A page about Upstate New York G-gauge rolling stock.
Genesee G Gauge Railway Society
Rochester NY
At a club meeting in 2015, the topic of "local" rolling stock came up, meaning freight cars with road-names or company names that are local to the Rochester NY area. There are some interesting pieces of large scale rolling stock that have a "local connection" to upstate and western NY! This page will list all the known cars that have a NY state connection. These cars are arranged with the Rochester area first, (because the GGGRS is from Rochester! ;) then going outward from Rochester:
1.) Genesee Beer reefer, by Kalamazoo
photo from ebay. The oldest model in this list is almost certainty the Kalamazoo Genesee Beer reefer. It's exact year of manufacture is uncertain, but it dates from the 1980's.
Road name: Genesee Brewing Company, Rochester NY.
Road number: G.B.C.X 101
Manufacturer: Kalamazoo Trains
Manufacturer product number: ????
scale: 1/22.5 to 1/24 range.
Date of manufacture: (from the 1980's), out of production.
2.) Genesee Beer reefer, by USA Trains
Photo from ebay. A more recent version of a Genesee Beer reefer, was made by USA Trains:
Road name: Genesee Brewing Company, Rochester NY.
Road number: G.B.C.X 108
Manufacturer: USA Trains
Manufacturer product number: R16018
scale: 1/24
Date of manufacture: 1994, out of production.
3.) Old Topper Ale reefer, by USA Trains
Photo from USA Trains
A second "Rochester beer" car, also made by USA Trains. "Old Topper" was a line of beers and ales made by the Rochester Brewing company in the early to mid 20th Century.
There was no actual prototype Old Topper reefer or boxcar. This is part of the popular USA trains line of billboard reefers, which feature historic graphics, logos and slogans from real companys, but do not necessarily have actual railcar prototypes. The Rochester Brewing Company, "Old Topper", and the Old Topper logo and slogans were all real, but the reefer car itself is not modeled after any real prototype railcar. (This also applies to the Genesee Beer car, Iroquois beer, Black Horse ale, and the Adirondack beverage reefers, which appear later in this list.) As a side note, all the USA Trains "American Series" cars, which includes all the USA Trains billboard reefers on this list, are made in the USA! so that's a nice plus. (the remainder of the USA trains line, along with 90% of model trains overall these days, of all scales, are made in China.)
Road name: "Old Topper Ale", Rochester Brewing Company, Rochester NY.
Road number: (none)
Manufacturer: USA Trains
Manufacturer product number: R16390
scale: 1/24
Date of manufacture: 2010, still available new. (in 2015)
4.) Merchants Despatch reefer, by LGB
photo from ebay.
The "Merchants Despatch Refrigerator Line" was a subsidiary of the New York Central Railroad, and it had a huge fleet of reefer cars. In 1887 the New York Central built a new freight car manufacturing shop complex, next to its mainline, specifically to build Merchants Despatch reefers. The town that grew around the shop complex was originally named "Despatch, NY" and its name was later changed to "East Rochester". The town name changed, but the car shops were always called the "Despatch Shops". Freight cars of many types (the majority being reefers) were built at the Despatch shops from 1887 to 1970. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merchants_Despatch
This LGB Merchants Despatch car does not specifically say "East Rochester" on it, (neither did most of the prototype cars) but because the vast majority of Merchants Despatch cars were built at the Despatch shops in East Rochester, the car certainty deserves a spot on this list as a "Rochester native".
Road name: Merchants Despatch Refrigerator Line, New York Central.
Road number: two roads numbers available: 16560 and 16566
Manufacturer: LGB
Manufacturer product number: two LGB numbers, one for each road name: LGB product numbers 47720 and 47723
scale: roughly 1/22.5
Date of manufacture: ????, out of production.
5.) Merchants Despatch reefer, by USA Trains
photo and info from the GartenBahn database: http://www.gbdb.info/details.php?image_id=5405&mode=search&l=english
(See the LGB car immediately above for information about the Merchants Despatch line.)
