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GATX Tank Train
PROTOTYPE
HISTORY:
Since the beginning of railroading in the United States, tank cars
have been an essential part of the freight car fleet. From their
primitive beginnings of barrels mounted to flatcars, tank
cars have evolved into complex designs optimized for hauling a variety
of liquids, from corn syrup to anhydrous ammonia. While tank cars
are prolific, most railroads do not own large fleets of these relatively
specialized cars, preferring to make use of fleets managed by freight
car companies, such as GATX. One of the larger equipment management
companies, GATX can trace its history to the turn of the century,
and is well-known for its large fleet of tank cars of varying designs,
many of which were built in-house. One of the more distinctive designs
to originate from GATX is the “TankTrain”, which made
its debut in the 1970s. The TankTrain concept was a solution to
the problem of long load/unload times for unit train shipments of
particular commodities, such as crude oil. A typical unit train
can take significant time to load or unload, with the need for workers
to attach the necessary hoses and other fittings to each individual
car, coupled with the necessary time to load or unload the commodity
from each car. The TankTrain was designed to significantly reduce
this time. TankTrain cars are interconnected with a large-diameter,
flexible hose between each car, which allows the commodity to be
siphoned off at a single point at the end of a set of cars while
being “pushed” at the opposite end with inert nitrogen
gas. Using this method, TankTrain cars can be loaded or unloaded
at a rate of approximately 3,000 gallons per minute, allowing a
train of 90 cars to be loaded or unloaded in under five hours. This
has the obvious benefit of increased equipment utilization, as well
as reduced labor costs, and shorter dwell times at terminals. Additionally,
TankTrain cars were built in various sizes and designs to handle
various commodities resulting in a wide variety of TankTrain cars
roaming the nations’ rails. TankTrain cars are typically grouped
into interconnected sets ranging from two to thirteen cars, the
set size varying upon the car types, commodity, and shipper being
served. One of the commodities routinely handled by TankTrain cars
is crude oil, whose viscous nature, and tendency to be hipped in
unit train quantities, lends itself well to the TankTrain concept.
The most well-known operation using TankTrain equipment was Southern
Pacific railroad’s operation of these cars, on behalf of Shell
Oil Company, from a loading facility in Bakersfield, California,
to a refinery in Carson, California. This operation began in the
early 1980s, and proved to be highly succcesful for Shell, allowing
them economical transport of Kern County crude oil to their refinery.
Two trainsets were operated, allowing a continuous load/empty cycle
to operate between the loadout and the refinery. These trains were
comprised of insulated cars with a 23k nominal capacity, grouped
into sets of 12-13 cars, with a full train being around 75-78 cars
(more or less, depending upon cars that may have been cut out of
the individual sets for maintenance). This train proved to be a
fairly high-priority operation on the Southern Pacific, mainly stemming
from the need to make sure the loaded trains arrived at the refinery
on time, in order to prevent production disruptions, as well as
to
make sure the warmed crude oil (heated as a result of the initial
extraction process) does not cool and thicken inside of the car,
which would slow down the unloading process. These all-new Athearn
N-scale models represent 23K-capacity GATX TankTrain cars from the
486-number series (built in 1977), and 282-series (built in 1982).
