Mechanical refrigerator car shipment of beer in bulk.

Hawley, J.S.

Abstract
A system has been devised for the transport of bulk beer between plants within the Stroh Brewing Company. It consists of 50 refrigerated wagons, a main depot with wagon cleaning facilities ($850,000) and unloading terminals at the receiving plants. The capital cost of developing this system was $4,000,000 but savings in the cost of transporting beer since the system came into operation in 1983 have amounted to $7,250,000. Over a million barrels have been transported in this period. The 'Chiller' railcar is an insulated, 52 ft. long, 100 ton wagon of the type used by the Fruit Grower Express, modified by them at a cost of $13,000/wagon to accept a special tank manufactured by Bishopric Products, Ohio. Tanks hold about 600 gallons of beer. A diesel-electric power unit supplies 20 KW of 3-phase, 60 cycle current at 220 V. Cooling is provided by a 10 ton freon compressor with a freon condensor and fan. Heating is by means of 9 heating coils. Evaporator cooling coil and electric heating coil are combined in one assembly. Temperature can be controlled from -10oF to 80oF. Insulation gives a heat transmission rate of 105 B.T.U./oF/hour. Beer can now be dispatched in bulk to any plant where the brewing capability is lacking without any loss in flavour quality.
Keywords : beer railway refrigeration unit transport