This car by USA Trains was a "Special edition for Star Hobbies and Roberts' Lines, USA."
"Roberts Lines" was a model train company from the Rochester NY area.
Road name: Merchants Despatch Transportation Company.
Road number: two roads numbers available: 8900 and 8901.
Manufacturer: USA Trains.
Manufacturer product number: C1600RH16
scale: 1/24
Date of manufacture: 1997, out of production.
6.) Merchants Despatch reefer, 1/32 scale by Piko
Photo by Scot Lawrence. (See the LGB car, two cars above, for information about the Merchants Despatch line.)
A third MDT reefer, this one is 1/32 scale, by Piko.
Road name: Merchants Despatch Refrigerator Line, New York Central.
Road number: 52772
Manufacturer: Piko
Manufacturer product number: 38810
scale: 1/32
Date of manufacture: 2010 - out of production.
7.) Merchants Despatch reefer, 1/32 scale, by Accucraft
photo and info from Accucraft: http://www.accucraftestore.com/index.php?productID=612
(if anyone has one of these cars, I would like to know what the logo above "M.D.T 9097" on the left side of the car says! thanks..)
(See the LGB car, three cars above, for information about the Merchants Despatch line.)
A fourth Merchants Despatch - New York Central car exists, this one by Accucraft in 1/32 scale.
Road name: M.D.T - New York Central.
Road number: Available in six numbers, M.D.T 9051, 9062, 9074, 9076, 9081, and 9097.
Manufacturer: Accucraft.
Manufacturer product number: AM32-512X
scale: 1/32
Date of manufacture: 2010, still available new. (in 2015)
8.) Merchants Despatch reefer, 1/29 scale, by Accucraft
photo and info from Accucraft: http://www.accucraftestore.com/index.php?productID=864
(See the LGB car, four cars above, for information about the Merchants Despatch line.)
The most common "road name" on this list is Merchants Despatch, this is the 5th version of a M.D.T reefer available in Large Scale! this one also by Accucraft, in 1/29 scale.
Road name: Merchants Despatch Refrigerator Line - New York Central Lines.
Road number: Available in four numbers: M.D.T 17127, 17139, 20651, and 20629.
Manufacturer: Accucraft.
Manufacturer product number: G426-08
scale: 1/29
Date of manufacture: 2010, still available new. (in 2015)
9.) Dairymen's Despatch reefer, by Bachmann
Photo from ebay
The 6th MDT car in this list. This is another MDT-style reefer, of the kind that was built at the East Rochester NY Despatch shops. I cant find any on-line reference to an actual "Dairymen's Despatch Transportation Company", this might be a fictional name invented by Bachmann.
Road name: Dairymen's Despatch Transportation Company.
Road number: MDT 2777
Manufacturer: Bachmann
Manufacturer product number: Bachmann 93267
scale: 1/24
Date of manufacture: 2015, still available new. (in 2017)
10.) Kodak tank car, by Aristocraft.
photo from ebay.
This is the best known "local" car among Rochester G-scalers, the Aristocraft Kodak tank car.
Road name: Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester NY.
Road number: E.K.C.X 41307
Manufacturer: Aristocraft
Manufacturer product number: ART-41307
scale: 1/29
Date of manufacture: 1990's, out of production.
11.) Kodak tank car, by USA Trains.
photo from USA Trains
A second Kodak tank car. This car is the "most modern" car on this list in terms of the era of the prototype car. This car does not specifically say "Rochester" on it, but because Kodak is so obviously related to Rochester, and because of the Kodak logo, the car is included on this list. (USA Trains lists this car as "Tennessee Eastman - Kodak" on their webpage, although "Tennessee" does not appear on the car itself.)
Road name: Eastman Chemical Products, Kodak.
