> On Oct 19, 2022, at 8:35 AM, Bob Chaparro via groups.io <chiefbobbb=verizon.net@groups.io> wrote:
>
> A friend asked me:
> "A basic question as I have never understood tank car operations. Would a refinery or producing oil field use tanks cars from only one fleet, such as all UTLX cars or all GATX cars. Or were cars a mix?"
> I didn't know so I ask here.

As with so many things, the answer is, “It depends.” All the various Standard Oil operations around the country did continue to use UTLX cars as their main tank car fleet, and few other oil companies did so — until the 1950s, when UTLX began to branch out and lease to non-Standard companies. By far the biggest leasing fleet was GATX, not only in assigned leases (when the car was often decorated for the lessee) but in otherwise unmarked “pool” cars. A distant second was SHPX, same situation with leases, and a distant third behind them was NATX.

Bottom line, UTLX cars would mostly carry Standard products, even after the 1950s. Then any other oil company that had leased cars, from GATX or whomever, would of course mostly use those, but if a little short of cars, would use pool cars from their lessor, or maybe even get hold of pool cars from a lessor that did not provide their main fleet. The need to move products outweighed details of tank car ownership.

Tony Thompson
tony@...

On Oct 19, 2022, at 8:35 AM, Bob Chaparro via groups.io <chiefbobbb@...> wrote:

A friend asked me:
"A basic question as I have never understood tank car operations. Would a refinery or producing oil field use tanks cars from only one fleet, such as all UTLX cars or all GATX cars. Or were cars a mix?"
I didn't know so I ask here.

As with so many things, the answer is, “It depends.” All the various Standard Oil operations around the country did continue to use UTLX cars as their main tank car fleet, and few other oil companies did so — until the 1950s, when UTLX began to branch out and lease to non-Standard companies. By far the biggest leasing fleet was GATX, not only in assigned leases (when the car was often decorated for the lessee) but in otherwise unmarked “pool” cars. A distant second was SHPX, same situation with leases, and a distant third behind them was NATX.

Bottom line, UTLX cars would mostly carry Standard products, even after the 1950s. Then any other oil company that had leased cars, from GATX or whomever, would of course mostly use those, but if a little short of cars, would use pool cars from their lessor, or maybe even get hold of pool cars from a lessor that did not provide their main fleet. The need to move products outweighed details of tank car ownership.

Tony Thompson

Really great timing for this question. 

I model the C&O in 1952 and have been wondering about tank car operations. This photo shows a large amount of tank cars at the Ashland Oil refinery in Catlettsburg Ky. From my reading the posts above, could I assume that Ashland had a contract with GATX and that putting 4-6 of these on a manifest would be appropriate. Any suggestions on what model would be the best representation for these. 

A good side view would be helpful with identifying the different cars here. I see four different designs with a cursory glance.

Eric Hansmann

Murfreesboro, TN

Really great timing for this question. 

I model the C&O in 1952 and have been wondering about tank car operations. This photo shows a large amount of tank cars at the Ashland Oil refinery in Catlettsburg Ky. From my reading the posts above, could I assume that Ashland had a contract with GATX and that putting 4-6 of these on a manifest would be appropriate. Any suggestions on what model would be the best representation for these. 

On Oct 19, 2022, at 8:09 PM, Tangent Scale Models via groups.io <tangentscalemodels@...> wrote:

Dave Parker said:

"Tangent's 1917-design cars in both 8000 and 10.000 gallon sizes.  GATX would have had thousands (how many thousands I cannot say) in the 1920s, and "many" would have survived until 1952.  But, for reasons I can't explain, Tangent has yet to offer these cars in a plain-Jane GATX scheme."

To which I reply, Tangent certainly did.  In your era, no less:
https://www.tangentscalemodels.com/product/gatx-1936-lease-gatc-1917-design-8000-gallon-tank-car/

Here is a photo:


If only the manufacturers knew what they were doing.

David Lehlbach
Tangent Scale Models