Don't forget the very large ice harvesting facility that was entered in
the NASG convention a few years ago at Lowell, Mass. I've spent many
years on my knees photographing convention entries--this model was
outstanding. I have some really great shots of it but I don't have a
great memory, so I don't recall the builder. I believe it was based on
historical plans.
Bear in mind that this facility was involved only in the harvesting of
the ice from a pond and then storing it until it could be shipped to ice
houses along the line or for other commercial purposes. It really
seemed like a very inefficient operation compared to modern ice plants.
Some where in my slide collection is what appears to be a small ice
house along the Soo Line in a small city called Wishek located in
southern North Dakota--this wasn't mainline territory! It's a two story
building not too much larger than a single stall garage, but it did have
a small hoist, second story service door and appears to be well
insulated. I have no idea what was iced there as this was pretty much
grain country.
Bob Werre
PhotoTraxx
On 3/14/13 6:46 PM, Ed wrote:
> There are a number of ways to ice a reefer. Short of a full platform
> facility <snip>
I used to have a photo of a truck loaded with ice blocks parked
beneath a small overhead crane. A single reefer was on the track which
was also beneath the crane. The blocks of ice were hoisted off the
truck and carried over to the reefer one at a time and then lowered
down into the bunker. Not fast, but it worked. I think the locale was
Utica, NY in the early 1950s. It is an easy scene to duplicate on a
small layout. Ed Loizeaux
