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Fuel dealers of the 50's

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  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Fuel dealers of the 50's
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, July 22, 2003 2:51 PM
I would like some information and pictures abot fuel dstributors that were located in various towns. My town had two, both had 3 or 4 tanks supported horizontally be concrete supports conforming to the shape of the tank. The supports remain at one site, nothing at the other.

From the shape of the curve in the top of the suppoert, geometry tells me that the tanks at that site were about 9 feet and 12 feet in diameter. I wi***o model 3 of these sites, and need pictures or drawings of:

The tank car unloading equipment.

The truck loading piping.

General sizing of tanks (such as extention beyond the end supports).

Piping from unloading to pumphouse to truck loading.

Thank you.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Fuel dealers of the 50's
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, July 22, 2003 2:51 PM
I would like some information and pictures abot fuel dstributors that were located in various towns. My town had two, both had 3 or 4 tanks supported horizontally be concrete supports conforming to the shape of the tank. The supports remain at one site, nothing at the other.

From the shape of the curve in the top of the suppoert, geometry tells me that the tanks at that site were about 9 feet and 12 feet in diameter. I wi***o model 3 of these sites, and need pictures or drawings of:

The tank car unloading equipment.

The truck loading piping.

General sizing of tanks (such as extention beyond the end supports).

Piping from unloading to pumphouse to truck loading.

Thank you.
  • Member since
    January 2001
  • From: US
  • 1,300 posts
Posted by Sperandeo on Wednesday, July 23, 2003 10:52 AM
Hello "logsnrocks,"

I recommend that you see the article "Bulk oil depots," by Paul Dolkos, in the
June 1990 MODEL RAILROADER, page 100. This article also appears in the Kalmbach Book, " HO Lineside Industries You Can Build." You can order the book on the shopping section of this Web site.
So long,

Andy

Andy Sperandeo MODEL RAILROADER Magazine

  • Member since
    January 2001
  • From: US
  • 1,300 posts
Posted by Sperandeo on Wednesday, July 23, 2003 10:52 AM
Hello "logsnrocks,"

I recommend that you see the article "Bulk oil depots," by Paul Dolkos, in the
June 1990 MODEL RAILROADER, page 100. This article also appears in the Kalmbach Book, " HO Lineside Industries You Can Build." You can order the book on the shopping section of this Web site.
So long,

Andy

Andy Sperandeo MODEL RAILROADER Magazine

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: North Central Illinois
  • 1,458 posts
Posted by CBQ_Guy on Friday, November 28, 2003 3:22 PM
Also check out:

http://walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3006

They also sell a piping kit.

Hope this helps.
"Paul [Kossart] - The CB&Q Guy" [In Illinois] ~ Modeling the CB&Q and its fictional 'Illiniwek River-Subdivision-Branch Line' in the 1960's. ~
  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: North Central Illinois
  • 1,458 posts
Posted by CBQ_Guy on Friday, November 28, 2003 3:22 PM
Also check out:

http://walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3006

They also sell a piping kit.

Hope this helps.
"Paul [Kossart] - The CB&Q Guy" [In Illinois] ~ Modeling the CB&Q and its fictional 'Illiniwek River-Subdivision-Branch Line' in the 1960's. ~
  • Member since
    August 2002
  • From: Corpus Christi, Texas
  • 2,377 posts
Posted by leighant on Friday, November 28, 2003 10:49 PM
A few references to BULK OIL DEALERs

Bulk oil dist. terminal, modeling. ModRRer Dec78 p.108

Colorado Springs, Chief Petroleum company, oil package plant on
Bob Foltz SF layout, protopix, HO bash from Design
Preservation kit ModRRer Nov99 p.104

Conoco standpipe,scale drwng, Rail Model Journal May97 p.16,19
Mobil standpipe, scale drwng, Rail Model Journal May97 p.17,19

Oil depot depots, operations & pix
Conoco/ Fort Collins, Colorado
Conoco/ Greeley, Colorado
Conoco/ Loveland, Colorado
Mobil/ Loveland, Colorado
Phillips 66/ Fort Collins, Colorado
Shell/ Loveland, Colorado
Texaco/ Fort Collins, Colorado
Texaco/ Loveland, Colorado
RailModJournal March 97 p.9-17

Sinclair bulk oil dealer, Albuquerque NMex
Rail Model Journal May97 p.26

Standard Oil bulk dealer, Waterford, CA plans & 1973 pix,
RailModJournal Apr96 p.14

Standpipes for unloading tank cars at bulk oil dealers
Rail Model Journal May97 p.16,20

Texaco, Devils Lake, ND, pix, plans, N scale scrachbuild
RailModJournal Dec94 p.12


