Operations - NY/YN Freights on the Layout

We've looked at the prototype operations of the NY/YN freights, but how does that apply to the layout?

From 1946 to 1951 NY-4/YN-3 are the primary freights running during the session. In addition, NY-2/YN-1 form the backbone of the staging of the operating sessions, even after NY-4/YN-3 are no longer running since NY-2 leaves a cut of cars overnight, and the crews block outbound cars for YN-1 to pick up after the session ends.

NY-4/YN-3 was reinstated in the April 1953 freight schedules, but was gone by the Autumn '53 ones.

Locomotives

A closer look at the schedules shows that during the era when NY-4/YN-3 were running, the scheduling of motive power was dependent on all four trains, although this isn't always clear in the engine assignments. For 1946 and '47 these are DEY-5 (Alco S-2) locomotives, usually 0605 and 0606, then it switches to DERS-2b (RS-2) locomotives 0502 and 0503 until NY-4/YN-3 are canceled in 1952.

The 1948 and 1950 Engine Assignments note that 0502 runs on NY-2 and YN-3 and 0503 is NY-4 and YN-1. However, the 1949 lists 0502 assigned to NY-2/YN-1 and 0503 assigned to NY-4/YN-3.

This isn't possible, though, because NY-4 leaves Cedar Hill at 5.45 AM and arrives at Holyoke at 12.30 PM, while YN-3 leaves Holyoke two hours earlier, at 10.25 AM. 

In reality, it appears the motive power cycles between all four of these trains. In terms of the layout, it simply means that NY-4 and YN-3 each runs with a different locomotive.

DEY-5 (Alco S-2)

0605

0606

DERS-2b (Alco RS-2)

0502

0503

Models

The S-2s are the Atlas model. They will receive ATS Boxes for the Springfield line (required for the stretch of the run from Cedar Hill to Berlin). They had 3-chime Crosby whistles instead of horns. But the biggest difference is the low-clearance cab used by the New Haven. Mike Redden made some fantastic cabs just for this project and they are available on Shapeways.

The RS-2s are the Proto 1000 models. As I've noted before, Chris has an extensive number of posts on the modifications he made to his model of 0510. He also had an article in MRH Extra Running with more details on this build. I'm still working on mine, but will do a post about what I decided to do differently.

Cabooses

Like the locomotives, I'll need two different cabooses since YN-3 leaves Holyoke while NY-4 is en route. Unlike the motive power, though, there are four cabooses assigned to the four trains. That means that the NY-4/YN-3 trains use one pair of cabooses. Each one will be on one job one day, and the other job the next.

I have caboose assignments for 1950 and 1951. The 1950 assignments are for the fall, all of the others spring. However, since these aren't tied to the clock (and daylight savings) these may have been all of the assignments produced during my era.

In 1950, NE-6 class cabooses C-708 and C-709 are assigned to NY-3/YN-4.

In 1951 it's C-701 and C-709.

I'll start with C-708 and C-709, but will eventually model all four cabooses.

What about pre-1950? Without assignments, my next primary source is photos. Unfortunately, pictures of the cabooses on these trains are rare, although we have NE class C-139 pictured in 1945. It was condemned in 1951. Another picture of 0606 in Plainville clearly shows it's using an NE-5 class caboose in July of 1947, but I can't make out the road number. NE-5 class C-528 was assigned to NY-4/YN-3 when it was reinstated in spring 1953, so I'll go with that for now.

So I'll add C-139 as an option for 1946-1948, and also use C-528. I also know that NE-5 C-546 was assigned to HDX-5 (the New Hartford local) in 1950 and '51. But all of the photos of HDX-5 running behind K-1-d 479 show NE class C-116. So during those years I can also use C-546 for NY-4/YN-3 through 1948.

NE Class

C-139

NE-5 Class

C-528

C-546

NE-6 Class

C-701

C-708

C-709

Models

The NE class is the Crown Custom brass model, which are just about perfect out of the box. I swapped out the brass trucks for Kadee, and then I'll have to take a closer look at what else to do. 

The NE-5 cabooses are two different models. One is an Overland brass one, but I replaced the floor with the Intermountain floor, and also installed the Intermountain interior. I still need to add the missing ribs to the roof.