Road number: GATX 93496
Manufacturer: USA Trains
Manufacturer product number: R15216
scale: 1/29
Date of manufacture: 2011, still available new. (in 2015)
Prototype Kodak tank car! Date, location and photographer unknown:
The next four cars are "club cars" and were not commercially available. but because there is a "population" of them, I though they warranted a place on this list: (if any other Upstate NY Garden RR clubs have ever done a similar series of "club cars", I would love to know about them, and add them to this list!)
12.) Genesee G Gauge 10th anniversary boxcar. (4 cars made)
The first set of Genesee G Gauge Railway Society "anniversary cars" were created for the clubs 10th anniversary in 2001.
a total of 4 cars were created by club members Peter Todd and Dave Rouse .
(photo needed)
13.) Genesee G Gauge 15th anniversary boxcar. (about 15 cars made, exact number still uncertain.)
photo by Scot Lawrence
The Genesee G Gauge Railway Society of Rochester, NY celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2006. To commemorate the occasion a series of custom GGGRS 15th anniversary boxcars were created! The design was created by club members Peter Todd and Dave Rouse. The boxcar is by Bachmann, and the paint scheme is custom by the GGGRS. a total of ?? cars were made.
Road name: Genesee G Gauge 15th anniversary, 2006.
Road number: ?? cars made: "2006 No. 1" through "2006 No.?" (believed to be about 15 cars)
Manufacturer: Bachmann, with custom paint and lettering. Decals designed by Peter Todd and Dave Rouse, and printed by Dave.
Manufacturer product number: Bachmann 933xx series.
scale: 1/22.5
Date of manufacture: cars painted and lettered in 2006, out of production.
14.) Genesee G Gauge 20th anniversary boxcar. (25 cars made)
photo by Scot Lawrence
The Genesee G Gauge Railway Society of Rochester, NY celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2011. To commemorate the occasion a series of custom GGGRS 20th anniversary boxcars were created in 2012, (a year late! ;) The design was created by club member Scot Lawrence, Decals printed by club member Dave rouse, the boxcar is by Bachmann, and the cars were painted and lettered by the club. a total of 20 cars were made. in addition to a unique number on each car, each car also has a "When empty return to agent(s) (club members names) (town name) on the boxcar door. each car has a unique number and name(s).
Road name: Genesee G Gauge 20th anniversary, 2011.
Road number: Twenty cars made: "2011-01" through "2011-20"
Manufacturer: Bachmann, with custom paint and lettering.
Manufacturer product number: Bachmann 933xx series.
scale: 1/22.5
Date of manufacture: painted and lettered in 2012, out of production.
15.) Genesee G Gauge 25th anniversary car. (about 25 cars will be made in 2016)
(photo needed)
16.) Rohrbach Brewing Company reefer, by Bachmann
photo by Bachmann Trains
Rohrbach Brewing was founded in Rochester NY in 1991, and has two locations in the Rochester area:
Bachmann introduced the Large Scale Rohrbachs reefer in 2015. (and they also have an On30 scale version.)
Road name: Rohrbach Brewing Company
Road number: BBRX 1014
Manufacturer: Bachmann
Manufacturer product number: Bachmann 93204
scale: 1/22.5
Date of manufacture: 2015, still available new. (in 2017)
17.) Canandaigua Southern boxcar, by USA Trains.
photo by Scot Lawrence
The Canandaigua Southern was a famous O-scale model railroad built by John Armstrong. The railroad was featured many times in model railroad magazines. John was from Canandaigua NY and began his Canandaigua Southern model railroad when he was a teenager there. After college he settled in Maryland where he began the famous O-scale Canandaigua Southern. Even though the model railroad was physically located in Maryland, it began in Canandaigua and John modeled the Western NY and Finger Lakes region of his youth. John passed away in 2004, and the railroad was sold. Parts of it are now incorporated into other model railroads.
USA Trains made this Canandaigua Southern 1/24 scale "American Series" boxcar as part of a 6-car "living legend" series commissioned by the NMRA, commemorating famous model railroaders and their railroads. The cars were offered to NMRA members only. The exact year this car was made is uncertain, it is likely from the late 1990's or early 2000's. The exact amount of cars made is also currently unknown. USA Trains/Charles Ro had one remaining car in their inventory, they had it listed in a clearance sale in 2017.
