down information on a milk-express car that ran in daily Guadalupe - L.A. service during the 40s at http://espee.railfan.net/coaster.html , which indicates the car was picked up at Guadalupe by Espee's overnight Coaster (Train #70) and returned on the day mail/accommodation San Francisco Passenger (Train #71). Not exactly the scope of some of those eastern milk runs . . . -- Paul