The second one is a modified Intermountain one. I corrected the end windows and added the missing ribs on the end, added the towing staples. and replaced the running board with the correct one. I just need to get some decals printed, since none of the sets that have been released are correct. I'll need those for the NE-6's too. If modifying the ends wasn't so much work, they would be the obvious choice. The body is already drilled for the towing staples, and it's easy enough to swap out the running board.

The NE-6 cabooses are the Atlas model, with new running boards, and using the Intermountain underframe and interior again. The Atlas underframe is sparse, and the caboose sits too high. Otherwise it is more accurate than any of the brass ones. I'm using the accurate Tahoe trucks on all of the steel cabooses.

Operations

For operating sessions, crews start the day with a cut of cars left by NY-2.

NY-4 is the only train staged coming from Cedar Hill up the Berlin Line and terminates in an empty track in the main staging yard. Neither the locomotive or caboose will return that session.

YN-3 is already staged to come out of Holyoke/Plainville with separate power and caboose, and terminates in the track vacated by NY-4.

As noted, the crews also block cars for YN-1 to pick up after the session ends. 

Time to get working on those RS-2s and NE-6s...

Operations - NY/YN (Cedar Hill - Holyoke) Freight Schedules

Here are a few of the schedules from the Arranged Freight Train Service (Symbol Freight) books for the Holyoke freights. While Chris and I have scanned a lot of these,  many were scanned by others. My interest is just in the information, not capturing the original document for the purpose of reprinting, so they aren't always the best quality.

The books have been titled different things over the years, with most of the ones here titled:

Arranged Freight Train Service

Symbol Book No. xx

However, starting in 1952 they dropped the word "train" from the title. Many just call these Symbol Books. I cover the books themselves in more detail here, and the sister publications titled Freight Train & Package Car Schedules here.

We're looking at the Arranged Freight Train Service books here, since they are employee publications that include blocking information and other instructions beyond just the schedules.

Symbol Freights are basically what modelers would call a "through freight." They are technically an "Extra" as is every non-passenger train on the New Haven, but the local freights are specifically called "Extras" on the New Haven in the documentation. The Symbol indicates their origination and termination points. In this case Cedar Hill, with a symbol of "N," and Holyoke, with a symbol of "Y." Eastbound trains have even numbers, and westbound odd numbers, just like passenger trains. So the eastbound NY trains are NY-2 and NY-4.

In most cases, the westbound train is the same symbol in reverse (NY-2/YN-1), but there are exceptions. For example, until 1948 EA-2 is an eastbound Bridgeport to Hartford train, but it's westbound counterpart was the more important ANE-1, the Hartford section of the Speed Witch that primarily (only?) handled L.C.L traffic. Looking at the 1953 schedules there are three Bay Ridge to Boston trains, starting with FGB-2, then GB-4 and GB-6, but only BNE-1 (Boston-New England - also a section of the Speed Witch) back to Bay Ridge. Everything else would be folded into NG-1, NG-3, and NNE-1 at Cedar Hill.

On a railroad the size of New Haven, there weren't too many symbols to remember:

You'll note that railroad timetables are in standard time (by law). They had to issue a new timetable in April and September to account for Daylight Savings. Since the railroads operate under standard time, the schedules differ by an hour between the two. While there are occasional extra passenger and employee timetables in some years, and in other years Supplements (updates) between the main timetables, I haven't seen any such supplements for freight schedules.

I have a couple of pages of what is supposed to be Freight Train & Package Car Schedule No. 75 with a date of July 1, 1946, but the Arranged Freight Train Service Symbol Book No. 75 was April 28 of that year. I haven't seen the actual Package Car Schedule that was copied, so I suspect that's incorrect information.

These are just a piece of the puzzle in our research. As noted below, these schedules have information regarding locomotive classes for each job, but that doesn't always match the Engine Assignment books, nor the photographic evidence. Of course, exceptions always existed, such as when a locomotive was being serviced, so a photo only documents a specific day. I tend to work from the Engine Assignment books backed up with photographs where possible to choose what locomotives I'll model for a specific job. The information in these pages is a decent substitute when those aren't available. Practical considerations (like how many locomotives I'll actually buy or modify) are also a factor in that regard.

