Pacific Fruit Express Company Collection, 1906-1989

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Summary

Creators:
Pacific Fruit Express Company
Language:
English.

Background

Scope and content:

A preliminary finding aid has been prepared. The finding aid will be expanded to include unprocessed material. This material has been arranged in the following series:

  • 1. AUTHORITIES FOR EXPENDITURES (AFE)
  • 2. CAR SERVICE ACCOUNTS
  • 3. SPECIFICATIONS, BILLS OF MATERIALS AND DRAWING INDEXES
  • 4. SCHEDULES
  • 5. SPECIFICATIONS
  • 6. INDEXES TO SPECIFICATIONS
  • 7. DEPARTMENTAL FILES:
    • CAR DEPARTMENT
    • MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
  • 8. SUBJECT FILES
  • 9. BY CORPORATE NAME
  • 10. PHOTOGRAPHS
Biographical / historical:

The Pacific Fruit Express Company (PFE) was incorporated in 1906 and began operations the following year. A joint project of the Edward H. Harriman-controlled Southern Pacific and Union Pacific railroads, the PFE handled shipments of vegetables, fruit and other perishables primarily from western growing areas to markets in the northern and eastern states. At its height, the company had a total of almost 41,000 ice refrigerator cars. To service these, the PFE operated a number of ice plants and docks, as well as car and repair shops throughout the west. After World War II, the number of cars owned by the company declined, although their size increased. Mechanical refrigerators began supplanting the older ice bunker cars. By 1972 the ice cars had been totally replaced. Joint ownership between Southern Pacific and Union Pacific ended in 1978, with the two railroads dividing the rolling stock and SP keeping the Pacific Fruit Express name.

Physical location:
Big Four Building or off-site storage. Please contact the Library in advance of your visit.
Physical description:
58 boxes + 5 file drawers

Access and use

Location of this collection:
111 I Street
Sacramento, CA 95814, US
Contact:
(916) 323-8073
Library.CSRM@parks.ca.gov
Website