Like Jared and others I would like some small tank cars too. This is a good
segue to a question I have been meaning to ask. The Ethyl corporation had
some small capacity tanks for lead anti-knock compound. I have seen some
color photos of these cars in a colorful paint scheme with a triangular
herald. My question to the list is, how common was this ethyl scheme? Was
it the dominate (only?) scheme used by Ethyl in the 50's or were many more
cars painted black with only leasing information? Refer to pages 17, 121,
132 of Kaminski's ACF Tank car Book for photos.

Brian J. Carlson, P.E.
Cheektowaga NY

On Jul 3, 2009, at 10:48 PM, Brian Carlson wrote:

Like Jared and others I would like some small tank cars too. This is a good
segue to a question I have been meaning to ask. The Ethyl corporation had
some small capacity tanks for lead anti-knock compound. I have seen some
color photos of these cars in a colorful paint scheme with a triangular
herald. My question to the list is, how common was this ethyl scheme? Was
it the dominate (only?) scheme used by Ethyl in the 50's or were many more
cars painted black with only leasing information? Refer to pages 17, 121,
132 of Kaminski's ACF Tank car Book for photos.

Brian, Ethyl had some large (10,000 and 11,000 gal.) cars used to transport metallic sodium, muriatic acid, ethyl chlorate, and chlorine gas which were painted black with white lettering. However, the vast majority of their sizable tank car fleet (555 cars in 1/53) consisted of 3,000 and 6,000 gal. ICC-105s assigned to tetraethyl lead service. All of those cars were painted light gray with black underframes and most or all of them had logos. In the 1930s the logos consisted of a circle with a letter "Q"; in the 1940s it was a circle enclosing the triangular "Ethyl" emblem which was a familiar sight on the pumps at most gas stations in those days. Later (I think in the 1960s) that was replaced by a larger "Ethyl" logo and a wide horizontal black stripe that ran the length of the tank and enclosed, above the reporting marks and numbers, the legend "antiknock compound." I have photos showing all of these variants.

In those days, the use of tetraethyl lead as an antiknock agent in motor fuels was regarded as a good thing, and the Ethyl Corporation used their tank cars to promote their product. Today, there is only one manufacturer of tetraethyl lead, located in Great Britain, and AFAIK the only fuel in North America that contains it is 100 octane low-lead aviation fuel (which goes a long way toward explaining why I paid $4.70 a gal. yesterday to fuel my airplane). And you can bet that the tank cars or motor trucks that are now used to transport it don't brag about it.

consisted of 3,000 and 6,000 gal. ICC-105s assigned to tetraethyl

lead service.<

In one of the major mags there was an article on making these cars. Don't remember much but will try the back issue search Kalmbach owns and seems to have forgotten about.

Jon Miller
AT&SF
For me time has stopped in 1941
Digitrax, Chief/Zephyr systems, JMRI user
NMRA Life member #2623
Member SFRH&MS

I take it back, it may have been a bromine car. If I remember correctly this is a very heavy product shipped in small tank cars.

Jon Miller
AT&SF
For me time has stopped in 1941
Digitrax, Chief/Zephyr systems, JMRI user
NMRA Life member #2623
Member SFRH&MS

At 09:59 AM 7/4/2009, Jon Miller wrote:

consisted of 3,000 and 6,000 gal. ICC-105s assigned to tetraethyl

lead service.<

In one of the major mags there was an article on making these cars.
Don't remember much but will try the back issue search Kalmbach owns and
seems to have forgotten about.

from: http://index.mrmag.com/tm.exe?opt=S&cmdtext=scratchbuild+tankcar&MAG=MR

Build a bromine car
Model Railroader, February 2001 page 74
Scratchbuilding a rare and distinctive 0 scale tanker using styrene stock
( BROMINE, DRAWING, "SCOTT, DICK", SCRATCHBUILD, TANKCAR, CONSTRUCTION, FREIGHTCAR, PROTOTYPE, MR )


--------------------
Richard Brennan - San Leandro CA
--------------------

Posted by: "Richard Brennan"

Build a bromine car
Model Railroader, February 2001 page 74
Scratchbuilding a rare and distinctive 0 scale tanker using styrene stock
( BROMINE, DRAWING, "SCOTT, DICK", SCRATCHBUILD, TANKCAR, CONSTRUCTION, FREIGHTCAR, PROTOTYPE, MR )

I seem to remember this article as an outstanding example of styrene scratchbuilding. Notable for MR since recently they have published so few. Recommended for anyone who wants to build something like it.

Jim

I kitbashed one of these in HO several years ago. A picture and brief description of its construction can be found at:
http://www.steamfreightcars.com/modeling/models/millera/ebax3064main.html
It will be on display at a fuel oil dealer's siding on the North Shore Model RRClub during the NMRA convention tours next Tuesday.

regards,

Andy Miller

Andy Miller wrote:

I kitbashed one of these in HO several years ago. A picture and brief description of its construction can be found at: http://www.steamfreightcars.com/modeling/models/millera/ebax3064main.html
It will be on display at a fuel oil dealer's siding on the North Shore Model RRClub during the NMRA convention tours next Tuesday.

Very nice model of an interesting car, Andy. But it's sad to visit the Steam Era Freight Cars site these days, and find VERY little that postdates 2003. I know Ted has an awful lot on his plate, but I'd think there must be ways for this most promising site to continue.

Tony Thompson Editor, Signature Press, Berkeley, CA
2906 Forest Ave., Berkeley, CA 94705 www.signaturepress.com
(510) 540-6538; fax, (510) 540-1937; e-mail, thompson@...
Publishers of books on railroad history

Bobby Pitts has done a model of the bromine car. Seeing that tiny jewel
amongst his collection of rail whales is pretty amazing. Bobby's display
of tank cars is one of the highlights of Bob Harpe's Savannah RPM meet.

Mike Turner
Simpsonville, SC 29681

Richard Brennan wrote: