St. Louis Refrigerator Car Company


The St. Louis Refrigerator Car Company was a private refrigerator car line established on February 3, 1878, by Anheuser-Busch, the brewer's first subsidiary. SLRX was formed to facilitate large-scale distribution of the A-B's products via the U.S. rail network. The SLRX not only built its own bunkerless reefers, but maintained and operated them as well.
In 1919 the firm was acquired by Manufacturers Railway Company, another A-B transportation subsidiary that provided switching service to the brewery and interchange connection with the common carrier railroads serving St. Louis. The St. Louis Refrigerator Car Company currently owns the "Dome Railway Service" in Wood River, Illinois.
St. Louis Refrigerator Car Company Roster, 1900-1970:
1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970
1,500 1,500 5,088 604 762 1,337 944 268