NY-2

Of interest is that it handles perishables for Meriden and New Britain, along with merchandise (L.C.L) for New Britain.

In 1946 the route is rated for a J-1 and DEY-5 (Alco S-2) with the same tonnage ratings.

By 1948 only the DEY-5 is listed, and in the April 20, 1948 Engine Utilization Report, it is DEY-5 it is 0605. By the September, 1948 Engine Assignments, DERS-2b (RS-2) is listed, with J-1 3011 noted as D.S.F (Dumped Save Fuel) in East Hartford also listed for NY-2 (for reserve).

By the 1949 schedules, the DERS-2b locomotives are assigned with increased tonnage ratings, through at least the April, 1953 issue (which I haven't scanned yet). Interestingly, the September 1952 Engine Assignments list DERS-2c (RS-3) locomotives 532 and 533 as assigned to the job, but the ratings haven't been updated in the freight schedules yet (as they were for other jobs handled by RS-3s).

I don't have the Arranged Freight Train Service books for September 1953, or 1954, but in NY-2 is still listed in the Freight Train & Package Car Schedule books.

April 28, 1946

September 29, 1946

April 25, 1948

September 29, 1949

After accounting for Daylight Savings, this is now running an hour earlier.

September 30, 1951

This is now scheduled two hours later, or an hour later than prior to 9/29/49.

April 27, 1952

NY-4

The locomotive ratings are the same for all of these trains throughout this era. However, in the April 20, 1948 Engine Utilization Report, we find that DERS-2b 0502 is already handling this train, at least on that day.

NY-4 (and YN-3) were eliminated by the September, 1953 freight schedules. 

You'll note that this train serves as the local for most of the Canal Line north of Plainville (Avon to Southwick).

April 28, 1946

September 29, 1946

April 25, 1946

April 24, 1949

Note that NY-4 also serves as the New Hartford Local on this schedule.

September 30, 1951

After accounting for Daylight Savings, this is now running about an hour later.

YN-1

As the return of NY-2, it protects a the closing of the Holyoke and New Britain Freight Houses, along with the paper companies in Holyoke and Acme Fast Freight in Meriden. The Freight Train & Package Car schedules published the time it took for advertised L.C.L service from points on the NH to certain specific destinations. The blocking instructions here highlight some of those, such as Philadelphia Transfer as described in this post.

September 29, 1946

April 25, 1948

April 24, 1949

September 30, 1951

April 27, 1952

YN-3

The September, 1946 schedule doesn't mention it, but the other schedules note that YN-3 also switches Berlin and Cremo Brewery in New Britain (on the Springfield line just north of Berlin station). Along with NY-4 it was eliminated by the September 1953 schedule. 

September 29, 1946

April 25, 1948

After accounting for Daylight Savings, this is running an hour earlier.

April 24, 1949

September 30, 1951

Operations - NY/YN (Cedar Hill-Holyoke) Freights

The train orders in the last post were all for the The Cedar Hill (N) - Holyoke (Y) Freights, which ran twice a day through most of the era I'm modeling, All of these trains dropped and picked up cars in New Britain, Plainville, Westfield and Holyoke. 

NY-2 was in New Britain around 4.30 AM, and Holyoke about 7.45 AM, so perhaps some will turn up there. It handled perishables for Meriden and New Britain, along with New Britain Merchandise (L.C.L) traffic. It won't be seen on the layout, but leaves a cut of cars at Whiting Street Yard that is waiting for the switching crews when they come on duty.

NY-4 was in New Britain around 8.20 or 9.20 AM.

YN-3 was in New Britain around 2.50 to 3.30 PM, depending on the year. As such, it's the most photographed of these trains.

YN-1 typically left Holyoke around 6.20 PM and was in New Britain around 8.40 - 9.00 PM. This is after the end of the session, but the crews will block at cut of cars to be picked up overnight.

Although listed a symbol freight, NY-4/YN-3 operated like a local freight, servicing Cremo Brewery, which is in New Britain, but on the Springfield Line, along with Berlin and Avon to Southwick, which are all towns north of Farmington on the Canal Line. In years where HDX-5 (the New Hartford local, later NX-25) wasn't running, then these trains also served Farmington, Unionville, Collinsville and New Hartford.

