Large Scale Central

Tank Car Comparisons

Modeling
#1

With Ric, Jon, and Bart all working on the tankcars, I got inspired myself. I ended up getting a tank car off of ebay for about $31 including shipping - brand new. I couldn’t find anything approaching that from a dealer, so I guess I did OK. :wink: Another one is on the way, since I wanted to build a storage tank for my fuel dealer as well. I’m still not sure how I’ll modify this one, but I thought I’d at least post some comparison pictures with the other tank cars I have. This is the Bachmann Big Hauler version on the left, and a Bachmann Spectrum framed on the right.

Big Hauler on the left, Phil’s Narrow Gauge frameless Gramps kit on the right.

Big Hauler on the left, AMS tank car on the right.

An overhead shot, left to right: AMS, Big Hauler, Spectrum, PNG Gramps

The Big Hauler isn’t very much smaller than the AMS. Ric had some good shots showing the comparisons after he modified his to be a wider flat car. I’m not keen on the smaller dome, but it doesn’t look bad at all.

#2

Those pictures are very helpful. I didn’t realize to dome was that much smaller on the Big Hauler, but from the overhead shot it’s quite obvious. Not that it matters to me, but it’s nice to know.

So what do you have in mind ?

#3

One of the tanks will be used as part of my fuel dealer.

(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/Structures/MillsFuels/ElkPark.jpg)

I’ll be adding a vertical tank. Anyone want the flat car? :wink:

(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/Structures/MillsFuels/IMG_4286.JPG)

I also got a good deal on another AMS tank car, so I thought I’d modify the Big Hauler tank car to a framed version. I think I’ll do something similar to what Bart is doing as far as the tank goes; though now I’m also pondering enlarging the dome.

#4

Have one of those Bug Haulers also, want to a segment out of each side and make it a 20’ or 24’ car for my tiny layout :wink:

#5

Bruce,
Isn’t that Newland on the side of the right hand tank

Dave

#6
David Marconi said:
Bruce, Isn't that Newland on the side of the right hand tank

Dave


Hehe…sure looks like it to me. I enlarged it a bit and it’s pretty clear it says “Newland NC”, but what do I know?

You sometimes wonder if people really study a picture before writing a caption. It’s not clear to me how a date written on the picture helps to identify a location.

#7

looked like 1926 to me and not 27. But then again I run my trains in circles so.
:slight_smile:

#8

All you have to do is buy a $70 Bochman flat, put the tank off your $31 bugmauler tankcar on it, and you have something usable for just over a hundred bucks.

Just think:
Your own economic stimulus package.

#9

Hi all, Don’t know if it is of interest or not, but this is what I did with a Bachmann “Big Hauler” tank a few years ago. I used the tank and the trucks and scratch built a 1:20 ish flat car for it. The car is used to haul oil into the woods for the donkies and woods locos. Thanks fo looking. Rick Marty

(http://www.lscdata.com/users/rick_marty/_forumfiles/oiltanker.jpg)

#10

I don’t think the vertical tanks in Bruce’s first pix are from tank cars. They look like early versions of purpose built petroleum tanks that were built at petroleum dealers along rail lines in virtually every town of any size all over the U.S. There are lots of them left, but they are gradually disappearing as local storage of petrol is discontinued in favor of just in time road tank truck delivery.

Some major differences between tank car tanks and the purpose built ones are the dome ends and the diameter. Tank cars have deeper domes to withstand the pressure of the liquid where there is no pressure on the top of a fixed vertical tank. Instead, the top is only domed enough to shed rainwater and to resist caving end from negative pressure created when someone forgets to open a relief valve. Tank car tanks have to fit the railroad’s loading gauge, where fixed tanks were usually assembled on-site using prefabricated plates, thus allowing them to be of larger diameter.

The horizontal tank in Bruce’s second pix does appear to be from a tank car. Note that the concrete ‘saddle’ on the right end appears to project out beyond the end of the tank. This might indicate that an earlier tank was replaced with a shorter one. It would be interesting to visit those sites today and see what if anything remains.

Rick’s tank car is a great representation of shop built logging and industrial equipment that fulfilled a specific need. My wife was looking over my shoulder when I first opened the pix, and she asked if it was a model. Really nice modeling job Rick!

Happy RRing,

Jerry

#11

Rick Marty said:
Hi all, Don’t know if it is of interest or not, but this is what I did with a Bachmann “Big Hauler” tank a few years ago. I used the tank and the trucks and scratch built a 1:20 ish flat car for it. The car is used to haul oil into the woods for the donkies and woods locos. Thanks fo looking. Rick Marty

(http://www.lscdata.com/users/rick_marty/_forumfiles/oiltanker.jpg)

REALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLY Sweet! cale

#12

Thanks guys,
It was a fun project.
As Bruce’s comparison pictures show there
isn’t that much size difference between the Big Hauler version and
the AMS version so the illusion holds up.
Just refigure the gallons and weight in 1:20 scale for the reporting marks.
The capacity isn’t that much less.

I also have one that I reworked onto a trestle/framework for fueling
locomotives in a small yard that comes off pretty well in 1:20.

THanks for the interest.
Rick Marty

#13

Yeah the BH tank is right on for diameter…just needs some length to get it to match “The Plans”…Considering I can build three using BH parts for what I can pay for one Spectrum car…

#14

And, just to be clear, I’m going to use one tank car for a horizontal tank. The vertical tanks will be built from a large mailing tube that looks like it is PVC.

I will probably convert one of the BH tanks to a 1:20 tank car. I’m just waiting for inspiration from Bart. :wink:

#15

I’ve had plans for a vertical tank farm for a long time. I have three concrete cylinders about 4.5 inches in diameter by about 16 inches tall. I could bury a few inches to make them appear shorter which would add to the stability. I’m not sure if the product will be oil, alcohol or vegetable oil. There are prototype industries near me for the latter two. Refined oil doesn’t travel by rail in these parts.

#16

One of my industries will be a lead-acid battery factory. It’ll need tanks for storage, too. I, too, am planning on vertical tanks, but probably about 12" diameter, myself.

#17

That’s a pretty unusual industry Bob. How did you come up with that ?

#18

My PVC is 4 1/4" in diameter. Not real big, but I want to use what I have.

Now, does anyone have any ideas for making ends that are slightly convex? I don’t think too many of these were flat on top.

#19

Bruce, get a regular end cap and heat the end with a propane torch while the cap is held vertically. it should bow out by gravity as it starts to heat up. Might take some practice but its how we bend the stuff for bldg installs

#20

The end caps that I get for the PVC pipes are all rounded on the top…