USDA worked on the railroad by designing a refrigerator car

Improving transport of perishable agricultural products

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page. Collection Highlights Model of USDA standard refrigerator car In the late 1860s, USDA began designing a refrigerator train car to move perishable products like fruits and vegetables over long distances.  How did it work?  The insulated, inner loading area contained ice blocks at the top left and right ends of the car.  Cold air circulated to the floor and rose to the top layers where the produce was stored. The model shown above is housed in Special Collections, National Agricultural Library.  More details on the train car's development can be found in the 1925 United States Department of Agriculture's Bulletin Number 1353, The efficiency of a short-type refrigerator car.

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