Steam

I have quite a few photos of  YN-3 under steam, starting with  I-4 1367 and NE class caboose C-139 at Berlin station on September 8, 1945. It may have been stopped to get orders, or it might have been heading to Cremo Brewery which was just north on the Springfield line.

Here it is switching cars on the wye:

And heading back to Cedar Hill in Kensington, just south of the last photo after reassembling the train.

Photographer unknown, but probably Kent Cochrane.

An I-4 would have been an unusual locomotive on this train at the time. As the orders show, it was usually a J-1 such as 3008, seen here in Plainville on YN-3 (date and photographer unknown):

However, I now believe this is a photo of HDX-4, the Waterbury to Plainville local which was noted on April 20, 1948 as using J-1 3010, seen here at the eastern portal of the Terryville tunnel:

And at the western portal:

Date and photographer unknown, but c1944-5, probably Kent Cochrane.

On Sundays NY-2/4 and YN-3/4 were combined into a single train, which sometimes required double-heading to get up the grade in Berlin, such as on this June 1940 day:

Diesels

These were the first freights running through New Britain that was dieselized, although they would probably be more properly called Canal Line jobs rather than Highland Line, as that's where they did most of their work. These trains came up the Springfield Line, heading toward Plainville through New Britain via the wye in Berlin. due to the Canal Line south of Plainville being single tracked, lighter rail, and with clearance issues in North Haven.

Locomotives 0605 and 0606 were normally assigned the NY/YN freights from 1945 until they were replaced by DERS-2b (Also RS-2) locomotives, numbers 0502 and 0503. In both cases these were specific assignments since they were the only locomotives of their class at the time with Springfield Line ATS installed, which was required for the portion of the run from Berlin to Cedar Hill.

Here 0606 is on YN-3 in Plainville on July 7, 1947. Note the NE-5 class caboose (I can't read the number, unfortunately):

This looks like the same day:

Here YN-3 is at Cook's Quarry in Plainville, just about to enter New Britain, date unknown:

About a mile down the tracks is Wooster St in New Britain where Kent caught NY-4 on Christmas Day 1947:

Although the information I have so far indicates 0605 and 0606 were assigned to the Holyoke freights, both the train order and a couple of photos indicate that 0604 was sometimes used as well. This photo was taken at New Britain Station/Yard.

0604 had dual (Shoreline and Springfield line) Cab Signals, and at the time may have been the only other DEY-5 (Alco S-2) equipped for Springfield Line service, although 0616 had dual cab signals by 1950.

On this snowy day in January, 1947 we see 0604 with YN-3 on the wye in Plainville (you can see the train curving to the right). On the eastbound main is I-1 1001(?) with train #157 on its way to New Britain. On the westbound main in the distance you can see the caboose of HDX-4 on its way back to Waterbury. 

Unless otherwise noted, these are all YN-3, heading back to Cedar Hill, c1946-7, by Kent Cochrane.

On the Layout

NY-4 drops off a cut of cars at Whiting Street yard about 30-45 minute into the session using the 4:1 fast clock. YN-3 will come back to pick up cars about 2 hours and 15 minutes later. 

NY-4/YN-3 runs daily until it was dropped in 1952. It looks like 0606 would run through at least the end of 1947, but from 1948-1951 it will be DERS-2b (Alco RS-2) 0502. The RS-2s seem to be among the most elusive locomotives on the NH, with few photographs in service. I have none on the YN-3 trains, despite the dozen or so prior to their assignment I've shared here. 

NY-2/YN-1 continued until the end of the New Haven of course, as the train orders show. Starting in 1952 the RS-2s were replaced with DERS-2c (RS-3) locomotives. So through the 9 years I'm modeling, they went from steam and through 3 progressively heavier classes of diesels as they were delivered.

The RS-3s replaced by a pair of DER-2a (FA-1) locomotives in 1956, which is the first move to an older class of locomotives in this era. They were still servicing the trains in 1957, the latest Engine Assignments I have.

