Live from Trainfest in Milwaukee WI: Tangent Scale Models is proud to introduce our next ALL-NEW freight car replica, the General American 8,000 Gallon 1917-Design Radial Course Tank Car. This is the first plastic radial course tank offered in HO plastic! (Radial course means the tank’s steel panels overlap each other, looking like “stairsteps”).
By the end of World War I, U.S. production of oil and oil-related products was sharply increasing thanks to the combination of war-related demands as well as demands from home. In order to move oil and new consumer products, tank car producers introduced new car designs. In 1917 General American Tank Car introduced a new general service 8,000 gallon non-insulated tank car. Built in East Chicago, IN, these cars were easily identifiable by their circumferential rivets that surrounded the tank body, with notably different heights between the courses. These “radial course” tank cars utilized steel bolster plates that rise up vertically to hold the tank in place, complete with a “web” section behind to minimize steel consumption. At a time of fairly monochromatic box cars plying the rails, most consumable products and oil shippers proudly displayed their company markings on the tanks. Additionally, tank car lessor firm Union Tank Line purchased a very large fleet of these cars as well, decorated in the distinctive UTLX “gold on black” scheme. Between UTLX, Deep Rock, and other schemes to come in future releases, think of this as the first “crude oil” tank car of consequence. The GATC 1917-design prototypes were the most prolific tank cars built during this period and were found everywhere from 1917 to roughly 1970.
The Tangent Scale Models GATC 1917-Design 8,000 Gallon General Service Tank Car is a highly-detailed tank car model that includes details accurate for each paint scheme, including KC- or AB-brake variations, with or without Cardwell draft sill springs, and different hand brakes. Other visually-distinctive details for our models include the “see through” bolster section, circumferential rivets, and differing course heights. Our RTR models include correct “true-to-life” colors and “hyper-accurate” lettering including exact fonts and lettering placement. Finally, our scale replicas operate as well as they look, equipped with free-rolling all-metal wheels and Kadee® scale couplers, meaning our models are truly ready to run.
Our new ready to operate replicas are available for sale now at www.tangentscalemodels.com and we are selling a small batch of these cars at Trainfest in Milwaukee on November 12-13. General shipping for the remainder of our cars will begin on December 13 – we are taking orders now so don’t miss out!
Whether wearing “plain” UTLX black lease colors or the colors of a lessee, these replicas will certainly be eye-catchers on your layout! Check out the radial courses – they look like nothing else in HO! Our first stunning release includes the following five paint schemes:
– AESX “Staley – Decatur” 1952+” in the attractive “A.E. STALEY MFG. CO.” scheme with the classy STALEY logo which states “Products from Staley’s corn and soybeans.” Also, DECATUR, ILLINOIS is proudly stenciled on the car. As always, this scheme comes directly off of a prototype car that matches our model. These tank cars delivered corn products to receivers nationwide, making them broadly applicable to almost every railroad in North America. Our STALEY 1952+ cars come with era-correct AB-brakes and are available in four road numbers.
– DRX “Deep Rock – Cushing” 1940+” in the attractive “DEEP ROCK” scheme with the properly rendered gold stenciling. These cars also feature the “CUSHING OKLA.” spelled out with white stenciling. The Deep Rock fleet was a large fleet numbering in the thousands and virtually all of them were this GATC prototype painted this way. Many of the tank cars during this era were painted in billboard schemes like this one. These tank cars delivered oil nationwide, making them broadly applicable to almost every railroad in North America. Our Deep Rock 1940+ stunners are available in six road numbers.
– GATX “Globe Soap – Cincinnati” 1920+” with nicely-rendered Globe Soap graphics on the side of the car, plus mention of “CINCINNATI OHIO” as the home town for the cars (Globe was eventually acquired by Procter and Gamble). While in today’s world it is hard to imagine soap products as a tank car commodity traveling by rail, remember that the combination of manufacturing and packaging practices, as well as pre-truck era, both contributed to tank cars being used for more than just oil-related commodities at that time in our nation’s history. This car is accurately stenciled for 1920 and likely lasted until the mid-1940s in this scheme, complete with era-appropriate K-brake system. These stunning cars are available in two road numbers.
– UTLX “Original 1920+” is one of two UTLX offerings in this production run: an “early” and a “later” car. Union Tank Car Company’s UTLX lease fleet was comprised of tank cars from a variety of builders, including several large orders for GATC tank cars. Numbering in the thousands, this fleet was part of the backbone of the large Standard Oil-owned fleet and are very relevant cars for those that need UTLX tanks – and more statistically relevant than the ACF prototypes you probably already have on your layout now (sorry, but it is true). These nationwide service cars include a 1920 paint date on the side of the car, and an era-correct K brake system. This UTLX lease scheme is available in six road numbers.
– UTLX “Black Repaint 1958+” is the second of two UTLX offerings in this production run. This scheme is the prototype repaint that was applied to UTLX cars in 1958. The car also includes an era-appropriate AB brake system. This UTLX lease scheme is available in four road numbers.
– Undecorated RTR Black cars are ready for decaling! Available December 13.
– Undecorated Unpainted Kits are available as well. When you gripe that “no one” makes kits anymore, well, here they are. These are ready for building or kitbashing, and decaling. Great for those who desire to build their own. Available December 13.
Features for these awesome replicas include:
– Circumferential riveted tank body and riveted underframe (count ‘em, there are many!)
– Radial course tank body – note the “stairstep” appearance!
– All-new underframe for the GATC 1917-design
– “See-through” cast knee above the bolsters
– Accurate dome appliances
– Dimensionally-correct hazardous placards with accurate hole detail
– Separately applied tank handrail
– Separately applied tank strap detail
– KC- or AB- brake variations depending on the prototype car
– Inclusion of Cardwell draft sill springs depending on the prototype car, otherwise “oval” frame openings where the springs were removed
– Different hand brake appliance options depending on the prototype car
– Highly correct “true to life” colors
– “Hyper-Accurate” lettering including exact fonts and lettering placement, including lettering applied to the underframe and air reservoir
– Durable wire grab irons and coupler lift bars
– Separate air hoses
– “Near-scale” draft gear box with side detail
– Kadee® “scale-head” couplers
– CNC-machined 33” wheels in high-quality Tangent Scale Models ASF cast steel truck with spring plank and with separate brake beams
– Replacement semi-scale wheels available separately from Tangent
– Multiple road numbers for each scheme – these cars often traveled in “groups” of more than one
– Recommended age 14 years and older
Don’t miss out on the Tangent Scale Models General American 8,000 gallon 1917-design radial course tank car! Just like its prototype, this car will stand out on any layout situated from 1917 to 1970, and they went everywhere!
Pricing for RTR models is $44.95. High-resolution images showing these fine replicas are available at www.tangentscalemodels.com and our site also includes prototype images for your reference as well.
That wraps up our update for today, and thank you for supporting the family-owned businesses in our industry!
David Lehlbach – live from Milwaukee WI at Trainfest!
Tangent Scale Models – “Unparalleled scale replicas for discriminating railroad modelers”
www.tangentscalemodels.com
support@tangentscalemodels.com
PO Box 6514
Asheville NC 28816
828-279-6106