Large Scale Central

Oil can trains

Prototypes
#1

I was going through my stuff, trying to figure out just what I have, you know, please SWMBO, pretend to assemble the stuff that I can live without, that sort of thing…

Anyway, after getting all my oilcans together, I realized that i had 17 of them, so I decided to run a unit train.

So, its a compilation of 1:29 USAT stuff, 1:22.5 Bachmann tanks, and 1:26 Gummie LGB Oilcans, all have metal wheels and Kadees, either 830s or 835, whatever works. I think there are two that have 820’s that I did as an experiment. They all play nicely together on my 10ft curves that have 20 ft diameter easements on both ends. I think they look pretty good from ten feet.

Here’s my question, are there supposed to be idler cars between both the locomotive and caboose and the tankers, or just between the locomotive and the tanks? Time frame is around 1960.

#2

Time frame around 1960?

Too early for major derailment and incineration of locality then .

Mike

PS -----Steve , you could have alternated black and white , the mixture does not behove an Ex CPO USN

#3

The train looks great, Steve. I can’t answer about the idler cars.

#4

Yes, you would need an idler between any occupied locomotive or caboose per the current regs… In 1960, I’m not to sure, as unit trains are a new idea and weren’t around then. Any manifest train would have a few cars to spare as idlers if they needed them, but I can’t recall seeing pictures that saw Hazmat markings on trains from the 1960’s…

#5

I don’t think HazMat markings were in play back then. But the idle cars, I am not sure. Maybe you could dig up a picture of a fuel (gasoline) train from WWII. That’s before the time frame you are modeling, but if they had idle cars, you would too. And they shipped gasoline in tank car trains back then. They didn’t use the term unit train, but it was about the same thing.

#6

Mike Morgan said:

Time frame around 1960?

Too early for major derailment and incineration of locality then .

Mike

PS -----Steve , you could have alternated black and white , the mixture does not behove an Ex CPO USN

AAAAARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH!!! Shiver me timbers, Mate. I’ll get the Seamen Apprentice right on it. You don’t expect a Chief to do any work, now, do you?

#7

Steve,
Those are some beautiful cans you have there! :wink:

#8

Looking good. Now that you’ve run them they don’t qualify as excess inventory.

#9

Jon Radder said:

Looking good. Now that you’ve run them they don’t qualify as excess inventory.

I like that, I’m going to use it.

Ya hear that, Honey, its not excess, any more.

Ducks and runs for cover.

#10

All you now need to complete the scene is some protesters trackside, rallying against big oil, and running those killer tankers thru their town.

#11

Steve , your comment----

"AAAAARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH!!! Shiver me timbers, Mate. I’ll get the Seamen Apprentice right on it. You don’t expect a Chief to do any work, now, do you? "

Stap me vitals , matey , you said “work” . Any more language like that and I’ll prod thee along the plank meself , har de har .

Mike ex Leader of Men (and misleader of wimmin)

#12

Yes, Steve… Unit trains are fun to run… I do that quite often myself…

All ore cars… All hoppers… All tankers…

Yup… it’s fun… (http://forums.mylargescale.com/images/smilies/smiley.gif)(http://forums.mylargescale.com/images/smilies/cool.gif)(http://forums.mylargescale.com/images/smilies/cheesy.gif)(http://forums.mylargescale.com/images/smilies/smiley.gif)(http://forums.mylargescale.com/images/smilies/cool.gif)(http://forums.mylargescale.com/images/smilies/cheesy.gif)

#13

Just like Seattle but longer! Had a small problem the other day but they cleaned it up well enough. The real problem is I only have 5 tankers and not all the same owner!

Paul

#14

I stood in Hardin, Montana at trackside and waited for an hour for a train of empty cans to pass. The longest thing I had ever seen. When it passed we started working on a rehearsal of the 125th Anniversary reenactment of Custer’s Last Stand again (The site for the show was right at trackside. Great planning!). Just the tanker train cleared the horizon we heard a horn in the distance in the opposite direction. It was a train of Coal cars. We waited another 48 minutes for it to pass. Us train guys were even bored by the time they both got by us.

#15

A “Tanker” is a ship that hauls liquid.

On the railroads, the proper term is “Tank Car”

#16

I’m assembling one also Steve, got mostly USAT and Aristo, they seem to be pretty close.

Putting body mount Kadees on them, taking a while, but I do love the look of a unit train.

Greg

#17

Fred said----

“A “Tanker” is a ship that hauls liquid.”

A ship known as a tanker is a bulk liquid carrier , not hauler . A tug is a boat that hauls tankers .

A tanker is also a person who is part of the crew of a tank , you know , one of those war things that runs on another type of track .

Semantics . Best avoided .

Mike

#18

Mike Morgan said:

Fred said----

“A “Tanker” is a ship that hauls liquid.”

A ship known as a tanker is a bulk liquid carrier , not hauler . A tug is a boat that hauls tankers .

A tanker is also a person who is part of the crew of a tank , you know , one of those war things that runs on another type of track .

Semantics . Best avoided .

Mike

In the Navy, those ships that carried bulk fuels for thirsty ships at sea were called ‘oilers.’. The only sure use for ‘tanker’ that I know of is for those sad lads who ride to battle inside steel cans. I guess it is true, we are brothers, separated by a common language. :slight_smile:

#19

The cars that are put between the locomotive and a unit tank car train are known as “Buffer” cars.

It seems that they are required in the USofA, but not in Canada.

Usually, unit tank car trains, originating in the USofA that come and go to Canada, have these buffer cars in the consist. Sometimes, one on the rear and one on the head end. The reason for the one on the rear is to not have to switch the one on the front end to the rear for the return journey. The railroads will do anything they can to prevent any unneeded switching moves on unit trains.

The buffer cars are used as a protection for the crews on the locomotives as per DOT rules, in the USofA, at present.

When the rule was started, I do not know. Often during the steam era, when tank cars were in a train, it was usual for them to not be placed directly behind the locomotive, due to the risk that fumes from volatile tank car contentsv venting from the cars, might be ignited by the fire in the firebox of the locomotive. Often they kept tank cars, a car or two ahead of a caboose, also, for crew safety.

Unit trains, as we know them; dedicated to one commodity, were rare until the second World War. Tank cars, in any number would be simply included in regular freight trains.

Someone with more information on the practises, of the Colorado Narrow Gauge railroads can comment on what was standard practse for them.

#20

In the aid of using proper railroad terminology, I also submit that the proper term for another type of rolling stock, is a “Flat Car”, not a flat bed.

A flat bed is a name describing a trailer used on a road.

This is a Railroad hobby forum, where proper railroad terms should be practiced, in order to further the knowledge of the industry of Railroads/railways.

There are also some different terms used in different countries. Learning of them is interesting knowledge too.

Sharing the use of proper terminology, spelling and grammar, is good for everyone.

Please pardon any spelling/grammar mistakes, I may have made…I’m trying to learn and improve too…!