General American 1952-Design 8000 Gallon Welded General Service Tank Car

During the 1950s, General American Transportation Company (GATC) tank car production was in full swing; utilizing the company’s varied “all-welded” tank car designs, they were produced at the company’s Sharon PA plant. From 1952 to 1957, GATC produced these general service, non-insulated, welded construction tank cars with safety platforms and handrails installed around the dome. The previous post-WWII GATC design of this car was similar, but with different poling pockets and without safety platforms and handrails surrounding the dome.

Most of these cars were painted in billboard schemes during this production era, reflecting lessees for various liquid materials shippers. These tank cars remained in service into the 1990s and during their service life were utilized for a variety of services including corn syrup, caustic soda (sodium hydroxide), fatty acid, molasses, sodium chlorate, vinegar, and fuel oil and other petroleum products, carbon disulfide, etc. The “smooth” appearance of these common tanks – due to welded construction – with the safety platform makes them look very modern, and their design is similar to tank cars produced today.