World's largest railroad car?

I took this pic at the St. Louis Museum of Transportation a couple of weeks ago...95 feet long...

GATX.jpg


Cheers,
Fred
 
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I took this pic at the St. Louis Museum of Transportation a couple of weeks ago...95 feet long...

*pic removed*
Cheers,
Fred
Looks like the SLSF 3000 behind it. If I had known you were going there, I would have begged for detail pics. Simulatortrain did a great job on it either way, but they might have come in handy.
 
AC MWM Super Tanker

I took this pic at the St. Louis Museum of Transportation a couple of weeks ago...95 feet long...

GATX.jpg


Cheers,
Fred
I made a big tank car from my own plan that looks very much like this one you pictured here!

Why would a tank car need to be so big? I understand the Schnabel car's function, but what is the point of building such a long and heavy car for liquid when you could just load 2 or 3 cars?
I would say cost of operation. Both in construction material costs and transportation costs. twice the payload at maybe 1.25 non-payload weight of the two cars to match them.
 
I have not seen one of these monsters lately ... I kind of thought the FRA had outlawed 6 Axle and Quad 2 Axle trucked whalebelly tank cars, due to hazzards and being prone to derailments. But I could be wrong ... they still may exist ... I dunno ? I just love em !
 
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The last of these railwhales to my knowledge were the DUPX Antifreeze 8 axle tankcars, impressive beasts, they used to pass through on one of the regular freights here but I never did get a good shot of one unfortunately, they all have been or are in the process of getting cut up.
Heres a pic of one ready to be cut up
http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1823140
 
Here's some information I found while building the whale belly.
Built by General American Transportation Corporation in 1965. Number 96500 is the worlds largest tank car. Used for experimental purposes, transporting anhydrous ammonia and LP gas. This Whale Belly unit carried 60200 gallons and weighed 220 tons fully loaded. The Association of American Railroads has since adopted a maximum length not to exceed 89'.
 
When they said the largest tank car, they meant the kind that holds liquid, not the kind that hauls tanks. :)
 
When they said the largest tank car, they meant the kind that holds liquid, not the kind that hauls tanks. :)

That's why I said the one in the 'OP' (opening post), that ain't a tank car. :p
Plus the pic I posted isn't a Tank, it's a rail mounted gun.
 
Why would a tank car need to be so big? I understand the Schnabel car's function, but what is the point of building such a long and heavy car for liquid when you could just load 2 or 3 cars?
The railroad's reason for doing this is similar to its reason for using articulated cars. When articulated cars are used less wheels & couplers are worn down. There's also slightly less weight for the engine(s) to pull due to there being less wheels & couplers. Plus there are less couplers that can break at times such as when the train's brakes are applied. When longer tank cars are used then once again these things apply.
 
If you read post 22 and 28 it will tell you where to locate it and how much it can hold.
 
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Thanks for making these bnsf50. They are way cool!

Cheers,
Fred

P.S. Or should I say "Tanks!"...sorry...couldn't resist that one. :hehe:
 
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