As noted in the last post, the train orders from '68 have a DERS-5 (DL-701) or DERS-4 (GP-9).  

In my case, I'm working on 0502 for 1948-1951 ops sessions, and I'll also need to get 0606 for 1946-7 sessions. Work continues on the RS-2s (I'm also still doing 0503 too, since Life-Like used that as one of the two road numbers):

I need to finish the frame and some underbody details and install the decoders. Oh, and a little detail coming soon from my buddy Jim Lincoln...

I need them for the S-2s, RS-1s, RS-2s, and RS-3s.

Operations - Train Orders

I just got a small stack of NH train orders which provides some insight to the era. All of them at Berlin, CT. 

Order No. 162

Dec 21, 1942

To C+E Eng 3013 at Berlin

Eng 3013 run extra New Britain to Plainville

Complete 1.06 AM

Order No. 20

Dec 21, 1942

To C+E 3010 at Berlin

Eng 3010 run extra Berlin to North Haven

Complete 7.53 PM

Order No. 22

Dec 21, 1942

To C+E 3011 at Berlin

Eng 3011 run extra Berlin to North Haven

Complete 8.34 PM

--

Order No. 111

Dec 28, 1942

To C+E Eng 356 and 3010 at Berlin

Eng 356 run extra New Britain to Westfield

Complete 3.29 AM

Order No. 112

Dec 28, 1942

To C+E Eng 3011 at Berlin

Eng 3011 run extra New Britain to Plainville

Complete 6.19 AM

Engine number 3010 is addressed in the first order, presumably they received their own orders as well. Engine 356 is a K-1 mogul, so I doubt it's double-heading with 3010, but it also seems odd that a Mogul would be working at 3.29 AM. 

--

Order No. 108

Dec 29, 1942

To C+E Eng 3008 at Berlin

Eng 3008 run extra New Britain to Westfield

Complete 3.53 AM

Order No. 111

Dec 29, 1942

To C+E Eng 3010 at Berlin

Eng 3010 run extra New Britain to Plainville

Complete 6.11 AM

Order No. 35

Dec 29, 1942

To C+E Eng 3012 at Berlin

Eng 3012 run extra Berlin to North Haven

Complete 4.48 PM

Order No. 38

Dec 29, 1942

To C+E Eng 3008 at Berlin

Eng 3008 run extra Berlin to North Haven

Complete 7.32 PM

--

Order No. 28

Hartford February 1, 1943

To C+E Eng 3013 West at Berlin

X C+E Eng 3008 West

Restricted speed over Cherry Street crossing

Third crossing West of Meriden Station account gates broken

Complete 6.31 PM

Order No. 30

Hartford February 1, 1943

To C+E Eng 3008 at Berlin Conn

Eng 3008 run extra Berlin to North Haven

Complete 6.29 PM

All of these are on Cedar Hill to Holyoke (NY-x) or the reverse (YN-x) with J-1 Mikado locomotives as power. The Form 19 form number is From 1314-1.

The Superintendent is WHB

The Train Dispatcher is (illegible), EWR, HFR (might be HSR) or RHC

3008 and 3010 are on more trains, obviously with a very small sample size, but if/when I get to modeling the J-1s, these may be the two I build.

--

One oddity is the train order numbers themselves. According to Rule 203 "The orders must be numbered consecutively each day, beginning at midnight." This is the rule in every NH Book of Rules I have, from 1907 to 1956.

But you'll note that in multiple examples above that it appears that's not followed:

Dec 21, 1942

1.06 AM - Order No 162

7.53 PM - Order No 20

Dec 28, 1942

3.29 AM - Order No 111

6.19 AM - Order No 112

Dec 29, 1942

3.53 AM - Order No 108

6.11 AM - Order No 111

4.48 PM - Order No 35

7.22 PM - Order No 38

In all cases it appears that the sequence restarts at some point in the morning. Perhaps when the first trick starts at 8.00 AM?

Another question that is raised is that all of these orders are listed At Berlin. But Berlin it not listed in the Employee Timetable under "Day Train Order, Block and Interlocking Stations Open" which would imply it is not a Day Train Order, Block or Interlocking station.

