Borden Butterdish Milk Car

Press Release
From Hoboken Historical Museum

First All-Metal, Stream-Line Milk Tank Car Put Into N.Y. Service.

February 1936

The first all-metal, stream-line milk tank railroad car ever built, refrigerated so that even in summer milk can be transported 200 miles with a rise of not more than one degree, was recently "launched" at Hoboken, N.J. by H.A. Cronk, President of the Borden's Farm Product Division of The Borden Company. The car was immediately placed in service in the New York area.

This giant "thermos bottle" throws additional safeguards around the safety and purity of the milk of city dwellers. It is the product of continuous research conducted by Borden with a view to improving equipment and service. All future replacements to the present 60 tank cars will be of the stream-line type.

Fifty per cent better refrigeration will be brought about by the use of six inches of cork insulation between the two 12,000 quart glass lined steel tanks in the car and the all-steel outside. Tests indicate that the all-metal construction will result in lower repair and painting costs and much longer service.

The new car is equipped with standard passenger train brakes and trucks, so it can be coupled to fast passenger trains for speedier milk service from outlying dairy districts to the metropolitan area. The car was built under the supervision of E.J. Lockwood, Borden's General Engineer.