Western Fruit Express
Encyclopedia
Western Fruit Express was a railroad refrigerator car
leasing company formed by the Fruit Growers Express
and the Great Northern Railway on July 18, 1923 in order to compete with the Pacific Fruit Express
and Santa Fe Refrigerator Despatch
in the Western United States
. The arrangement added 3,000 cars to the FGE's existing equipment pool. It is now a wholly owned subsidiary of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation (BNSF), the Great Northern's successor.
The success of the WFE led to the creation of the Burlington Refrigerator Express
(BREX) in May, 1926.
Western Fruit Express Roster, 1930–1970:
Source: The Great Yellow Fleet, p. 17.
Refrigerator car
A refrigerator car is a refrigerated boxcar , a piece of railroad rolling stock designed to carry perishable freight at specific temperatures. Refrigerator cars differ from simple insulated boxcars and ventilated boxcars , neither of which are fitted with cooling apparatus...
leasing company formed by the Fruit Growers Express
Fruit Growers Express
Fruit Growers Express was a railroad refrigerator car leasing company that began as a produce-hauling subsidiary of Armour and Company's private refrigerator car line. Its customers complained they were overcharged. In 1919 the Federal Trade Commission ordered the company's sale for anti-trust...
and the Great Northern Railway on July 18, 1923 in order to compete with the Pacific Fruit Express
Pacific Fruit Express
Pacific Fruit Express was a railroad refrigerator car leasing company that at one point was the largest refrigerator car operator in the world. The company was founded on December 7, 1906 as a joint venture between the Union Pacific and Southern Pacific railroads...
and Santa Fe Refrigerator Despatch
Santa Fe Refrigerator Despatch
The Santa Fe Refrigerator Despatch was a railroad refrigerator car line established as a subsidiary of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway in 1884 to carry perishable commodities...
in the Western United States
Western United States
.The Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West or simply "the West," traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time...
. The arrangement added 3,000 cars to the FGE's existing equipment pool. It is now a wholly owned subsidiary of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation (BNSF), the Great Northern's successor.
The success of the WFE led to the creation of the Burlington Refrigerator Express
Burlington Refrigerator Express
Burlington Refrigerator Express was a railroad refrigerator car leasing company that was formed on May 1, 1926 as a joint venture between the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad and the Fruit Growers Express Company...
(BREX) in May, 1926.
Western Fruit Express Roster, 1930–1970:
| 1930 | 1940 | 1950 | 1960 | 1970 |
| 7,177 | 7,036 | 5,265 | 5,702 | 5,893 |
Source: The Great Yellow Fleet, p. 17.