How to make a Junker Single Dome Tank Car Like New

Nice job Don.

Very nice indeed. I am trying to put together a WW2 Army troop/supply train. My question is, would this and other single dome early postwar tank cars be acceptable? Thanks.

Yes it would. Almost all the tank cars I saw in the late 40's looked like this and I'm thinking none of them were new at the time. Are you going to rebuild one of the old Lionel cars? Don

Like most people, I find beaters on occasion, and I had planned to rebuild them. I am fairly confident I could do it. My biggest problem is finding the right scale Quartermaster decals for the cars. As of right now I don't have any to re do.

I had one set of Sinclair (my middle name) and three sets of Shell. The Shell decals are on E-Bay. I screwed up the old Sinclair so had to do that car over. Don

I'm not sure enough of this is done.. Plenty of U-tube videos on weathering, not sure of restoration.. I'm in the process of restoring (?) "beaters" with the idea of creating Woodson RR cars.. My screen name is Woodson, my Mother's maiden name.. Any of you Virginia folks are probably familiar with Woodson name.. My ancestors came to Jamestown in 1619.. The theme of my new layout is the transition era of N&W, Virginian, Southern etc.. Since N&W was the last Class 1 RR to convert to Diesel.. I have a lot of 'poetic license'.. Obviously, I have cars and sets that are special to me and I wouldn't touch them.. Sorry for the ramble, just my $.02.. BTW, I am distant cousins with Frank and Jesse Woodson James..

Clarence Siman posted:

Very nice indeed. I am trying to put together a WW2 Army troop/supply train. My question is, would this and other single dome early postwar tank cars be acceptable? Thanks.

Acceptable to who/whom?? It's your Railroad, as long as it's acceptable to you, who really cares?? Again, my $.02..

Neel

Clarence Siman posted:

Very nice indeed. I am trying to put together a WW2 Army troop/supply train. My question is, would this and other single dome early postwar tank cars be acceptable? Thanks.

These 8000 gallon tank cars were ubiquitous for much of the 20th century, and (at least the welded versions) could be found even into the 1980's. Early ones go back to the early part of the 20th century, so if prototypical operation is a consideration, that's no problem.

Incidentally, Lionel's 8000 gal. tank cars are scale size, for those operating scale trains, but of course work nicely for traditional-sized trains as well.

I cannot tell you how many times I've done this, maybe not as meticulously as Don with the multiple coats of Micro Sol, but with perfectly acceptably results. They are great cars, often found in this condition in those bins under the table at shows. That is until now!

Mike

I have restored a bunch of these to represent all of Lionel's metal tanks. Its one of the few cars you can actually restore to original appearance (assuming you don't have a pad printer) since the original use decals for lettering. You can turn any of them into any other variation simply by adding or subtracting details like warning placards, trucks, and corner steps. example a 6555 into and a more desirable 2755 or 2855.

Pete

beauteous

Since these are described above as "scale size", I need several, and the UTLX and GATX decals for black tankers.  Odd that these "plain" but ubiquitous cars aren't currently produced, while flamboyant livery that narrows their market is.

colorado hirailer posted:

Since these are described above as "scale size", I need several, and the UTLX and GATX decals for black tankers.  Odd that these "plain" but ubiquitous cars aren't currently produced, while flamboyant livery that narrows their market is.

See, it's happening already, an increase in demand. So much for the under the table bins now!   So very true, if you can find the decals or make them yourself, the possibilities are endless. Well sort of.

Mike

You have to keep at least one in it's 'original weathered' condition!  Really nice job on the restoration though.  

This is exactly what I do with these cars. Spot-on restos or custom colors, I sell them at

I have a nice gray one that I'm going to repaint if anyone wants to trade for a common silver. It needs decals but otherwise is nice. Don