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Arnold, we have not been posting to your thread on Oil Tankers since about November.  So I thought I might post something controversial to stir up some interest, even negative interest might work.  This is my candidate for the "Worst and Least Prototypical Tank Car I could find"....Its a flea market find for about 50 cents (likely not worth that much).  I should note that the label reads "Classical New Style"...well I would wonder what the "old" style looked like!  Anyway here she is, sad but real. Note she actually is (at least close to) 0 gauge and she sits here on Lionel 3 rail track.

Toy tank car side viewToy tank car end view

OK now that I have your attention (HA!)...Arnold i don't know how to start a thread but you do it so often...how about a thread on "Happy Hoppers or Good Gondola's"  might be fun.  Just a thought.

Don

LOL.

Don, how about Show Me Your Hoppers & Gondolas? Would you like me to start a new thread inspired by you with that title?

Arnold

Arnold :  In regards to the new thread on "Happy Hoppers and Good Gondola's"  I thought that might be fun.  I don't know how to "start" a thread so if you would do it (assuming you agree of course) that would be great!  Thanks

Don

Don, the thread has been posted under Photo & Video Albums, and I credited you, Don, for it. Arnold

Well Hello again everyone, its been a long time (January) since we posted to this thread but I just got a new tanker and thought I would post it.  Its a Kline "Operation Iraqi Freedom -water tanker" This operation was aimed at destroying rumored weapons of mass destruction being acquired by Iraq and covered April / May 2003 in active combat.

The car has a lot of very detailed components, note for example the turnbuckles on the simulated straps holding the tank to the frame.  It also has die cast, sprung trucks, hoop steps at the corners, and a detailed brake wheel.

Kline Iraqi Freedom side viewKline Iraqi Freedom tanker end view

I will admit to being an avid tank car collector and since I worked for the Dept of Defense during Iraqi Freedom and indeed Desert Shield / Storm before that, I just had to have this car.

Best Wishes

Don

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  • Kline Iraqi Freedom side view
  • Kline Iraqi Freedom tanker end view

Although I've never seen a 1:1 tank car painted anything other than plain black (or occasionally plain white) I do enjoy some of the fantasy paint schemes applied to the MTH Rail King "modern tank cars". One of my favorites is the familiar orange GULF lettering of yore against black. In this scene two such cars are catching the morning light as today's short train approaches the east End. In background can just be seen an empty Gulf tank spotted at the fuel oil dealer.

IMG_3809

A closer view of that car.

IMG_3810 [1)

And while we are at it the waving-flag billboard is appropriate: Happy Independence Day!

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  • IMG_3809
  • IMG_3810 (1)
Last edited by geysergazer

Well folks, I am an admitted "tank - a - holic" and the last time I posted to this was mid June, so here are my latest.

The Lionel # 17899 Unibody NASA tank car. From around 1990.

Lionel 17899 NASA tanker side view

The Lionel Lines #36117 2 D tank car in blue, note actual sprung trucks from 2008

Lionel 36117 Lionel Lines 2D tanker side

The Lionel #16144 SANX (San Angelo) 3D tank car from 1995. Note again actual sprung trucks.

Lionel 16144 3D SANX tanker side

Best Wishes

Don

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  • Lionel 17899 NASA tanker side view
  • Lionel 36117 Lionel Lines 2D tanker side
  • Lionel 16144 3D SANX tanker side

@Arnold D. Cribari- Good question Arnold.  It could be as you say liquid hydrogen or even liquid oxygen (LOX) both of which could be for a rocket launch.  Less glamorous perhaps however is that it could also be plain old oil based fuel for the rocket which most of our liquid fueled rockets used (along with LOX for operation outside our atmosphere).   The Space X original Merlin engine used what amounts to kerosene mixed with LOX for example.  Another use for these tankers (at least at Kennedy) is that they served as distributed storage tanks for the wide spread research facilities.  In other words if your research experiment needed some cryo or liquid fuel and you had a siding near by they would leave the car in place and use it like a storage tank.  This avoided what might be expensive construction cost for a non-permanent requirement.

Thanks for asking

Don

@Arnold D. Cribari- Good question Arnold.  It could be as you say liquid hydrogen or even liquid oxygen (LOX) both of which could be for a rocket launch.  Less glamorous perhaps however is that it could also be plain old oil based fuel for the rocket which most of our liquid fueled rockets used (along with LOX for operation outside our atmosphere).   The Space X original Merlin engine used what amounts to kerosene mixed with LOX for example.  Another use for these tankers (at least at Kennedy) is that they served as distributed storage tanks for the wide spread research facilities.  In other words if your research experiment needed some cryo or liquid fuel and you had a siding near by they would leave the car in place and use it like a storage tank.  This avoided what might be expensive construction cost for a non-permanent requirement.

Thanks for asking

Don

Don, the NASA oil tanker would look great on a siding near the Lionel Postwar Rocket Launcher with a smoke unit in it so there is smoke during the blast off. Kids would love this.

That rocket launcher can be great fun. I used to have one on my layout, and my young children 20 years ago loved it. IMO, there should be adult supervision when operating that accessory because it has a powerful spring mechanism, the rocket crashes into the ceiling and we don't want a child's face, particulary his/her eyes, to get in the way resulting in a serious injury. Arnold

Last edited by Arnold D. Cribari

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