Based upon GATX diagrams, as well as photos and field measurements
taken from prototype TankTrain cars at GATX’s West Colton repair
facility, these new N-scale models faithfully replicate the prototype
differences between the two different series’, including variations
on the tank saddles, walkways, manways, brake rigging, and transfer
piping. While these cars are most closely associated with Southern
Pacific, TankTrain sets comprised of these cars have been, and can
be seen in operation across the country. Grand Trunk Western, for
example, operated TankTrain cars from the 486-series in the Great
Lakes region, hauling fuel oil, in the late 1970s. And despite construction
of a pipeline that eliminated the need for Southern Pacific’s
original routing of TankTrain equipment, a new TankTrain, operated
by Southern Pacific successor Union Pacific along the former SP
“Coast Line”, operates to this day
with many of the same cars, from a loading facility in San Ardo,
California, to a refinery in Carson, California. |
| Tank
Train Features: |
- All-new
tooling first time ever in N-scale
- Two GATX
classes represented: 282-series and 486-series
- Correct
walkways, manways, and load/unload pluper series
- Finely
detailed walkways
- Correct
transfer plumbing per prototype series and end (A-end or B-end)
- Full underbody
plumbing and rigging
- Detailed,
soft vinyl transfer hoses that bend as the car negotiates curves
- Cars available
as end unit sets and as individual intermediate units
- 100-ton
roller-bearing trucks with scale 36” machined metal wheels
- Convenient
packs of 3 makes doing prototypical 12 unit set simple
- Minimum
radius: 11”
- Recommended
radius: 15”
- 282-series
era: 1977 to present
- 486-series
era: 1982 to presen
|
|
Features: |
- Fully-assembled
and ready-to-run out of the box
- Accurately
painted and printed for prototypical realism
- Highly-detailed,
injection-molded body
- Photo etched
metal walkways and end platforms
- Wire safety
rails and end handrails
- Printed
placards
- Separately
applied brake wheel
- Screw mounted
trucks
- McHenry
operating knuckle couplers
- Weighted
for trouble free operation
- Operates
on Code 50, and 80 rail
- Body-mounted,
McHenry operating scale knuckle couplers
- Multiple
road numbers
- Window
packaging for easy viewing, plus interior plastic
blister safely holds the model for convenient storage
|
| Road Name |
Road # |
Image |
MSRP |
Our
$ |
Part
# |
| Canadian
National TankTrain Intermediate Car GATX Unnumbered |
N/A |
 |
$39.99 |
 |
ATH-1773
|
| Canadian
National TankTrain Intermediate Car GATX A/B Set (2-Pack) |
79001
/ 79017 |
 |
$74.99 |
|
ATH-1774 |
| Canadian
National TankTrain Intermediate Car GATX Intermediate (3-Pack) |
79002
/ 79003 / 79004 |
 |
$140.29 |
|
ATH-1775
|
| Canadian
National TankTrain Intermediate Car GATX Intermediate (3-Pack) |
79005
/ 79006 / 79007 |
 |
$140.29 |
$112.23 |
ATH-1776
|
| Canadian
National TankTrain Intermediate Car GATX Intermediate (3-Pack) |
79008
/ 79009 / 79010 |
 |
$140.29 |
$112.23 |
ATH-1777
|
| Canadian
National TankTrain Intermediate Car GATX Intermediate (3-Pack) |
79011
/ 79012 / 79013 |
 |
$140.29 |
|
ATH-1778 |
| Canadian
National TankTrain Intermediate Car GATX Intermediate (3-Pack) |
79014
