Beef by the Note: How Refrigeration Revolutionized Fresh Meat Supply on the East Coast

D) The refrigerated box car The innovation that had the greatest impact on the availability of fresh beef on the US east coast by the end of the 19th century was the refrigerated box car. This innovation allowed fresh beef and other perishable goods to be transported over long distances without spoiling. Prior to the development of refrigerated box cars, the distribution of fresh meat was limited to areas close to where livestock were raised. With refrigerated transport, meatpacking companies could ship fresh beef from the Midwest, where cattle were raised, to the east coast, thereby significantly increasing the availability and distribution of fresh beef.