Road name: Canandaigua Southern
Road number: CSRR 4523
Manufacturer: USA Trains
Manufacturer product number: C1900sNML01
scale: 1/24
Date of manufacture: Year of production uncertain, out of production.
18.) LGB 1992 National Convention car, Buffalo NY, by LGB
photo from ebay.
Now we leave Rochester and head over to nearby Buffalo, NY. This is the earliest known Large Scale car for the Buffalo area, the 1992 LGB "convention car", with some nice Buffalo and Niagara Falls graphics! 1,000 units of this car were made.
Road name: 1992 LGB National Convention, Buffalo NY.
Road number: (none)
Manufacturer: LGB.
Manufacturer product number: 4028CC
scale: 1/22.5
Date of manufacture: 1992, out of production.
19.) Iroquois Beer reefer, by USA Trains.
photo from USA Trains
Like the Genesee Beer and "Old Topper Ale" reefers, USA Trains has also done some other Western NY brewery reefers. The Iroquois Brewery existed in Buffalo from the late 1800's to 1971.
Road name: Iroquois Brewery, Buffalo NY
Road number: NYC 2464
Manufacturer: USA Trains
Manufacturer product number: R16374
scale: 1/24
Date of manufacture: 2010, still available new. (in 2016)
20.) Iroquois Beer reefer, by USA Trains. Version 2
photo from USA Trains
In 2016 USA trains released a 2nd paint variant of the of the Iroquois Beer reefer. The first one, released in 2010, R16374, road number 2464, has black door hardware and gold paint on the "International Breweries" name banner, Iroquois name, and the Indian head dress. This 2nd variant, released in 2016, R16499, road number 2463, has gold painted door hardware, and yellow paint for the "International Breweries" name banner, Iroquois name, and Indian head dress.
Road name: Iroquois Brewery, Buffalo NY
Road number: NYC 2463.
Manufacturer: USA Trains
Manufacturer product number: R16499
scale: 1/24
Date of manufacture: 2016, still available new. (in 2016)
21.) Iroquois Beer, piggyback flatcar with trailer, by USA Trains.
photo from USA Trains
These "flat car with trailer" cars, like the reefers, have brand names, logos and slogans which are all historically accurate and actually existed, but in the same way that the reefers most likely do not have actual rail-car prototypes, now we have a car that *really* has no historic prototype! ;) These breweries certainty never had trailers like this! ;) but that's ok..I suspect USA trains made this car just because the design is so beautiful..and it is.
Road name: Iroquois Brewery, Buffalo NY
Road number: none
Manufacturer: USA Trains
Manufacturer product number: R17035
scale: 1/24-ish
Date of manufacture: 2013, still available new. (in 2015)
22.) Iroquois Beer, piggyback flatcar with trailer, Version 2 by USA Trains.
photo from USA Trains
In 2018 USA Trains released a 2nd version of the Iroquois Beer piggyback trailer, this time in solid yellow.
Road name: Iroquois Brewery, Buffalo NY
Road number: none
Manufacturer: USA Trains
Manufacturer product number: R17048
scale: 1/24-ish
Date of manufacture: 2018, still available new. (in 2018)
23.) Buffalo Creek Railroad boxcar, by Aristocraft.
photo above by Scot Lawrence
Prototype photo. Buffalo NY. Photographer unknown.
Many major Class-1 railroads served upstate New York: New York Central, PRR, Erie, LV, DL&W, B&O, NKP, and many more. I am *not* including freight cars with those road names on this list, because there are a *lot* of those cars, and because this region was only one small area that they served. But there is one railroad that deserves to be on this list, because it was *only* confined to Buffalo NY, and nowhere else: The Buffalo Creek Railroad. The Buffalo Creek was a small switching railroad that served the large industrial districts on the south side of Buffalo, it was jointly owned by the LV and the Erie, and provided switching and transfer services for many Buffalo railroads and industries. It existed from 1870 to 1976.