/ 79015 / 79016 |
 |
$140.29 |
|
ATH-1779 |
| TankTrain
Intermediate Car GATX Unnumbered White / Black |
N/A |
 |
$39.99 |
|
ATH-1780 |
| TankTrain
Car GATX A/B Set White / Black (2-Pack) |
75551
/ 75567 |
 |
$74.99 |
|
ATH-1781 |
| TankTrain
Intermediate Car GATX White / Black (3-Pack) |
75552
/ 75553 / 75554 |
 |
$140.29 |
|
ATH-1782 |
| TankTrain
Intermediate Car GATX White / Black (3-Pack) |
75555
/ 75556 / 75557 |
 |
$140.29 |
|
ATH-1783 |
| TankTrain
Intermediate Car GATX White / Black (3-Pack) |
75558
/ 75559 / 75560 |
 |
$140.29 |
|
ATH-1784 |
| TankTrain
Intermediate Car GATX White / Black (3-Pack) |
75561
/ 75562 / 75563 |
 |
$140.29 |
|
ATH-1785
|
| TankTrain
Intermediate Car GATX White / Black (3-Pack) |
75564
/ 75565 / 75566 |
 |
$140.29 |
|
ATH-1786
|
| Quaker State
TankTrain Intermediate Car GATX Unnumbered |
N/A |
 |
$39.99 |
|
ATH-1787 |
| Quaker State
TankTrain Car GATX A/B Set (2-Pack) |
69251
/ 69257 |
 |
$74.99 |
|
ATH-1788 |
| Quaker State
TankTrain Intermediate Car GATX (2-Pack) |
69252
/ 69253 |
 |
$74.99 |
|
ATH-1789 |
| Quaker State
TankTrain Intermediate Car GATX (2-Pack) |
69254
/ 69255 |
 |
$74.99 |
|
ATH-1790 |
| Quaker State
TankTrain Intermediate Car GATX (2-Pack) |
69256
/ 69261 |
 |
$74.99 |
|
ATH-1791
|
| Quaker State
TankTrain Intermediate Car GATX (2-Pack) |
69263
/ 69264 |
 |
$74.99 |
|
ATH-1792
|
| Quaker State
TankTrain Intermediate Car GATX (2-Pack) |
69265
/ 69266 |
 |
$74.99 |
|
ATH-1793 |
| TankTrain
Intermediate Car GATX White Unnumbered |
N/A |
 |
$39.99 |
$31.99 |
ATH-1794
|
| TankTrain
Car GATX White A/B Set (2-Pack) |
44589
/ 44593 |
 |
$74.99 |
$59.99 |
ATH-1795 |
| TankTrain
Intermediate Car GATX White (2-Pack) |
44582
/ 44592 |
 |
$74.99 |
|
ATH-1796
|
| TankTrain
Intermediate Car GATX White (2-Pack) |
44587
/ 44588 |
 |
$101.19 |
$80.95 |
ATH-1797 |
| TankTrain
Intermediate Car GATX White (2-Pack) |
44594
/ 44599 |
 |
$74.99 |
|
ATH-1798
|
| TankTrain
Intermediate Car GATX |
48665 |
|
$39.99 |
|
ATH-15044 |
| 48666 |
$39.99 |
|
ATH-15045 |
| 48667 |
$39.99 |
|
ATH-15046 |
| 48668 |
$39.99 |
|
ATH-15047 |
| 48669 |
$39.99 |
|
ATH-15048 |
| 48670 |
$39.99 |
|
ATH-15049 |
| 48671 |
$39.99 |
|
ATH-15050 |
| 48672 |
$39.99 |
|
ATH-15051 |
| 48673 |
$39.99 |
|
ATH-15052 |
| TankTrain
Intermediate Car GATX A/B & Int Ca |
48663
,48664 ,48674 |
|
$109.99 |
|
ATH-15053 |
| No
Logo Intermediate Car GATX |
48617 |
 |
$39.99 |
|
ATH-15054 |
| 48618 |
$39.99 |
|
ATH-15055 |
| 48619 |
$39.99 |
|
ATH-15056 |
| 48620 |
$39.99 |
|
ATH-15057 |
| 48621 |
$39.99 |
|
ATH-15058 |
| 48622 |
$39.99 |
|
ATH-15059 |
| 48623 |
$39.99 |
|
ATH-15060 |
| 48624 |
$39.99 |
|
ATH-15061 |
| 48625 |
$39.99 |
|
ATH-15062 |
| No Logo Intermediate
Car GATX A/B & Int Ca |
48615,
48616, 48626 |
|
$109.99 |
|
ATH-15063 |
| Small
Logo Intermediate Car GATX |
28229 |
 |
$39.99 |
|
ATH-15064 |
| 28230 |
$39.99 |
|
ATH-15065 |
| 28231 |
$39.99 |
|
ATH-15066 |
| 28232 |
$39.99 |
|
ATH-15067 |
| 28233 |
$39.99 |
|
ATH-15068 |
|
28234
|
$39.99 |
|
ATH-15069 |
| 28235 |
$39.99 |
|
ATH-15070 |
| 28236 |
$39.99 |
|
ATH-15071 |
| 28237 |
$39.99 |
|
ATH-15072 |
| Small Logo
Intermediate Car GATX A/B & Int Ca |
28227,
28228, 28238 |
|
$109.99 |
|
ATH-15093 |
| TankTrain
Intermediate Car Set, GATX/Now/Early |