--

Order No. 36

May 4, 1946

To C+E Eng 0604 at Berlin

Eng 0604 run extra Berlin to North Haven

Complete 7.56 PM

This is also for the YN-x train but by now it's DEY-5 (S-2) 0604. It's nice to see confirmation that these locomotives are handling this job in May of '46. Further proof that if I want to run all steam I would need to go back to 1945.

The Form 19 is now Form 1314-2, the difference being that the the header no longer includes "The New York Connecting Railroad Company"

Superintendent is still WHB, the operator is EWR again.

--

Train Order No. 412

Dec 23, 1968

To C+E Engine 1400 at Berlin

Engine 1400 run extra New Britain to Berlin

Complete 10.50 AM

This is a jump of more than 20 years, about a week before the New Haven is folded into the Penn Central. The order numbers are much higher because the Hartford Division had been eliminated in the early '50s, so these are now New Haven Division orders covering a larger territory, so more total orders for the day. 

This is a DERS-5 (Alco DL-701) and is most likely still the Holyoke freight.

The Superintendent is now DGW (could be DGM), and the Train Dispatcher is HEL.

--

Clearance Form A

9.02 AM Dec 24, 1968

To C&E Extra 1228 East at Berlin

I have one orders for your train.

No 408

Block Clear

Train Order No. 408

Dec 24, 1968

To C+E Engine 1228 at Berlin

Engine 1228 run extra New Britain to Plainville

Complete 9.01 AM

This is the only one with a Clearance Form A attached. It verifies that Order No. 408 was the only order for the train at Berlin. It's a DERS-4 (GP-9).

If orders still started with Order No. 1 at 8.00 AM, then more than 400 had been written in the first hour of the day! It's now Form 1314-3, with the major change being the elimination of the line:

X......................Opr.;..........................M.

--

Train Order No. 420

Dec 26, 1968

C+E Engine 1208 at Berlin

Engine 1208 run extra New Britain to Plainville

Complete 10.12 AM

Another DERS-4 (GP-9). Like several of these, it gives orders only as far as Plainville, where they would have received orders to continue towards Westfield. Some of the earlier orders go all the way to Westfield. 

The Superintendent for these last two is still DGW, but the Dispatcher is EWR again, covering 26 years.

Operations - Produce Reefer Traffic

With the Swift and Armour distribution plants in the center of town I know I need meat reefers. But do I need produce reefers? Especially since most sessions won't have Maybrook-Hartford freights where they would be on through trains. And if so, which ones?

I suspect that a lot of the region received produce by truck, serviced by the large Produce Terminal in Hartford. Since refrigerated trucks aren't common in this era, the range of service is probably somewhat limited though. Today that's about 10 miles and a 20-minute drive to East Main St, New Britain where Miner, Read & Tullock and Cohen William, two grocery wholesalers, are located. Both are served by the railroad, though. Would they receive reefers?

I have plenty of evidence that a box car could be loaded for multiple destinations, but I think that's also unlikely in regards to reefers because they would need to be sent to Hartford for re-icing. Since reefers were frequently pre-cooled before icing, opening a car for even an hour for a partial unload is probably not practical. Which means I need to determine whether full reefers would be received in New Britain.

With a population of ~75,000 in my era, combined with the fact that these two industries could also serve neighboring towns, I think the answer is yes. They would receive full carloads of produce reefers. 

Which Reefers?

The reason is that the railroads were very selective in loading reefers. While the car service rules prevented roads from loading home road cars in preference to foreign cars, reefers were generally owned by subsidiaries. The New Haven was part owner of FGEX and companies, and their loading rules specified:

"FGE controlled cars (FGEX, BREX, FWDX, WFEX, CX, FHIX, WHIX, BHIX, FOBX) must be used for all refrigerator car loading. Loading of all other private line cars of any type is prohibited except as authorized by car owner, lessee, or this office."

From NYNH&H Transportation Department Form TD-12-G: General Car Order And Home Route Instructions ... Issued December 15, 1956.

The SP and UP had a similar rule for PFE cars, as did ATSF for SFRD cars. 

Since there are no industries in New Britain loading reefers, the cars I'll need will be dependent upon what is being received. My modeling month is November, I can further narrow down the options by looking at commodities are shipping in November.

