I have an ice cooled boxcar in Ranier Mn, on the border with Ontario. Ice was big business as it was used to cool fish and blueberries to markets further south. It has bunks in both ends and it was filled from the top hatches. It had hinge mounted pallets that dropped onto the floor keeping the products out of the water and facilitating air movement for cooling. This boxcar was constructed entirely from wood other than the wheel sets and fasteners. It had Great Northern Pacific logo’s on the sides. There were no rail lines to the south, do to geographic constraints. Our only link to the south required traveling to Winnipeg Manitoba then south through Pembina North Dakota onto the markets in Minneapolis and Chicago. Today Ranier is the highest tonnage rail port in the US.
My family and I grew up next to the Fenton millpond. Back in 1971, the city drained it for some reason. (to repair the dam or something) Anyway, my dad used this opportunity to build up the shoreline behind our house. In the process of digging up the muck, he found many things dating back to the early nineteen hundreds including old glass bottles, a couple of spitoons, a tarnished brass crucifix, and a big ice saw. I have the saw in my garage now but always wondered how they cut the ice with that thing. Makes you appreciate how easy and convenient we have it nowadays!
My guess, and this is completely speculation, is at 23:25 the iron handles on the ice saws are because the sawyer would be wearing thick gloves, and they needed the extra room in the handle? Or maybe if it was a wooden handle, and thin enough to accommodate for the gloves, it would break in no time after being wet, freezing, drying, expanding, shrinking in the temperature changes after being used and stored. Just a guess ^_^
My step dad told about cutting and storing ice from long lake near cedar springs Michigan. His family were farmers there and as a child he would sell and deliver ice to neighbors and cottegers in the summer. He told me that four inches of clear ice would support a team of horses
I have an ice cooled boxcar in Ranier Mn, on the border with Ontario. Ice was big business as it was used to cool fish and blueberries to markets further south. It has bunks in both ends and it was filled from the top hatches. It had hinge mounted pallets that dropped onto the floor keeping the products out of the water and facilitating air movement for cooling. This boxcar was constructed entirely from wood other than the wheel sets and fasteners. It had Great Northern Pacific logo’s on the sides. There were no rail lines to the south, do to geographic constraints. Our only link to the south required traveling to Winnipeg Manitoba then south through Pembina North Dakota onto the markets in Minneapolis and Chicago. Today Ranier is the highest tonnage rail port in the US.
This guy is awesome I try to watch all his stuff very wise gentleman
My family and I grew up next to the Fenton millpond. Back in 1971, the city drained it for some reason. (to repair the dam or something) Anyway, my dad used this opportunity to build up the shoreline behind our house. In the process of digging up the muck, he found many things dating back to the early nineteen hundreds including old glass bottles, a couple of spitoons, a tarnished brass crucifix, and a big ice saw. I have the saw in my garage now but always wondered how they cut the ice with that thing. Makes you appreciate how easy and convenient we have it nowadays!
My guess, and this is completely speculation, is at 23:25 the iron handles on the ice saws are because the sawyer would be wearing thick gloves, and they needed the extra room in the handle?
Or maybe if it was a wooden handle, and thin enough to accommodate for the gloves, it would break in no time after being wet, freezing, drying, expanding, shrinking in the temperature changes after being used and stored.
Just a guess ^_^
My step dad told about cutting and storing ice from long lake near cedar springs Michigan. His family were farmers there and as a child he would sell and deliver ice to neighbors and cottegers in the summer. He told me that four inches of clear ice would support a team of horses
As usual, VERY interesting! I always thought they packed the sawdust all around the ice blocks but I can see why he says they didn't.
Wow.very interesting. Hi from Cathie,a postal friend of Kathy and Rob's.I'll watch the logging tool one next.
Very interesting, thanks
Very interesting.
Very interesting
Thanks for having Jim on again.
Why doesn't he have his own show?
I would watch it!
Yessss I've been thinking about you doing an ice industry video for a long time!!
Always great history presentations.
Thank You Jim
niiiiiceee!!!!