48625 |
 |
$30.98 |
|
ATH-15020 |
| TankTrain
A/B Ends & Intermediate Car Set, GATX/Org/Early |
3
Pack |
 |
$89.98 |
|
ATH-15016 |
| TankTrain
Intermediate Car Set, GATX/Now/Early |
3
Pack |
|
$89.98 |
|
ATH-15017 |
| 3
Pack |
$89.98 |
|
ATH-15018 |
| 3
Pack |
$89.98 |
|
ATH-15019 |
| TankTrain
Intermediate Car Set, GATX/Now/Late |
28287 |
 |
$30.98 |
|
ATH-15025 |
| TankTrain
A/B Ends & Intermediate Car Set, GATX/Now/Late |
3
Pack |
 |
$89.98 |
|
ATH-15021 |
| TankTrain
Intermediate Car Set, GATX/Now/Late |
3
Pack |
|
$89.98 |
|
ATH-15022 |
| 3
Pack |
$89.98 |
|
ATH-15023 |
| 3
Pack |
$89.98 |
|
ATH-15024 |
| TankTrain
A/B Ends & Intermediate Car Set, GATX/B-S-T Late |
3
Pack |
 |
$84.98 |
|
ATH-14999 |
| TankTrain
Intermediate,GATX/B-S-T Late |
3
Pack #1 |
 |
$84.98 |
|
ATH-15000 |
| 3
Pack #2 |
$84.98 |
|
ATH-15001 |
| 3
Pack #3 |
$84.98 |
|
ATH-15002 |
|
TankTrain
A/B Ends & Intermediate Car Set, GATX/P-TT-L
PRIMED FOR GRIME MODELS FEATURE:
Duplicated
look and feel of “In Service” equipment; “Tattered
and Torn” just like the real thing Faded base colors matched
to the prototype Patches applied and shaped per road number
matching each corresponding side to the prototype Perfect starting
point for adding grime and rust
|
3
Pack |
 |
$84.98 |
|
ATH-15003 |
|
TankTrain
Intermediate, GATX/P-TT-L
PRIMED FOR GRIME MODELS FEATURE:
Duplicated
look and feel of “In Service” equipment; “Tattered
and Torn” just like the real thing Faded base colors matched
to the prototype Patches applied and shaped per road number
matching each corresponding side to the prototype Perfect starting
point for adding grime and rust
|
3
Pack #1 |
 |
$84.98 |
|
ATH-15004 |
| 3
Pack #2 |
$84.98 |
|
ATH-15005 |
| 3
Pack #3 |
$84.98 |
|
ATH-15006 |
|
TankTrain
A/B Ends & Intermediate Car Set, GATX/White
PRIMED FOR GRIME MODELS FEATURE:
Duplicated
look and feel of “In Service” equipment; “Tattered
and Torn” just like the real thing Faded base colors matched
to the prototype Patches applied and shaped per road number
matching each corresponding side to the prototype Perfect starting
point for adding grime and rust
|
2
Pack |
 |
$59.98 |
|
ATH-15007 |
|
TankTrain
Intermediate, GATX/White
PRIMED FOR GRIME MODELS FEATURE:
Duplicated
look and feel of “In Service” equipment; “Tattered
and Torn” just like the real thing Faded base colors matched
to the prototype Patches applied and shaped per road number
matching each corresponding side to the prototype Perfect starting
point for adding grime and rust
|
2
Pack #1 |
 |
$59.98 |
 |
ATH-15008 |
| 2
Pack #2 |
$59.98 |
|
ATH-15009 |
|
2 Pack #3 |
$59.98 |
|
ATH-15010 |
|
The
Below models where announced July 2016, Arrived in September
2017
|
| TankTrain
A/B Ends & Intermediate Car Set, GATX/Early |
3
Pack |
 |
$84.98 |
|
ATH-14991 |
| TankTrain
Intermediate, GATX/Early |
3
Pack #1 |
 |
$84.98 |
|
ATH-14992 |
| 3
Pack #2 |
$84.98 |
|
ATH-14993 |
| 3
Pack #3 |
$84.98 |
|
ATH-14994 |
| TankTrain
A/B Ends & Intermediate Car Set, GATX/Late |
3
Pack |
 |
$84.98 |
|
ATH-14995 |
| TankTrain
Intermediate, GATX/Late |
3
Pack #1 |
 |
$84.98 |
|
ATH-14996 |
| 3
Pack #2 |
$84.98 |
|
ATH-14997 |
| 3
Pack #3 |
$84.98 |
|
ATH-14998 |
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