Modern Tank Cars

[ljudice]

Very nice tank....

Concor also has a much longer funnel flow - I've always thought the prototypes were "sausage" like. 

It would be great if Athearn brought the 3-4 other recent tank cars they've done to N - the 20k Sharonville (sp?), the two acid tanks and the short tank.

[Denver Road Doug]

Gary, great pics! (both model and proto)

I have seen a car like that white/black band car that also looked like the MDC tank in my mind.  It was just like that one except the band was "terra cotta" (Atlas' term for the color...kind of a "rust" color) which Athearn has also released recently.  I have decided to finish off whatever MDC cars I have GMM kits for and get rid of the rest but I do think they at least add variety, even if they're foobs.  But I'll still buy anything manufacturers bring to the table now also...and have been.  I think I had something like 17 tank cars on pre-order at one point between the 25,500's, 20,700's, and Athearn LPG's. (which is a lot for me)

[GaryHinshaw]

Thanks guys.  I just see is the splotchy sheen from the gloss coat.... but I'll finish 'em up and move on.

As Lou notes, Con-Cor did have a 56' version of the funnel flow too (it does look sausage-like):


[Wig-Wag Trains photo]

Doug, the earlier shot I posted had the terra cotta band:

http://www.railcarphotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=13351

It's not quite as close to the MDC model as the black/white car is though.  In general, there is so much variety in the proto tank car fleet that we'll always have some level of foobiness.  I think the best we can hope for is to have similar variety in the model fleet - and that is certainly coming to pass for modern cars.    [Some of the Athearn HO models in N would be nice though!]

-Gary

[daniel_leavitt2000]

OK, so the MDC is a foobie but closly related to a 49' 20K gallon GS tank.

What about the Con-Cor cars? The larger funnel flows are indeed sausage shaped, especually ones found in the UTLX fleets. Anyone know if ithas a prototype, or just based on a 56' 23-25K gallon car?


Gary, one question: How wide is the CC tank compaired to the MDC? It looks a bit huskier. I don't know if that is because it is shorter or if it is wider than the MDC car.

[SkipGear]

If you want to compare models to prototypes, here is a good page to start...

http://www.trinityrailcar.com/railcars/index.html

They have PDF downloads of clearance and spec drawings for every car they make, incluing roughly 20 different tank cars.

Here is an example of a 30K gallon general service car....

http://www.trinityrailcar.com/railcars/tank/pdfs/tank_30145.pdf

[GaryHinshaw]

Gary, one question: How wide is the CC tank compaired to the MDC? It looks a bit huskier. I don't know if that is because it is shorter or if it is wider than the MDC car.

Wider and shorter: the MDC tank is 9'0" in diameter, 45' in length, the CC tank is 9'9" x 43'.  Just going by these exterior dimensions (which would over-estimate capacity), the MDC tank is about 21,400 gallons, and the CC tank about 24,000.  So nominally they would be about 20 K and 23 K, respectively.

The Trinity Rail site has a lot of good info!

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Thanks!
Here is a peek at my project:


I think i hijacked this thread long enough and will be starting a new one tomorrow.

BTW, you are right about the MDC car. I used a few other Atlas cars to compare model volume vs prototype gallon capacity and the MDC car would be a tick under 21,000.

I wonder about the Con-Cor cars though. At 9'9" wouln't they be too wide with the side ladders? Their corn surup car looks like a 19,000 car when sitting next to the Atlas Trinity. I should pick up a sample to play with.

[GaryHinshaw]

Looks great Daniel!  The MT brake gear is a good addition. 

I wouldn't promise that my CC measurement was good to better than ~3 scale inches; are you wondering about Plate clearance?

BTW, it's ok to hijack this thread.  Lou was done with it. 

-Gary

[ljudice]

Feel free to recycle any of my threads, since we shouldn't be wasting electrons...

But seriously all of this is interesting. I remember my excitement when the MDC tanks first came out. Its kind of too bad Athearn didn't do more with the car, although honestly I'd rather see them do some of the other tank cars - like the Acid cars.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

I was thinking about what could be done by Athearn to bring it up to modern standards. Obviously etched ladders, handrails and end platforms would make the model better. They could go all the way and add brake gear, under tank valve and weld lines. Would it be cheaper to create a new freight car from scratch? If fully upgraded the car is a very good match for many acid cars out there. As it is, I would not pay more than $8-10 on a new car. I wouldn't mind dropping $15-18 on one with all the upgrades.

[ljudice]

Robbman - re: MCFL...

I couldn't take it anymore...  I thought the Atlas HO forum was the world's most depressing discussion. One more day of the complaints there about everything, and I would be seeking professional help.

I will never complain about ANYTHING again.

[Robbman]

Robbman - re: MCFL...

I couldn't take it anymore...  I thought the Atlas HO forum was the world's most depressing discussion. One more day of the complaints there about everything, and I would be seeking professional help.

I will never complain about ANYTHING again.

Just use it to ask questions... the guys who know will usually answer... everything else is your typical forum