I was fiddlin’ around yesterday, working on a small, wood water tank for my turn of the century shortline, when i had one of the moments where you lean back in your seat and say, “I wonder if…”
My “I wonder if…” question is did they ever store petrol products in wood tanks? i’ve never seen it done, but it shouldn’t be impossible, should it?
Just was curious…
Early in the production of oil in Pennsylvania (c.1850s), railroads carried oil in flatcars fitted with open-top wooden tanks. I know some early ‘modern’ style tank cars (that is, with the tank being a cylinder) were wood, I imagine at some time one might have carried oil or petroleum. I imagine oil or whatever would have been stored in wood tanks too.
However, remember that gasoline didn’t really become a big deal until the early 20th century as automobiles started to become common, and by that time steel tank cars (and steel storage tanks) had become very common also.
vinegar was shipped in wooden tanks right up into the modern age. there were special, dedicated, privately owned cars assigned to this service. google vinegar railroad car for more info.
grizlump
Try an internet search for Oil City, PA or Colonel Drake. I recall seeing photos of railcars with wooden vats hauling oil out of the fields.
Tom
Up until the 1980s there were remains of wooden oil storage tanks in Mountwood Park in West Virginia. They were demolished when the endless wire rope pumping system was removed to save it for display in a museum. One local village got its name of Volcano because lightning struck one of those tanks and the flow of burning oil down the hill side reminded people of lava.
Additionally, petroleum products are sold in units of a “barrel” because when the oil boom started crude was transported and sold in 42 gallon wooden barrels.
Hey, thanks everybody. I learned quite a bit.