Reefer R-70-20 Burlington Northern Western Fruit Express 2pck.

Reefer R-70-20

Burlington Northern Western Fruit Express

Roadnumber: BNFE 9342, 9345

The cars were built by Pacific Car and Foundry in Benton, WA. The R-70-20 designation stands for a reefer with 70 ton capacity. The 20 designates with was the twenty design in the builders reefer series. The cars are a direct derivative of the PFE reefer design. They represent the last major release of this design of cars. In 1969, 1,200 of these cars were delivered, with an additional 1,200 delivered in 1970. Initially the cars were delivered in PFE lettering.

Throughout the years, the cars would be sold off and repainted for new owners and roads. The 1980s saw the biggest change as the SP and UP split the operations on the PFE. The SP would retain the PFE trade name and their cars would be lettered for SPFE. The UP would choose to completely repaint their cars in the armor yellow scheme, and later all white after the SP and UP merged in 1996.

The second largest operator of these cars was the BNSF. The BNSF would build through their collection through the absorption of roads such as the Burlington Northern and Great Northern. It is important to note that these cars continue to be operated currently. The dependability and reliability are a driving factor for their prolonged use.