Hello,

Over the summer I have acquired a Preco Automatic Heater- Model GB6 that was used in the old refrigerated boxcars. I have no plans on restoring this piece, as I think keeping it original would serve to tell it's story the best. However, I do plan on gathering information on this heater, such as when/how they were used, maybe some technical info on it, any stories relating to the heaters, photos, etc., for use to present to our Museum's Curator to display in our Museum. I have been able to find squat in the way of information online about this heater. I thought for sure I could find something here on rypn about it, but no dice. Doing a web search kept coming up with Preco Electronics in L.A. (corporate successor to the heater-makers maybe?), and they are famous for the back-up beepers on heavy equipment and vehicles. So far for a research project I'm coming up blank. I would appreciate any help anybody can give me, and I'd be more than happy to give credit where it's due! Any stories and photos of the heaters in use would be appreciated as well.

Thanks in advance,
Keep warm!

PRECo-- Pacific Railway Equipment Co. The book "Pacific Fruit Express" by Robert Church has a some info about these heaters. They burned alcohol as fuel, and had a thermostatic control that could be set for a given temperature. The heaters were lowered into the car's ice bunkers and were secured into the ice bunker using the spring clips on the side of the heater. They started being used in the 1940s, replacing charcoal-burning non-thermostatically controlled heaters.

Why do you need a heater for a refrigerator car? Some products in some climates could freeze-- shipping fresh fruits east on the Overland route in the winter, for example. The Bangor & Aroostook (in Maine) used under-car heaters to keep potato shipments from freezing in the winter.

These things are probably not too common anymore. I suspect there were scrap gons full of them at one point 35 years ago....

I think the book "Great Yellow Fleet" might have some info on heaters also. A few years ago in Seattle a surplus machinery dealer had about two dozen of these heaters for $25 each. Road names on them were PFE, NP, AT&SF, as well as others. I also have a never used charcoal car heater from the White Pass & Yukon.

Richard

Also it appears the 1957 Car Builders Cyclopedia has an advertisement for PRECO Automatic Heaters. Google Books has a snipet view of page 409.

Richard