Santa Fe 50ft Tank Type Tk-R detail questions

[Anonymous]

I got two Roundhouse kits last weekend. They are ATSF Type Tk-R tank cars made by Richmond Tank Car using tanks fabricated by Trinity Industries in about 1974. The series was 98400 -98524 for 125 cars. One is a water green band and I've been able to find details and photos to get it right. The other is a gasoline red band for which I'm having poor luck in getting a photo that shows top of the tank detail. So here's my questions:
1. Were all 125 used for water? The folio drawing give dimensions but not indicated use.
2. If some were in fact used for gasolene did these still use the small dome? 3. A photo of an older ATSF framed tank car for gasolene had the dome painted red. Was this practice continued?
4. What was ATSF using water tank cars for to request new manufacture in 1974?
Thanks in Advance
Mike

[leighant]

Santa Fe Modeler magazine for September/October 1979 has an article on the TK-R cars with photos and scale drawings on pp.11-15.

Author Joaquin B. Hindewe describes purchase of the TK-R class as a response to the fuel crunch of 1973. He describes cars used in shipments of diesel fuel and diesel lube oil. Doesn't say how many were allocated to what service.

[Sperandeo]

Hi Mike,

The best source of information on Tk-Rs and all other Santa Fe tank cars is the book, "Santa Fe Tank Cars," by Richard H. Hendrickson and Richard W. Pelouze. It's volume 5 in the Santa Fe Rolling Stock Reference Series pubblished by the Santa Fe Ry. Historical and Modeling Society, and it's available online at www.atsfrr.net.

Good luck with your models,

Andy

[Anonymous]

Leighant,
It appears from what I've been able to find that it depends on the series of Tk-R which were used for different liquids. All photos and the diagram seem to indicate the series that MDC offers were water. I've not found Tk-R out of the series but that may be just as much to do with what's missing on the web. I found that ATSF did color code dome bases for petroleum products, Red for gasolene, Yellow for diesel, Red with yellow strip for lube oil. There may be others.

Andy,
Thanks for the lead. Book is on order.

To both, Thanks again.
Mike

ps useful sites stumbled upon during this quest.
www.rr-fallenflags.org
www.trainweb.org/nwrp
tankcarhomepage.railfan.net
www.divisionpoint.com