I noticed that some tank cars have different bands around the middle. For example, Atlas sells at least one such car: http://www.atlasrr.com/Images/HOFreightCars/17360tankcar/112006/1556-6TQ.jpg. Is the color differences purely cosmetic?
TIA!
Lee
That band is, it reduces the visibility of drips from the manway or dome.
Dave H.
ANSWER: Probably because the prototype did.
Color bands were used to restrict their usage as to content (oil, chemicals, etc.). In Hookers case (centered), I agree, it may be to protect their paint job.
Walthers used to sell a sulfur tank car that was black with a yellow color band around the tank at the manway. That was to hide the spilled sulfur