National Museum of Transportation near Kirkwood in St. Louis County, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
#1057
General American Pfaulder Corporation Milk Car
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), April 22, 2019
In this car the small sliding door above the side entry door was used for the milk loading hose. To keep the interior as clean as possible during loading the entry doors were kept closed once this piping was hooked up unless a worker was going in or out. The tanks were emptied from the bottom using pipes routed out the large door. The tanks are canted slightly toward the center to make it easier to drain them this way.
The electric agitation motors were plugged in and their propellers stirred the milk in the tanks while it was being loaded, or when waiting to be emptied. This distributed the butterfat in the milk, kept an even temperature in the pre-cooled milk, and prevented the residue from sticking to the walls of the tank, making cleaning easier. The motion of the car was expected to do this while the milk was being transported.
The tanks are made of stainless steel insulated with two inches of cork, not "glass-lined" steel used in older cars. No ice was used, as the insulation in the cars and tanks was sufficient to keep the milk from getting too warm. The large quantity of pre-cooled milk also did not change temperature quickly. In one test, milk was shopped from Wisconsin to Florida, and the temperature only rose one degree in a trip of 101 hours.
Once the tanks were emptied they were scrubbed clean by a worker who entered through the large oval door. They were then sterilized using steam and resealed. Regular inspections were made by local health authorities to ensure cleanliness.
Erected 2013 by Museum of Transportation.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars.
Location. 38° 34.264′ N, 90° 27.793′ W. Marker is near Kirkwood, Missouri, in St. Louis County. It is in National Museum of Transportation. Marker can be reached from Barrett Station Road east of Old Dougherty Ferry Road, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3015 Barrett Station Road, Saint Louis MO 63122, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. What Does "Bi-Polar" Mean? (here, next to this marker); #1 (here, next to this marker); #1149 (a few steps from this marker); #E-2 (a few steps from this marker); #884 (a few steps from this marker); #13889 (a few steps from this marker); #724 (a few steps from this marker); #1082 (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Kirkwood.
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), April 22, 2019
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), April 22, 2019
Credits. This page was last revised on April 24, 2020. It was originally submitted on April 28, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 125 times since then and 4 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 28, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.