  • Member since
    August 2002
  • From: Corpus Christi, Texas
  • 2,377 posts
Posted by leighant on Friday, November 28, 2003 10:49 PM
A few references to BULK OIL DEALERs

Bulk oil dist. terminal, modeling. ModRRer Dec78 p.108

Colorado Springs, Chief Petroleum company, oil package plant on
Bob Foltz SF layout, protopix, HO bash from Design
Preservation kit ModRRer Nov99 p.104

Conoco standpipe,scale drwng, Rail Model Journal May97 p.16,19
Mobil standpipe, scale drwng, Rail Model Journal May97 p.17,19

Oil depot depots, operations & pix
Conoco/ Fort Collins, Colorado
Conoco/ Greeley, Colorado
Conoco/ Loveland, Colorado
Mobil/ Loveland, Colorado
Phillips 66/ Fort Collins, Colorado
Shell/ Loveland, Colorado
Texaco/ Fort Collins, Colorado
Texaco/ Loveland, Colorado
RailModJournal March 97 p.9-17

Sinclair bulk oil dealer, Albuquerque NMex
Rail Model Journal May97 p.26

Standard Oil bulk dealer, Waterford, CA plans & 1973 pix,
RailModJournal Apr96 p.14

Standpipes for unloading tank cars at bulk oil dealers
Rail Model Journal May97 p.16,20

Texaco, Devils Lake, ND, pix, plans, N scale scrachbuild
RailModJournal Dec94 p.12


  • Member since
    March 2002
  • From: Milwaukee WI (Fox Point)
  • 11,427 posts
Posted by dknelson on Wednesday, December 10, 2003 8:25 AM
Back in the 1950s when fuel oil was common and natural gas was less common than today, many fuel dealers also carried coal. Even in the early 1980s when I would take a walk in my neighborhood I could smell that some people still had coal heat. So for a small town fuel dealer don't neglect adding coal bins -- maybe even rail serviced and maybe even with one of those neat conveys on wheels to get it into the delivery truck.
By the way, back in earlier days like the 1920s, some coal dealers would also be the ice dealer in the summer to give them a year round income. Even into the 1970s some of these dealers still had names like "Hometown Ice and Coal" so consider a name like that for your dealer, as it is very prototypical. The lot might even have an old icehouse on it for effect.
Dave Nelson
  • Member since
    March 2002
  • From: Milwaukee WI (Fox Point)
  • 11,427 posts
Posted by dknelson on Wednesday, December 10, 2003 8:25 AM
Back in the 1950s when fuel oil was common and natural gas was less common than today, many fuel dealers also carried coal. Even in the early 1980s when I would take a walk in my neighborhood I could smell that some people still had coal heat. So for a small town fuel dealer don't neglect adding coal bins -- maybe even rail serviced and maybe even with one of those neat conveys on wheels to get it into the delivery truck.
By the way, back in earlier days like the 1920s, some coal dealers would also be the ice dealer in the summer to give them a year round income. Even into the 1970s some of these dealers still had names like "Hometown Ice and Coal" so consider a name like that for your dealer, as it is very prototypical. The lot might even have an old icehouse on it for effect.
Dave Nelson
  • Member since
    February 2001
  • From: US
  • 110 posts
Posted by BruceJob on Wednesday, December 10, 2003 9:33 AM
Hey, LnR...

Follow this link to the Library of Congress Prints & Photographs website:

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/pp/mdbquery.html

and type in "Griffith Consumers", the select "Match this exact phrase". You'll get a list of nearly 200 photos of vehicles, buildings, and facilities of this Maryland fuel company that's been around since the '20s. You may find this interesting and useful for details of storage tanks, coal bins, and vehicle paint schemes. You might also type in "oil tanks" for more photos of fuel storage facilities.

The LOC has a collection of millions (yes, that's *millions*) of photographs and drawings, many of which are available online. My primary interest is structures and the LOC photo website is an invaluable source of prototype info.

Hope ya find this useful!

Bruce J.
  • Member since
    February 2001
  • From: US
  • 110 posts
Posted by BruceJob on Wednesday, December 10, 2003 9:33 AM
Hey, LnR...

Follow this link to the Library of Congress Prints & Photographs website:

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/pp/mdbquery.html

and type in "Griffith Consumers", the select "Match this exact phrase". You'll get a list of nearly 200 photos of vehicles, buildings, and facilities of this Maryland fuel company that's been around since the '20s. You may find this interesting and useful for details of storage tanks, coal bins, and vehicle paint schemes. You might also type in "oil tanks" for more photos of fuel storage facilities.

The LOC has a collection of millions (yes, that's *millions*) of photographs and drawings, many of which are available online. My primary interest is structures and the LOC photo website is an invaluable source of prototype info.

Hope ya find this useful!

Bruce J.

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