Tangent HO GA 10,000 Gal. Radial Course Tank Car, 1917-Design Hercules Powder “UTLX”

Please note: Pictures are representations; some road numbers may not be shown.

For a comprehensive list of features, please visit the manufacturer’s website.

* To view the product SKU, click on the specific road number or set number you want. To add an item to your cart, click on the desired road number or set number, then click “Add to Cart.”

Description

By the end of World War I, U.S. production of oil and oil-related products was sharply increasing thanks to the combination of war-related demands as well as demands from home. In order to move oil and new consumer products, tank car producers introduced new car designs. In 1917 General American Tank Car introduced a new general service 10,000 gallon non-insulated tank car. Built in East Chicago, IN, these cars were easily identifiable by their circumferential rivets that surrounded the tank body, with notably different heights between the courses. These “radial course” tank cars utilized steel bolster plates that rise up vertically to hold the tank in place, complete with a “web” section behind to minimize steel consumption. At a time of fairly monochromatic box cars plying the rails, most consumable products and oil shippers proudly displayed their company markings on the tanks. This car design was no exception, with Sinclair being a dominant purchaser of tank cars of this type. Additionally, many smaller oil shippers had fleets of these cars during the oil boom years. Finally, as many oil businesses failed, the cars ended up back with GATC and were restenciled with new owner markings and were placed back into service for a new owner. Between Sinclair, Humble Oil, Hercules Powder Company, and other schemes to come in future releases, think of this as one of the first “crude oil” tank cars of consequence. Forget boring present day tanks. These cars were the most prolific tank cars built during the first tank car building boom, and were found everywhere from 1917 to 1970.

UTLX “Hercules Powder” 1949+ has a black-painted carbody with typical UTLX graphics from the post-war period. This car is leased to Hercules for shipping of various chemicals. While Hercules originally produced munitions powders, aka “gunpowder,” it eventually provided many chemicals from plants all over the USA, including but not limited to acetone, cotton cellulose, rosins (for paper stiffening), gums, and turpentine. Our HO replica includes accurate yellow stenciling for “Hercules Power Company, Wilmington Delaware” on the side of the car. This model is complete with the classic image of Roman god Hercules on the side. Check out the detail on Tangent’s Hercules stenciling! Tangent’s Hercules Powder cars come with an era-correct AB-brake system.