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 8,000 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 when steel was a scarce commodity.

These cars were used for commodities beyond oil and other fuels. For example, Globe Soap of Cincinnati, Ohio purchased the cars. While in today’s world it is hard to imagine soap products as a tank car commodity traveling by rail, remember that the combination of manufacturing and packaging practices, as well as pre-truck era, both contributed to tank cars being used for more than just oil-related commodities at that time in history. General American was proud to help design custom tank cars for their many customers, including Globe Soap.

The GATC 1917-design prototypes were the most prolific tank cars built during this period and were found everywhere from 1917 to roughly 1970.

• Product: GATC 1917-design 8000 Gallon Non-Insulated Tank Car
• Scale: HO Scale 1:87.1
• Truck: Tangent 50-Ton Cast Steel Spring Plank Truck
• Wheels: CNC-Machined 33″ Detailed-Back Wheels

GATX “Union Starch 1950+” in the attractive “Union Starch and Refining Company – Quality Products From Corn” bright red scheme with accompanying white stenciling with black border. These cars also feature “GRANITE CITY, ILLINOIS” spelled out. This transition-era tank car is another great nationwide roamer, seen on all corners of the North American rail network hauling corn products.
These models come with an AB brake system, and are available in four road numbers.