40' PFE R-40 Reefer
Prototype Information
The Pacific Fruit Express (PFE) R-40 series revolutionized refrigerated rail service when it debuted in the late 1930s. PFE introduced these 40-foot all-steel reefers to replace aging wooden cars and meet the growing demand for reliable produce transportation from California and the West to markets nationwide. The R-40-10 and later variants like the R-40-14 featured stronger underframes, improved insulation, and more efficient ice bunkers that kept shipments colder over longer hauls. PFE kept refining the cars with better trucks, ice hatches, and loading equipment, ensuring the fleet dominated perishable traffic through the 1940s and 1950s. Even as mechanical reefers began to take over in the 1960s, the R-40 cars stood as the workhorses that carried millions of tons of fruits and vegetables across the country and cemented their place in railroading history.
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Rapido HO PFE R-40-27 Reefer Pacific Fruit Express “1957 Scheme”
$51.90 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Rapido HO PFE R-40-27 Reefer Pacific Fruit Express “1961 Scheme”
$51.90 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Rapido HO PFE R-40-28 Reefer Pacific Fruit Express “1957 Scheme”
$51.90 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Rapido HO PFE R-40-28 Reefer Pacific Fruit Express “1961 Scheme”
$51.90 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
