Pacific Fruit Express
| Company type | Leasing company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Railroad refrigerator cars |
| Founded | December 7, 1906 in San Francisco, United States |
| Founder | E. H. Harriman |
| Headquarters | San Francisco , United States |
Area served | United States |
| Products | Refrigerated railcars |
| Parent | Joint venture of Union Pacific and Southern Pacific railroads (original) |
Pacific Fruit Express was a U.S.-based leasing company specializing in railroad refrigerator cars, headquartered in San Francisco, and at one time held the distinction of being the world's largest operator of refrigerated railcars.
Establishment and early development
On December 7, 1906, entrepreneur E. H. Harriman established Pacific Fruit Express as a collaborative enterprise between the Union Pacific and Southern Pacific railroads. Operations commenced on October 1, 1907, with an initial fleet of 6,600 refrigerator cars manufactured by the American Car and Foundry Company (ACF). From 1901 through 1913, PFE led the refrigerated transport sector, playing a crucial role in expanding California’s fruit industry. In 1913, PFE leadership convened with fruit producers in Lodi, California to enhance communication and loading procedures, committing to add 3,000 more cars to alleviate supply shortages. Despite these efforts, disputes over car availability continued into the following decade.
PFE originally depended on natural ice harvested from locations such as the Rocky Mountains for refrigeration purposes and maintained ice harvesting operations well into the 1940s. Early on, ice sourced from Oregon ponds was utilized until the construction of a dedicated refrigeration facility in 1912.
| 1907 | 1910 | 1920 | 1930 | 1940 | 1950 | 1960 | 1970 |
| 6,600 | 8,100 | 16,000 | 40,509 | 36,899 | 38,840 | 28,818 | 17,648 |
1920s through 1950s
In 1923, PFE leased 2,775 refrigerator cars from the Western Pacific Railroad, which bore PFE colors but featured WP logos. These vehicles represented some of the final wooden refrigerator cars in PFE’s inventory and were phased out by the late 1950s. The Western Pacific ended its association with PFE in 1967 by aligning with Fruit Growers Express. Throughout this era, PFE managed its own maintenance shops and ice production plants; by 1948, it operated eighteen ice facilities producing approximately two million pounds of ice daily. Increased competition from refrigerated trucking led to a reduction of the fleet to about 21,500 cars during these decades.
From the 1970s onward
The growth of highway-based refrigerated transportation eroded PFE's profitability, prompting it to halt operations in March 1978. On April 1 of that year, its assets were divided equally between Union Pacific and Southern Pacific. Southern Pacific continued using the PFE brand name while Union Pacific launched the Union Pacific Fruit Express, which remains a Union Pacific subsidiary.
In 1970, a fire destroyed PFE’s ice storage facility located in Tucson, Arizona. More recently, on September 1, 2022, Union Pacific closed the last remaining Fruit Express maintenance shop at Bailey Yard in North Platte, Nebraska, relocating all staff and equipment to the North Platte Service Unit Car Department.
Paint and markings
Contemporary PFE refrigerator cars commonly featured both UP and SP logos and were labeled either "Union Pacific Fruit Express" or "Southern Pacific Fruit Express." The reporting marks used were UPFE for cars operated by Union Pacific and SPFE for those under Southern Pacific management.
Cultural impact
The enduring influence of PFE can still be observed in prominent Union Pacific locations such as Roseville, California, which hosts a significant classification yard featuring a street named "PFE Road." Remnants of PFE track infrastructure remain in the Union Pacific Albina Yard located in Portland, Oregon, as well as in the Tucson Yard in Arizona. The car department continues to be supported by PFE maintenance facilities in Pocatello, Idaho. Additionally, a restored PFE boxcar is exhibited at Cody Park in North Platte, Nebraska.
PFE’s refrigerated railcars have left a mark on the model railroading community, with replicas produced across various scales including O, HO, N, and Z gauges since as early as 1928. The Pacific Fruit Express brand also served as inspiration for a rollercoaster at San Jose’s Happy Hollow Park & Zoo, designed to resemble wooden fruit crates.
The historical importance of the company was showcased in a 2002 episode of Tracks Ahead, which documented restoration projects culminating in an exhibit at the Western Pacific Museum in Plumas County.
Sources
Further reading
- Sacramento History Online (2004), Timeline – Transportation, Agriculture — details regarding the company's founding.
- Thompson, Anthony W. et al. (1992). Pacific Fruit Express. Signature Press, Wilton, CA. .
External links
- Pacific Fruit Express Company #11207 — photographic record and history of one of the final ice-cooled refrigerator cars constructed.
- Pacific Fruit Express Company #300010 — images and background on one of the earliest mechanical refrigeration cars produced.
- Pacific Fruit Express photo gallery hosted on the Union Pacific Railroad official site.