Road name: Buffalo Creek Railroad
Road number: BCK 46028
Manufacturer: Aristocraft
Manufacturer product number: ART-46028
scale: 1/29
Date of manufacture: 2007, out of production.
24.) Jipco Brand Pumpkin, reefer, by USA Trains.
photo from USA Trains
J.I. Prentiss & Company was a produce wholesaler in Buffalo from 1883 to 1958. Produce came in by rail and ship from the Midwest and the West coast to Buffalo, where the company then canned and distributed it under the Jipco brand name, with a Buffalo on their logo!
Road name: Jipco Brand Pumpkin, J.I. Prentiss & company, Buffalo NY
Road number: BCK 46028
Manufacturer: USA Trains
Manufacturer product number: R16328
scale: 1/24
Date of manufacture: 2006, still available new (in 2015)
25.) Hooker Chemical, Niagara Falls NY, tank car, by Aristocraft.
Photo above from ebay.
Prototype photo. builders photo by American Car & Foundry company.
The Hooker Chemical Company was founded in Rochester NY in 1903, and in the early to middle 20th Century had its main facility in nearby Niagara Falls NY. Hooker Chemical in Niagara Falls is best known today for being the primary cause of the infamous Love Canal chemical disaster. (Love Canal information.)
Road name: Hooker Chemical, Niagara Falls NY
Road number: HOKX 41302
Manufacturer: Aristocraft
Manufacturer product number: ART 41032
scale: 1/29
Date of manufacture: ??, out of production.
There are a total of 5 Hooker tank cars available in Large Scale! The one by Aristocraft, above, which is specifically lettered for Niagara Falls, and also four more by USA Trains. However the USA Trains cars all say "Hooker chemicals, Tacoma Wash." on them, so I didn't include those cars on this list.
26.) Black Horse Ale reefer, by USA Trains.
photo from USA Trains
Black Horse Ale was made by the Fred Koch Brewery of Dunkirk, NY.
Road name: Black Horse Brewery, Dunkirk NY
Road number: BHBX 1005
Manufacturer: USA Trains
Manufacturer product number: R16413
scale: 1/24
Date of manufacture: 2011, still available new. (in 2015)
27.) Delta Sugar Corn, reefer, by USA Trains.
photo from USA Trains
The Olney & Floyd canning factorys were located in Delta and Westernville, NY, (in the Utica/Rome area) from 1884 to 1971. (Olney & Floyd information.)
Road name: Delta Sugar Corn, Olney & Floyd, Westernville, Oneida Co., New York.
Road number: (none)
Manufacturer: USA Trains
Manufacturer product number: R16336
scale: 1/24
Date of manufacture: 2008, still available new. (in 2015)
28.) Adirondack Sparkling Water reefer, by USA Trains.
photo from USA Trains
The Adirondack Beverage company of Scotia, NY has been in business since 1967, making several different product lines of carbonated beverages. USA trains has made four different Adirondack cars:
Road name: Adirondack Sparkling Water, Adirondack Beverage Company, Scotia, NY.
Road number: ASWX 60960
Manufacturer: USA Trains
Manufacturer product number: R16147
scale: 1/24
Date of manufacture: 1997, out of production.
29.) Adirondack Orange Soda reefer, by USA Trains.
photo from USA Trains
Road name: Adirondack Orange Soda, Adirondack Beverage Company, Scotia, NY.
Road number: ASWX 60961
Manufacturer: USA Trains
Manufacturer product number: R16149
scale: 1/24
Date of manufacture: 1997, out of production.
30.) Adirondack Wildberry Seltzer reefer, by USA Trains.
photo from USA Trains
Road name: Adirondack Wildberry Seltzer, Adirondack Beverage Company, Scotia, NY.
Road number: ASWX 60965
Manufacturer: USA Trains
Manufacturer product number: R16228
scale: 1/24
Date of manufacture: 1999, out of production.
