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Anybody know where I can find photo(s) of trains of subject vintage tank cars? I know there were many such trains during WWII to mitigate ocean tanker losses to German submarines, but there may have been photography restrictions for security.
I would think pre-or post-war photos should exist, but I haven't found any yet despite several searches on the Web.
The good old cars with the 4 or 5-foot diameter domes, suitably weather-worn with a sheen of spilled oil down the sides are what I like. An enlarged photo of a train of these cars, either being pulled by steam (no diesel, please) or idle in a yard or at a refinery is what I'm looking for.
George Harris Member # 2077
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If you can find Trains or other magazines, both fan and trade, from the 50's there were articles about war time traffic including pictures of moves, including there trains that were probably not allowed to be published during the war and immediate post war years. I have seen some such pictures, but do not recall the date or magazine name of the issues.
injector Member # 131554
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George-
Good idea...thanks...
I don't have any '50s rail publications, but the Library of Congress (which is near me) might.
-Chuck ("injector")
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on your perspective regarding such matters, Kalmbach, publisher of TRAINS, is very protective of its copyrighted material - even to subscribers.
Can't argue with the LofC.
Charles Hepperle Member # 3290
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I realize that this is an old thread but this information would still be useful. The photos are not online, but here are two books that have plenty of photos of individual cars of the '20s-'40s time period:
Santa Fe Railway Rolling Stock Reference Series, Vol. 5, Santa Fe Tank Cars http://atsfrr.net/store/bookFrt.htm (scroll down to see this title)
Train Shed Cyclopedia No. 12, Tank Cars 1922-1943 (out of print, search online for a used copy).
Happy modeling, Charley Hepperle
injector Member # 131554
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Charley,
Thanks for suggestions. I have the Train Shed pub., but not the Santa Fe one. Maybe I could find a copy somewhere. Since I posted my question I found quite a lot of photos on the Lib. of Congress website.
I see you're a Californian. Coincidentally, I was also...as a kid in the late '40s and early '50s in the L.A. area. There was still a lot of oil being pumped from CA wells at the time so I remember seeing tank cars of the type I described in my post. Also remember that characteristic smell of crude oil in the air near the car loading platforms.
I live in Illinois now and model (in HO scale) the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern in the 1920s. I try to re-create the look and texture of the steam era with its grease, grime and coal dust!
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