Will I need that many FGEX cars, or will it lean toward the massive PFE and SFRD fleets?

PFE and SFRD

Looking at the Pacific Fruit Express book, combined with the 1% waybill study, I can identify commodities that would be shipping in November, and whether those were part of the 1% waybill study from AZ, CA, OR, or TX, the states that PFE served.

Another great resource is www.pickyourown.org which has harvest calendars for every State in addition to Canadian Provinces, such as this one for California.

These specific commodities match both those criteria:

• Cabbage (AZ)
• Celery (CA) - more celery comes to CT from Florida, but the season doesn't start until December
• Citrus Fruits NOS (CA lemons)
• Grapefruit (AZ)
• Grapes (CA)
• Lettuce (CA)
• Oranges (AZ, CA)
• Pears (CA, OR)
• Potatoes, not Sweet (CA) - the majority come from ME, but not in November
• Tomatoes (TX)

In addition, there is a category of Fresh Vegetables for many commodities not called out individually. These could include:

• Anise (CA)
• Artichokes (CA)
• Asparagus (CA)
• Beets (AZ, CA, TX)
• Broccoli (AZ, CA, TX)
• Brussels Sprouts (CA)
• Carrots (AZ, CA)
• Cauliflower (CA)
• Cucumbers (CA)
• Eggplant (AZ)
• Garlic (CA)
• Leeks (CA)
• Onions (OR)
• Peas, Green (CA)
• Peppers (CA)
• Pumpkins (AZ, TX)
• Radishes (CA)
• Shallots (AZ)
• Spinach (AZ, CA, TX)
• Squash, Winter (AZ)
• Turnips (CA)

These could all be in PFE reefers, and some may be appropriate for SFRD as well. I'll need to do some more research regarding producers and the towns served by SFRD.

That covers PFE and to some degree SFRD, but what about other produce reefers?

ART, FGEX, MDT, etc.

We can look at the other states that shipped enough produce to CT to be captured in the 1% Waybill Study:

• Apples, Fresh (WA)
• Bananas, Fresh (FL, NY, Canada)
• Oranges, Grapefruit (FL)
• Peaches, Fresh (GA, SC, VA)
• Cabbage (FL, NY)
• Vegetables, Fresh (FL, MS, NM, TN, Canada)
• Beets (NM)
• Broccoli (FL, MS, NM)
• Brussels Sprouts (TN, Canada)
• Carrots (MS, TN, Canada)
• Cauliflower (MS)
• Pumpkins (NM)
• Spinach (MS, NM)
• Turnips (MS) 

New Mexico would be SFRD territory.

The FGEX consortium serves Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington among other States. So these cars are probably less common than PFE, but about the same, or perhaps a bit more common than SFRD.

New York is served by MDT,  as well as Alabama, Mississipi, and Tennessee via the GM&O. 

Canada is served by Canadian National and Canadian Pacific. 

The Missouri Pacific and Wabash owned ART, and according to an article by Ed Hawkins they served Southern Texas like the Rio Grande Valley and Uvalde among other areas. So some of the Texas traffic could be in ART reefers.

Obviously, loading isn't 100% to the rules, and even though the 1% waybill study shows what were the most common originating points for such loads, there were undoubtedly there were others. 

Roster

It appears that PFE, FGEX and SFRD should be the most common produce reefers in New Britain in November, in that order.

I currently have 10 PFE cars (in several paint schemes since they were changing during the years I'm modeling), all Intermountain.

I have an Intermountain and Athearn SFRD reefer, but the Athearn is a 50-footer. Resin Car Works released a resin kit of other SFRD classes, which replaces the need for earlier versions released by Sunshine, although the RCW cars are currently out of production too.

I also have an NWX (Branchline, now Atlas), and two ART (Intermountain), which should be sufficient, plus the CP 8-hatch reefer that we released at True Line Trains.

But it appears I will need a decent number of FGEX consortium cars, so I'll continue with my plans as detailed in my earlier posts here and here.

Accurate MDT reefers are also hard to find, although I have a Sunshine kit or two to build.

This doesn't cover use of such reefers in ventilation service, or service other than produce, but it forms the foundation of a roster of produce reefers.