Overland tank car


Dave & Libby Nelson <muskoka@...>
 

I recently purchased an Overland brass model of an "ACF single dome,
insulated, low pressure, 8000 gal, tankcar (product # OM-3133). It has a
standard dome, dome walkway with handrails (think athearn), and what appears
to be a tank-long, narrow, L bar welded on each side of the tank -- about
2/3rds of the way down.

In checking the ACF book I see there are similar cars made in the early 50's
(for DOW). I'm hoping I can paint and decal the car for something pre 1950.
Does anybody know what Overland was trying to do replicate? Or what kind of
commodities would be carried in such a car?

Thanks in advance.
-----------------------------------
Dave Nelson


Tim O'Connor <timoconnor@...>
 

Dave,

Figuring out prototypes for Overland tank cars isn't easy! But
I think this -type- of car could be used for asphalt, or perhaps
caustic soda (lye), or coal tar, or gasoline. I bought several of
those ACF cars when they were available at 80 bucks or less. Quite
a bargain compared to the newest stuff!

At 09:34 PM 3/12/01 -0800, you wrote:

I recently purchased an Overland brass model of an "ACF single dome,
insulated, low pressure, 8000 gal, tankcar (product # OM-3133). It has a
standard dome, dome walkway with handrails (think athearn), and what appears
to be a tank-long, narrow, L bar welded on each side of the tank -- about
2/3rds of the way down.

In checking the ACF book I see there are similar cars made in the early 50's
(for DOW). I'm hoping I can paint and decal the car for something pre 1950.
Does anybody know what Overland was trying to do replicate? Or what kind of
commodities would be carried in such a car?
Timothy O'Connor <timoconnor@...>
Marlborough, Massachusetts


Richard Hendrickson
 

Tim O'Connor wrote, in response to Dave Nelson's inquiry:

Figuring out prototypes for Overland tank cars isn't easy! But
I think this -type- of car could be used for asphalt, or perhaps
caustic soda (lye), or coal tar, or gasoline. I bought several of
those ACF cars when they were available at 80 bucks or less. Quite
a bargain compared to the newest stuff!
Figuring it out ain't easy because most of the models in that series were
generic. However, Tim's right that the kit Dave is asking about
represented insulated ICC-103/104s, and the dimensions are right for AC&F
Type 27s. Most of the prototypes didn't have the dome platforms and
railings (though it would be a simple matter, of course, to unsolder and
remove those), but SHPX received a bunch of cars with the platforms and
railings in the late 1930s and '40s which they leased to DuPont, Matheson,
and similar chemical mfrs. (most had different safety valves than those on
the model, however), and some private owners got them as well.

Dave, if you'll e-mail me the details of your modeling location and era, I
can probably send you scans of several likely prototypes. But finding
lettering for some of them may be a challenge! I've got at least one of
the models, too, so maybe we can either brainstorm decal sources or get
some decals made which will do the job.

Richard H. Hendrickson
Ashland, Oregon 97520


Dave & Libby Nelson <muskoka@...>
 

-----Original Message-----
Dave, if you'll e-mail me the details of your modeling location and era, I
can probably send you scans of several likely prototypes. But finding
lettering for some of them may be a challenge! I've got at least one of
the models, too, so maybe we can either brainstorm decal sources or get
some decals made which will do the job.
I bounce back and forth between 2 dates: 1944 and 1950. I bounce back &
forth between 2 locations: WP west of Oroville (right now I'm thinking
Oakland, perhaps to Niles) and DRGW east of Salt Lake (centered on the
Geneva Mill near Provo). Either way some representation of the steel
industry will be included.

In 1950, WP handled a daily average of 5 carloads of chemicals, 6 each for
Gas & diesel fuels, 1 for gas, 4 for edible oils, and 3 for ammonium sulfate
(probably boxcars). In Oakland there was one large electrical goods mfgr who
made transformers, which if they're talking about those on utility poles,
would have been filled with chemicals.

DRGW wasn't that different, maybe 7 cars/day of chemicals.

Dave Nelson


Richard Hendrickson
 

-----Original Message-----
Dave, if you'll e-mail me the details of your modeling location and era, I
can probably send you scans of several likely prototypes. But finding
lettering for some of them may be a challenge! I've got at least one of
the models, too, so maybe we can either brainstorm decal sources or get
some decals made which will do the job.
I bounce back and forth between 2 dates: 1944 and 1950. I bounce back &
forth between 2 locations: WP west of Oroville (right now I'm thinking
Oakland, perhaps to Niles) and DRGW east of Salt Lake (centered on the
Geneva Mill near Provo). Either way some representation of the steel
industry will be included.
I'm having a little trouble following the bouncing ball, here, but you've
at least given me a ball-park era and region.

AC&F built a number of cars for SHPX in the late 1930s which were dead
ringers for the model except that they did not have platforms and railings.
Some were leased to Matheson and assigned to caustic soda service. SHPX
also had 8K gal. insulated Type 27s with platforms and railings built in
the late '30s/early '40s which were leased to DuPont and used for things
like Formaldehyde and Nylon Salts, though these were ICC-203s with
different safety valves than are on the model. The DuPont cars had black
u/fs and bottom sheathing, light gray upper sheathing and domes, and
red/white oval DuPont logos.

ICC-104s without dome platforms wre built in the early 1940s for Warren,
but I rather doubt that Warren was shipping gasoline to the west coast
(though their ICC-105 propane cars certainly made it to the Bay Area).

I can send you JPEGs of any or all of the above if you're interested.

Richard H. Hendrickson
Ashland, Oregon 97520


Dave & Libby Nelson <muskoka@...>
 

AC&F built a number of cars for SHPX in the late 1930s which were dead
ringers for the model except that they did not have platforms and
railings. Some were leased to Matheson and assigned to caustic soda
service.

I'm led to understand caustic soda was commonly used in canneries for
cleaning. Dunno about a whole carload tho....

So was this a model of a ICC-104 type car or something else? I've never
grasped an understanding of the differences in this car classification.

Dave Nelson


Richard Hendrickson
 

So was this a model of a ICC-104 type car or something else? I've never
grasped an understanding of the differences in this car classification.
That's because it's difficult to grasp; Chris Barkan and I have
communicated at some length about this and come to the conclusion that the
only difference between insulated ARA-III/ICC-103 tank cars and ARA
IV/ICC-104 tank cars was that the IV/104s were built with insulation. So
you can take your choice; in the steam era there was no essential
difference in specifications, safety valves, etc.

Richard H. Hendrickson
Ashland, Oregon 97520