We Need More Tank Cars

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Talking HO here, but doesn’t mean other scales may also want more tank cars, too…

Back before the fantastic models we now get mostly RTR, I often wished for a wider variety of boxcars. While there are still plenty of great cars that no manufacturer has produced, you can now make up a train with a variety of boxcars in it covering the range of eras throughout the 20th century.

Tank cars are a different matter. Modern era modelers are pretty well taken care of with recent releases, although I’m sure they could name a bunch of ones they’d still like to see. But before 1980, well, things are kind of stuck, with a relatively limited set of prototypes available and very little new in recent years.

I’m thinking mostly of mass produced, injection molded models, which I’m familiar with for the most part. Resin and other kits I’m less familiar with, so maybe I’m missing something there?

What I’m personally looking for are various acid and chemical tank cars, which often have a somewhat different form factor than the more commonly used petroleum tank cars, making it necessary to do more than redetail and redecorate something that might be close-enough to get what I need. Tank size is a big factor in how each car looks, so you’re close to scratchbuilding to get something that even looks close enough for a stand-in.

I actually don’t mind scratchbuilding when modelling a prototype I really need. The reality is I don’t have too much of a hang-up about getting specific cars, it’s more a matter of getting cars that are visually different enough as an indication that they’re carrying different something other than oil and gas to make switching them into the smelter versus a refinery plausible.

So any suggestions for kits I may have missed that involve chemicals and such?

Are there favorite and, even better, relatively numerous prototype tank cars that you think would be a slamdunk sales success if produced in a credible version?

3

Tom,

Let me guess. You’re using IE9?

If so, there’s a small icon that looks like a torn sheet of paper near the upper right corner of your browser window. If you click that, you get “compatibility mode” which will allow your posting to be visible.

Why? It’s a Microsoft thing that just shows how they don’t understand your software shouldn’t need a separate button to actually make it work[:o)]

4

I agree about tank cars. I was scanning some truly marginal Brownie camera shots I took in the 1960s and was surprised to see (blurred) shots of larger and more modern looking tank cars than I recollected.

There is also a larger variety of tank cars that I have been seeing in my recent scans of some 35 mm film and slides from the 1970s/80s.

In general cars built in the 1960s don’t have much representation but I think tank cars have become a particular gap. I suppose kitbashing could fill some gaps but as it happens, plans of those same tank cars have also been sorely lacking.

Dave Nelson

5

Yes you’re right I do have IE9 (new system). Thanks for the info, miehman! Sending this from my laptop, the older system and earlier version of IE.

6

I agree. I’d like to see more mid-1960s to early 1970s round-ended 50’ and 60’ tank cars that are lettered for that particular era.

Also, people who model the pre-1920 era need a better variety of tank cars - the only car I can think of that is made of plastic is the Roundhouse old time tank car.

7

I think the motto of most software companies is “Our customers are our QA (or QC) department.”

8

As I was trying to say, I agree. There seems to be plenty of theoil company-owned liveries out there but they are post WWII cars; often they are multiple domed cars. I model the late 60’s to early 70’s. I don’t see much out there in that style and I have a shortage of tank cars because of it. What I’m talking about are basically 10,000 gallon, black, leased (USLX, GATX etc. reporting marks) cars. There may be a road-owned car smattered about, but the majority of those are leased. I do, however, have a three-boxed set of Athearn BB 10.000 gallon single dome tank cars (kits) that are custom painted and decaled with GATX reporting marks. These days, there are few cars of that style, but they are RTR and they start at about $30.00 a pop; not exactly within my budget for building a roster.

9

Hi,

Having been in the “earl bizzness” for 40 years, I do love the tankcars - petroleum of course. My collection of HO - most all kit built - represents cars in service in the 40s and 50s. Single dome kit tank cars were (are?) available from Athearn, Intermountain, Red Caboose, and Walthers. Triple dome cars only seem to have been put out by Athearn, however. And, double dome tank cars just seem to be absent from the scene.

So obviously I would like to see some double and triple dome cars put out by the better kit builders, or at least some decent ones in “RTR” format.

10

Put me down for some different N scale tank cars. I have the two books by Ed Kaminski on the history of ACF and the ACF tank car book . The variety of tank cars is astounding. ACF built cars in all sizes between 3800 gallons to the modern 27K gal . Since I model in N scale circa 1948 I would like to see some more variety. I have all of the micro trains 3 dome cars that appear to be 7500 gal cars. I have a large group of intermountain 8000 gal cars, I have a few of the new Bachmann 10,000 gal cars, the Atlas 11,000 gallon pressureized and non pressureized and the Micro trains 10500 gal cars… as you can see there are alot of gaps that need to be filled.

Randy

11

How about some Wine Tank Cars? These usually have 3 to 6 domes.

12

Gidday, How about these?,

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-ahm-ho-six-dome-tank-car-gatx-134189507 or these?,

http://owlmtmodels.com/ or these?, (though I choked when I saw the price),

http://brasstrains.org/ho-brass-psc-gatx-martini-wine-6-dome-tank-car-6614 or these?,

http://www.x2011west.org/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=11&products_id=133&zenid=191b5c30a13ab66761cbaeca4156758f

Cheers,the Bear.

13

I have one old AHM six dome tank car that I had to scrap the frame, trucks and put an Athearn frame and trucks on, The Athearn frame fits nicely on the the AHM tank body, a few locater pins needed to be removed.

Here is a tank car I made up from a Athearn chemical tank car by adding some cast some domes. However it is not the right size tank for a wine car but better than nothing.

I would like to just buy a manufactured model with the right size tank body, lettering and not cost an arm and leg.

14

Bear,

Thanks for the tip about Owl Mountain Models. They have some neat stuff to bash tank cars with. I’ll keep them in mind if I scratch up something:

http://owlmtmodels.com/customer-model-gallery/

15

Gidday, Point taken Sir, but taking into “economies of scale” and the many different niche items that there are in the prototype that may be of interest only to “a few”, are we asking for too much ?

That is why I would hope that outfits like “Owl Mountain” get the support that is mutually beneficial and successful to all involved parties

That said I like what you’ve done with your kitbashes, and raise my wine glass to you.

Cheers, the Bear.