31.) Adirondack Sparkling Water, piggyback flatcar with trailer, by USA Trains.
photo from USA Trains
Road name: Adirondack Sparkling Water, Adirondack Beverage Company, Scotia, NY.
Road number: ASWX 60965
Manufacturer: USA Trains
Manufacturer product number: R17032
scale: 1/24-ish
Date of manufacture: 2008, out of production.
32.) LaFrance-Brockway Torpedo Fire Engine, reefer, by USA Trains.
photo from USA Trains
The American LaFrance Fire Engine Company was a famous Elmira, NY industry for most of the 20th Century. The company's roots date back to 1832, and thousands of Firetrucks were manufactured in Elmira from 1903 to 1985. The firetruck on this reefer, the 1923 LaFrance-Brockway Torpedo, was made in Elmira, with the "coach" (body) made by Brockway in Cortland NY. So this car really has a connection to two upstate New York cities, Elmira and Cortland.
Road name: LaFrance-Brockway Torpedo Fire Engine
Road number: (none)
Manufacturer: USA Trains
Manufacturer product number: R16347
scale: 1/24
Date of manufacture: 2008, still available new. (in 2015)
33.) Larrabee-Deyo Motor Truck Company, reefer, by USA Trains.
photo from USA Trains
The Larrabee company began in 1881 building wagons and carriages. In 1916 they became the Larrabee-Deyo Motor Truck company in Binghamton NY. They made trucks and fire trucks. The company was short-lived however, only lasting sixteen years. They were a victim of the Great Depression, and went out of business in 1932.
Road name: Larrabee-Deyo Motor Truck Co. Binghamton NY
Road number: LARX 2255
Manufacturer: USA Trains
Manufacturer product number: R16237
scale: 1/24
Date of manufacture: 1999, out of production.
34.) Fire Department City of New York, reefer, USA Trains.
photo and info from the GartenBahn database: http://www.gbdb.info/details.php?image_id=4160&mode=search&l=english
The next twelve cars on this list are from the New York City, Long Island and Lower Hudson Valley area, which is a bit "out of range" to be "local" for those of us in Western NY, but they are still from New York state. For the sake of completeness and covering all of New York state, I thought it would be interesting to include them:
Road name: Fire Department, City of New York
Road number: (none)
Manufacturer: USA Trains
Manufacturer product number: R16276
scale: 1/24
Date of manufacture: 2001, out of production.
"Special edition car for the New York City Fire Department to remember September 11, 2001.
$20 from each car sold was donated to the New York Fire Department."
35.) Piels Brothers reefer, by USA Trains.
photo from USA Trains
Road name: Piels "The Beer Drinkers Beer", Piels Brothers, Brooklyn, NY
Road number: NYC 6809
Manufacturer: USA Trains
Manufacturer product number: R16373
scale: 1/24
Date of manufacture: 2010, still available new. (in 2015)
36.) Renken's, Brooklyn New York, reefer, by USA Trains.
photo from USA Trains
The Renken's Dairy Company was founded in Brooklyn in 1888. At one time it was the third largest Dairy company in New York City! before it closed in 1959.
Road name: Renken's Milk and Cream, Brooklyn NY.
Road number: 989
Manufacturer: USA Trains
Manufacturer product number: R16234
scale: 1/24
Date of manufacture: 1999, out of production.
37.) Sheffield Farms, New York City, reefer, by USA Trains.
photo from USA Trains
Sheffield Farms was a major dairy distributor in New York city in the late 19th and early 20th centurys. It began in the 1880's and operated as Sheffield Farms until 1923, when it became part of the larger "National Dairy Corporation" which then eventually evolved into Kraft foods.
Road name: Sheffield Farms, Sealect Milk.
Road number: G.A.R.X. 766025
Manufacturer: USA Trains
Manufacturer product number: R16038
scale: 1/24
Date of manufacture: 1994, out of production.
