On the roof of the Rix Products fuel tanks, there is a molded on hatch. My query is this: Is that hatch used for filling or is it just for general access. I want to put piping on the tank for filling and I need to know where to put that pipe. (And yes, I am planning to get a ladder kit to further detail the tank.) Thank you for any assistance the forums can provide.
Sounds like you're referring to this:
http://www.rixproducts.com/6280501.htm
No, it's not used for filling--just access.
Ed
Fill pipe would be near the top on the side wall-not on the roof.
Drain would be on the side wall approx 1 foot above the base. Allows for sludge to settle on the botton and not be sucked into the drain pipe.
nedthomas Fill pipe would be near the top on the side wall-not on the roof. Drain would be on the side wall approx 1 foot above the base. Allows for sludge to settle on the botton and not be sucked into the drain pipe.
Given that this is a round tank, am I correct in presuming that the fill pipe and the drain pipe would go on opposite sides of each other? Am I also correct in presuming that those pipes go opposite the access hatch? Also, would the ladder and level gauge go by the access hatch?
Thank you all for your continued assistance.
FRRYKidGiven that this is a round tank, am I correct in presuming that the fill pipe and the drain pipe would go on opposite sides of each other?
I think each location would be at the point of the tank circumference that is closest to the appropriate incoming/outgoing (underground) pipes. It costs money to put pipe in the dirt, and there's no point in running around to the other side of the tank. Or even above ground.
Am I also correct in presuming that those pipes go opposite the access hatch?
I don't see why. If the incoming feed to the tank is up near the top, it would be convenient to have it near the hatch. The output side is way down at the bottom of the tank--by the time you've gotten there to do your work, you're likely not too concerned about how you got yourself through the tank top. So that could be anywhere, compared to the hatch.
Also, would the ladder and level gauge go by the access hatch?
The ladder, definitely. Safety, you know.
The level gauge would be best placed there, too, for easier maintenance. I s'pose that it COULD go elsewhere, if the guy who's supposed to read it doesn't want to get up out of his chair by the window and go outside and walk around to the other side of the tank.
If the yard doesn't have an office per se, could the gauge be put trackside of the fuel tank? That way the engineer or fireman could read it and relay the needed info to the appropriate people.
FRRYKid If the yard doesn't have an office per se, could the gauge be put trackside of the fuel tank? That way the engineer or fireman could read it and relay the needed info to the appropriate people.
If there's no office (hard to believe), why not? It's gotta be somewhere.
Yard
I think if I post this link to the picture of the area, that might help explain. The black, light blue and purple tracks make up the "yard" as such. The afore mentioned purple tracks are storage for three of the four steam engines that the tourist railroad uses to pull its passenger trains. (The fourth resides elsewhere.) The purple rectangle as labeled is the inspection pit. The red tracks contain a car shop and is storage for the passenger cars as well. The brown track is where is diesel switcher sits when not in use.
This configuration is why I don't feel that an office in this case is needed. I could be wrong but that is my reasoning.
Yeah, I suppose if you don't have any paperwork, you don't need an office.
Nice lookin' yard.
7j43k Yeah, I suppose if you don't have any paperwork, you don't need an office. Nice lookin' yard. Ed
It is a dream design that has evolved with help from the forums and some redesigning to improve operations. It will happen if I ever get the room to build it. (A problem for many railroaders, I'd imagine. )
Another question, on a tank like this one, would there be a "pan" in case the tank had a leak? The original idea comes from the Walthers Diesel Fueling Kit. I know that it would probably be a retrofit but, with styrene, it wouldn't be that hard to duplicate that idea.
FRRYKidAnother question, on a tank like this one, would there be a "pan" in case the tank had a leak? The original idea comes from the Walthers Diesel Fueling Kit. I know that it would probably be a retrofit but, with styrene, it wouldn't be that hard to duplicate that idea.
I do wonder whether the Rix tank would have been used for diesel fuel--it seems more likely as storage for steam loco fuel. It seems awfully big for diesel, at least for the yard you show. Of course, it comes in layers, so it could be quite short. Anyway, it'll depend on your "era". For example, I shot pictures of diesel fuel storage tanks at Klamath Falls in 1974. There was no containment. If you do a Google satellite view, you'll see containment, now. So, it was done between 1974 and now. If you're doing steam, I doubt there would have been containment. If you're doing "now", absolutely yes.
Once you pick an era, unless it's obvious one way or another, I'd start doing online or book research based on photos around the dates of my era. And, although containment pretty much went from "never" to "always", there was obviously a transition time for the event.
From my experience with petroleum tanks, the product is both loaded and unloaded through a pipe near the bottom of the tank. The pipe is raised from the bottom of the tank to allow for sediment to accumulate. On top there is a manhole for cleaning the tank when necessary along with a vent
A pipe out of the top would be for venting purposes although the tanks I've seen had a venting device on top of the tank not a pipe.
Filling the tank from the top would stir up all of the sediment in the bottom of the tank and if a locomotive was fueled during and for sometime after the storage tank recieved fuel the fuel filters would clog and contaminated fuel would possibly get in the locomotive's tank.
At our local airport any tank that receives fuel is not used for 24 hours for the above reason even though the piping is located at the bottom of the tank.
Bob
Don't Ever Give Up
7j43k It seems awfully big for diesel, at least for the yard you show. Of course, it comes in layers, so it could be quite short.
It seems awfully big for diesel, at least for the yard you show. Of course, it comes in layers, so it could be quite short.
It is one of the 29' tall ones. I agree it may be a little large, but my intent is to have it filled one a "year".
7j43k FRRYKid Another question, on a tank like this one, would there be a "pan" in case the tank had a leak? The original idea comes from the Walthers Diesel Fueling Kit. I know that it would probably be a retrofit but, with styrene, it wouldn't be that hard to duplicate that idea. Anyway, it'll depend on your "era". For example, I shot pictures of diesel fuel storage tanks at Klamath Falls in 1974. There was no containment. If you do a Google satellite view, you'll see containment, now. So, it was done between 1974 and now.
FRRYKid Another question, on a tank like this one, would there be a "pan" in case the tank had a leak? The original idea comes from the Walthers Diesel Fueling Kit. I know that it would probably be a retrofit but, with styrene, it wouldn't be that hard to duplicate that idea.
Anyway, it'll depend on your "era". For example, I shot pictures of diesel fuel storage tanks at Klamath Falls in 1974. There was no containment. If you do a Google satellite view, you'll see containment, now. So, it was done between 1974 and now.
Given that my era is the mid-70s to early 80s I think I better plan to build a containment pit. Based on what I remember about the instruction from the Walthers kit, for that timeframe the pit is needed.