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Who remembers giant tank cars?

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Who remembers giant tank cars?
Posted by cbalducc on Wednesday, December 21, 2022 3:26 PM

Who remembers the six and eight-axle tank cars built in the 1960s?  Would cars that size be impractical in modern railroading?

 

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Posted by Murdoch17 on Wednesday, December 21, 2022 4:09 PM

The Association of American Railroad's limited the length of tankers to 89 feet maximum in the '70's (I think?). There is a 96-foot long one at my local railroad museum in St. Louis. It's the largest tanker ever built.

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Posted by BigJim on Wednesday, December 21, 2022 4:31 PM

cbalducc

Who remembers the six and eight-axle tank cars built in the 1960s? 

I remember them. We used to spot them at the DuPont plant in Waynesboro, Va. IIRC, they contained anhydrous ammonia. 

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Posted by samfp1943 on Wednesday, December 21, 2022 7:06 PM

BigJim
cbalducc

Who remembers the six and eight-axle tank cars built in the 1960s? 

 

 

I have not thought about them, for awhile. Whistling 

    They were known in the industry, as well as the 'community of train watchers'  as 'RAIL WHALES'.  Monsters, in not only capacity, but length as well.

Here is a linked website that will lay out a lot of information on those  old, long gone, rail dinosauers.  

See linked @ http://www.railgoat.railfan.net/railwhales/

Note: Above website is open posted;but contains the following:

warning:  "...The material on this site is subject to copyright and may only be used for private, non-commercial, non-profit purposes without the specific permission of the webmaster or photographer.  " I am always looking for new information and photos, so if you'd like to participate, contact the ME, Mike Palmieri..."  [ Look, but no posting photos from it.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

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Posted by mvlandsw on Thursday, December 22, 2022 8:41 PM

I don't think that they would be a problem for modern railroads. They were banned out of fear of releasing such a large quanity of hazardous substances in an accident.

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Posted by MidlandMike on Friday, December 23, 2022 6:24 PM

mvlandsw

I don't think that they would be a problem for modern railroads. They were banned out of fear of releasing such a large quanity of hazardous substances in an accident.

 

Modern railroads don't have accidents with hazardous substance releases?

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Posted by BaltACD on Friday, December 23, 2022 8:04 PM

MidlandMike
 
mvlandsw

I don't think that they would be a problem for modern railroads. They were banned out of fear of releasing such a large quanity of hazardous substances in an accident. 

Modern railroads don't have accidents with hazardous substance releases?

Not like the L&N was having in the late 1970's.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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