38.) Jacob Rupert, New York City, reefer, by USA Trains.
photo from USA Trains
The Jacob Ruppert Brewery was one of the earliest, and became one of the largest, breweries in New York City, started by Jacob Ruppert Sr. in the 1860's. Knickerbocker Beer was famous in NY city for much of the 20th century, and was the official beer of the New York Giants baseball team. It was discontinued in the 1970's.
Road name: Jacob Ruppert, Knickerbocker Beer, New York City.
Road number: RPX 805
Manufacturer: USA Trains
Manufacturer product number: R16062
scale: 1/24
Date of manufacture: 1995, out of production.
39.) RCA Victor, boxcar, by USA Trains. Red version
photo from ebay.
The Radio Corporation of America (RCA) was founded in 1919, and was based in New York City. In 1929 RCA purchased the Victor Talking Machine company, then the worlds largest manufacturer of phonographs and records, which led to the RCA-Victor company, and their famous mascot, Nipper the dog, and the slogan "His master's voice"
USA trains made two versions of this car in 1995, a Red car, and a Blue car.
Road name: RCA Victor.
Road number: Two road names and colors, RCA 101 (red) and RCA 102 (blue)
Manufacturer: USA Trains
Manufacturer product number: N8 (red) and N10 (blue)
scale: 1/24
Date of manufacture: 1995, out of production.
40.) RCA Victor, boxcar, by USA Trains. Blue version
see above for details.
41.) A&P wood reefer, by Aristocraft.
photo from ebay.
The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, better known as "A&P", has a connection to two areas of New York state!
The company was founded as "Gilman & Company" in New York City, in 1859. In 1863 the name was changed to "The Great American Tea Company", and opened several tea wholesale location around New York City. In 1869, after the transcontinental railroad was completed, Gilman changed the company name again, to "The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company." In the 20th Century, the company was best known for its national chain of A&P supermarkets. At it's peak in the 1920's, A&P operated 16,000 stores! The second connection to New York state was A&P's large manufacturing plant in Horseheads NY, in the southern Tier. My Dad worked there for most of my childhood and early teen years! most of the 1970's and into the early 1980's. He was one of the last employees there when the plant closed down in the early 1980's. The large plant made candy and other foods for the entire A&P supermarket chain. The plant stood empty through the 1990's, and was eventually torn down. Today the site has been redeveloped, and is now home to a new shopping plaza. But the A&P company still exists, and was 150 years old in 2009, although the number of A&P supermarkets has continued to decline since the 1980's, and as I write this in 2015 the company has declared bankruptcy and is attempting to reorganize. In 2015, only about 250 A&P supermarkets remain, all clustered in the lower Hudson Valley of New York state, and Connecticut.
Road name: The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea company, A&P.
Road number: A.R.P.X 86209
Manufacturer: Aristocraft
Manufacturer product number: ART-86209
scale: 1/24
Date of manufacture: 1995, out of production.
42.) A&P steel reefer, by Aristocraft
Photo from ebay.
The 2nd A&P car in this list, see car above for the A&P company history.
Road name: The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea company, A&P.
Road number: APRX 46215
Manufacturer: Aristocraft
Manufacturer product number: ART-46215
scale: 1/24
Date of manufacture: Aristocraft "Black-Box era", mid-1990's, out of production.
43.) A&P reefer, by USA trains.
photo from USA Trains
A third A&P reefer was introduced in 2016, this one by USA Trains.
(see the Aristo A&P car, two cars above, for A&P company history)
Road name: The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea company, A&P.
Road number: Four road numbers available: 23028, 23029, 23030, 23031
Manufacturer: USA Trains
Manufacturer product number: Four product numbers, corresponding to the four road numbers: R16490A, B, C & D.
scale: 1/24
Date of manufacture: 2016, still available new. (in 2016)
44.) Dairymen's League reefer, by USA Trains
photo from USA Trains
The Dairymen's League was founded in Orange County NY, outside of New York City, in 1907, and eventually evolved into the Dairylea Cooperative Inc., which still exists today.
Link: Dairylea Cooperative Inc.
