This has all been great stuff, Elden. Thanks!
I have actually been researching tank cars for my layout, and it seems my mix is going to be quite different. I'm modeling New Britain, CT, home to Stanley Works, American Hardware, PF Corbin, Fafnir Bearing, and a number of other large manufacturers of hardware, etc.
So among the activities that I can confirm are galvanization (caustic acid, sulphuric acid and ammonium chloride), Japanning (had never heard of it before but it's a lacquer) and other painting, varnishing and lacquering, and plating which generally required various sulfates and phosphates. And this is all just Stanley Works. The Fafnir plant notes butane tanks, although I suspect that by my era (1946-54, initial focus on '47) this was LP gas instead.
Perhaps commodities like the paints, varnishes and lacquers would be more likely delivered via box car in 55-gallon drums? I'm also trying to figure out how something like zinc (for galvanizing) or silver, gold, brass, tin, etc. would be delivered for plating.
I desperately want to order some of Frank Hodina's cars, but can't fit them in the budget right now. Hoping they'll still be available when I can.
I asked a few questions on my blog, but might be more quickly answered here:
Does a company like Hardware Fuel Co. (advertises Gulf) also receive other brands of gas and/or oil to sell to other service stations? Naturally I'll need a number of cars that aren't represented yet in the Standard Steel GRCX cars.
If there are no rail-served dealers receiving Tide Water or Amoco gas/oil (I have service stations in town) in town is it trucked from other towns?
How far of a radius would a dealer like Hardware City Fuel Co have in selling Gulf oil to other dealers? The tank trucks are much smaller, so probably don't travel as far as they might today.
Would gas or oil, fuel oil, etc. be received at the bulk tracks to be unloaded directly from tank cars to trucks?
Thanks again!
Randy
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Modeling the New Haven Railroad 1946-1954 | http://newbritainstation.com
