Guaranteed Pre-Order Deadline is February 27th, 2026
After closing, you may still place a pre-order and we will attempt to acquire one for you.
Estimated Delivery Date Is: July 2027
Product Information:
Armour & Company was a major player in Chicago’s livestock and meat-packing industry. In 1883, Armour car lines was formed to facilitate transport of products to market without relying on leased cars.
By 1947, the company found itself with a fleet of aging wood cars, some of which were 30+ years old. Recognizing the need for modern equipment, Armour placed an order for 2000 steel reefer cars, AAR class RAM, in late 1948 and early 1949. The order for the 40-ton cars, equipped with brine tanks and beef rails, was split between GATC (#s 1-1000) and ACF (#s 1001-2000). The cars had 4’ wide swing doors with a height of only 6’4”, to facilitate the installation of the overhead meat racks.
The cars continued in service through the 1950s, but changing labor practices and competition from trucks in the 1960s spelled their demise. While almost 1900 of these cars remained in service in 1961, by January 1965, there were only 254 left. The era of the steel ice reefer had come to an end.