Road name: Dairymen's League
Road number: Four numbers available: GARE 771, 772, 773 and 774
Manufacturer: USA Trains
Manufacturer product number: Four numbers corresponding with the four road numbers: R16015A, B, C & D.
scale: 1/24
Date of manufacture: 2016, still available new. (in 2017)
Unfortunately in 2016 USA Trains began a terrible policy of *re-using* product numbers! repeating the same product number for completely different roadnames! I cant image why anyone thought that would be a good idea, it makes saved searches in ebay for the older/original roadname now completely useless, because 999 out of 1,000 returns for that search will be for the new roadname, when we want the saved search to generate hits for the original roadname. I love you USA Trains, i'm a big fan..but! Horrible idea! absolutely horrible..I hope they reconsider and stop doing this. But this Dairymen's league car is one of the new "repeat" model numbers. :(
45.) Dairymen's League reefer, by Bachmann
Bachmann also offers a G-scale Dairymen's League reefer.
See the USA Trains car just above for info about the Dairymen's league.
Road name: Dairymen's League
Road number: CNGR 5201
Manufacturer: Bachmann
Manufacturer product number: Bachmann 93266
Scale: 1/24
Date of manufacture: 2017, still available new. (in 2017)
46.) Ramapo Valley Brewery reefer, by Bachmann
Photo from ebay.
Bachmann introduced the Ramapo Valley Brewery reefer in 2015.
Ramapo Valley Brewery is located in Suffern NY. It was founded in 2000.
Road name: Ramapo Valley Brewery.
Road number: BBRX 1022
Manufacturer: Bachmann
Manufacturer product number: Bachmann 98691
scale: 1/22.5
Date of manufacture: 2015, still available new. (in 2017)
47.) Bricktown Brewery reefer, by Bachmann
Photo from ebay.
Bachmann introduced the Bricktown Brewery reefer in 2015.
Bricktown Brewery is located in Haverstraw NY. It was founded in 2003.
Road name: Bricktown Brewery.
Road number: BBRX 1007
Manufacturer: Bachmann
Manufacturer product number: Bachmann 98684
scale: 1/22.5
Date of manufacture: 2015, still available new. (in 2017)
48.) Erie Brewing Company, reefer, by USA Trains.
photo from USA Trains
I have decided to expand this list into North-West Pennsylvania! Why? because Erie PA and St. Marys PA are actually *closer* to Rochester and Buffalo than New York City! So there are two more reefers that deserve to be on this list, even though they cross a state border. But from a geography standpoint, they are still in our region, actually more-so than New York City.
Road name: Erie Brewing company, Erie PA, Railbender Ale.
Road number: EBCX 569
Manufacturer: USA Trains
Manufacturer product number: R16260
scale: 1/24
Date of manufacture: 2001, still available new. (in 2015)
49.) St. Marys Brewing Company, PS&N, by USA Trains.
photo from ebay.
A second NW Pennsylvania car is this Pittsburg Shawmut & Northern car. the PS&N was half in PA and half in NY, and ran up to Wayland NY, only 40 miles south of Rochester:
The St. Marys Brewing company began in St. Marys PA in the 1890's. In 1920 they were purchased by the Straub Brewery, which is still in business in St. Marys today!
Road name: St. Marys Brewing company, St. Marys PA.
Road number: 10046
Manufacturer: USA Trains
Manufacturer product number: R16029
scale: 1/24
Date of manufacture: 1994, out of production.
49 cars found so far!
Rochester area: 17
Buffalo area: 8
Dunkirk: 1
Oneida: 1
Adirondacks: 4
Elmira: 1
Binghamton: 1
New York City & lower Hudson Valley area: 14
NW Pennsylvania area: 2
And thats everything so far!
If you have any additions, corrections, comments, etc. please email me at: sscotsman@yahoo.com
and if you know of any cars that have been missed, please let me know! :)
thanks,
Scot Lawrence - First uploaded July 2015
Last updated March 22, 2022