Operating Era: 1920-1965. Pacific Fruit Express, Western Pacific. Now includes our One-Piece Roof Frame. In 1920 Pacific Fruit Express redesigned its basic car to include a higher door and steel roof. The latter required non-skid black paint and hatch platforms. A double beam Bettendorf underframe was applied to over 8,500 of the cars, creating the R-30-13 class. Single I-beam underframes were given to the otherwise identical R-30-12 cars built at the same time. In 1923 Western Pacific joined the association and placed in service 2,000 cars. Most were of the R-30-13 design but a few were R-30-12. The cars differed in having a Hutchins roof and non-standard lettering. The company name was stencilled in the old font, extra safety data was added and the WP herald was an early style. No correct lettering has ever before been available.