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Abstract
Excerpts from the report Summary: Transit temperatures of mature-green tomatoes were compared in a conventional ice-bunker car equipped with electric fans, a Cargotemp car, and a mechanically refrigerated car. The Cargotemp car is a modified ice-bunker car equipped with a small diesel engine to power thermostatically controlled fans. Loads in all the cars were heavy enough to qualify for reduced freight rates. Temperatures fluctuated more in the conventional car than in the other two cars and approached the chilling point (50° F.) in the coldest positions in the load. Temperatures in the Cargotemp and mechanically refrigerated cars remained close to the thermostat settings of 55° F. Ripening in transit in the Cargotemp and mechanical cars was uniform and sufficient to permit marketing within a few days of arrival at the terminal market. The colder temperatures in the conventional car retarded ripening and reduced the percentage of salable fruit