NYC 899999 'Tank' Car (why?????)

[learmoia]

So.. this was a thing..

@Bluford Craig .. here's a scheme for ya..



From
http://www.canadasouthern.com/caso/NYC-MODELS-FREIGHT2.htm

... I'm trying to figure out the problem they were trying to solve with this?.. At first I was thinking dual purpose seasonal use like BN's 'Bopper'?
But there is also reference to 899998 a rectangular tank car that was not built. 

Were they trying to increase cubic volume using a square tank and an open hopper was the easiest car (structurally) to convert as a test bed?

~Ian

[Iain]

The chimney makes me think camp stove for the hobos.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Does anyone have an ORER from the era handy?

[wcfn100]

Does anyone have an ORER from the era handy?

1966 ORER

'Fuel oil car, interior lining"

Listed as a covered hopper.

Jason

[Iain]

Well, that explains the stove.

[nkalanaga]

~Ian:  Or the MILW/BCOL "plug door covered hoppers", designed to carry grain one way and lumber the other.  They built 2 of them - not identical.  As far as I know they worked, but were no others were built.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

1966 ORER

'Fuel oil car, interior lining"

Listed as a covered hopper.

Jason

Bunker fuel for ships?

[DKS]

Curious, that third image from 1965 looks as though it's covered in spray foam. So, the contents either needed to be kept cool or warm. The stove pipe suggests warm, but perhaps it was a genny to run a refrigerator? Golly, this is a strange beast...

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Curious, that third image from 1965 looks as though it's covered in spray foam. So, the contents either needed to be kept cool or warm. The stove pipe suggests warm, but perhaps it was a genny to run a refrigerator? Golly, this is a strange beast...

My bet would be that this car was designed to move heavy oil (or something similar) that needed to be warmed to move easily. That'd explain the insulation (like the later PRR "woolie" ore cars and the eventual addition of a heater.