TRRA TANK CARS

Model Railroader Prototype information for the modeler
1

Do any of you have information on or a source for information on the Terminal RR Assn. of St Louis’ fleet of tank cars? It seems they we only in the background of pics I have seen. I know they were used in diesel fuel service but I don’t know if the were ever interchanged. Perhaps the fuel came from an “online” source so they were always on home rails.

Thanks,

Charlie

2

What time period are you interested in. I imagine an Official Railway Equipment Register would have a little basic information.

3

I am primarily interested in modeling the 1955-1965 period but any information would be helpful. I don’t even know the cap. 8000 or 10000 perhaps.

Charlie

4

Gidday Charlie, while the internet is not the repository of all knowledge, I find it curious that while there can be found rosters, and photos, for TRRA locos, cabooses, and MOW equipment, there is nothing on freight cars. Which makes me wonder, especially given the reason for TRRAs existence, that freight cars from the parent railroads were used as required on actual TRRA business on TRRA trackage??

Cheers, the Bear. [^o)]

5

Hi Bear,

The TRRA performed switching and interchange service for all the railroads entering the St Louis area and at one time there were over 1000 industrial locations on TRRA rails. Of course, they handled the other lines’ cars in this service. They did have some tank cars of their own that were in dedicated fuel oil service. They were lettered for the TRRA and had the compass rose insignia on them. They were often found around the 14th St engine terminal that served Union Station where the terminal seviced passenger power for the other roads. I have seen them at the Madison/Brooklyn Illinois shops too. The only pictures I have seen of these cars always have them in the background since the subject matter is never the tank car but a locomotive or passenger train in the foreground.

Charlie

6

TRRA tank cars would never have been used in interchange service, since their only purpose was for refueling their own locomotives or a connecting railroad’s power where there were no permanent fueling racks.

7

Are you speaking from first hand knowledge or conjecture? Where were these cars loaded? Was it always on TRRA home rails?

Thanks,

Charlie

8

Charlie,

My 1959 ORER shows the following cars:

1201 10,103 Gallons

1202 10,140 Gallons

1203 8,193 Gallons

1204 10,109 Gallons

1205 10,105 Gallons

1206 8,061 Gallons

1208 10,170 Gallons

1209 10,167 Gallons

1210 10,171 Gallons

1211 10,160 Gallons

1212 10,056 Gallons

1213 10,047 Gallons

1214 10,050 Gallons

1215 10,020 Gallons

1217 7,008 Gallons

1218 7,008 Gallons

My 1951 ORER does not list any freight cars I assume the above collection of cars were obtained ‘used’. To add to what one post indicated, the cars may not have roamed very far. I would suspect they were loaded at a pipeline terminal in the St Louis area and were used for storage of fuel oil. There usually was very little long distance rail transport of petroleum products after pipelines were installed(except WWII).

I hope this information helps!

Jim

9

Thanks, Jim. I just got a deal on a few undec 10,000 gal. car kits. Still looking for some good photos. Maybe I can check with the TRRA group in St Louis.

Charlie