AHM Vinegar tank cars

Model Railroader Prototype information for the modeler
1

I have several of the old AHM vinegar tank cars. These are the 40’ long wooden cylindrical tank cars and not the ones with 4 small tanks like the Athearn, Ambroid or Revell cars.

Would they be used to haul just vinegar or would they be also used to ship pickles? Anyone know the prototype of these cars?

Thanks,

Roger Huber

2

Probably dedicated cars for vinegar only; wood tanks of that vintage for transporting food grade vinegar would not have had any sort of interior liner, and would depend on the staves absorbing some of the liquid being transported to swell the wood sufficiently to be leakproof. Pickle cars carried the small vats; much easier to empty with small conveyor belts and/or dip nets…been there, done that[:(]. Gary

3

Roger,

Vinegar was shipped in those wood tank cars like that old AHM model. Vinegar is corrosive to metal and was not shipped in a normal steel tank car. Tank cars now can be ordered with protective lining so that the steel is not affected by chemicals.

This ‘pickle cars’ were simply vats that carrried ‘cukes’ in a salt brine.

Jim Bernier

4

I saw and photographed one of these at the Natl Museum of Transport,St.Louis in 1994 SBIX 1634 Standard Brands vinegar tank car

32’ long 8000 gallons blt 1938 tank blt 1950 retired 1963

published photo of a newer but similar car

SBIX 1682 vinegar tank car blt 1957 “A Rolling Pipeline of Colorful Tank Cars: Classic Freight Cars Vol.2” p.57 color pix

5

Actually these can be reworked into credible models, I recall an article from decades ago where the entire underframe was replaced, matter of fact I seem to recall doing this to mine, unfortuntely the details are fuzzy now, having been out of HO for over 20 years.

The AHM models were based upon a prototype, update it with body mounted couplers, trucks/ wheels of your choosing (body mounted of course), underbody details, replace the molded grab irons splash a little weathering here and there and enjoy!

Dave

6

I had one of these AHM cars and used to see the prototype at General Foods in San Leandro, CA. during the 50s & 60s. The car(s) didn’t seem to move much.

Rob

7

I managed to pick up another one of these cars today at my FLHS for $5.00 along with a Tyco operating hopper for the same amount! It truly IS Christmas! LOL

Roger