Tank Cars

 We live in a golden age for modeling. Everyone that says, “Oh remember the good old days” is drunk. 

We’ve got a myriad of new product, in ever increasing detail. Admittedly, it’s all getting ever increasingly EXPENSIVE, but as Andy Sperandeo once told me, “Paul, this hobby isn’t expensive, it only costs all you have”.

-BUT-

I digress.

For a long time, as a steam era modeler I was jealous of the tank cars available to modelers of the contemporary era. Not now.  Starting, YEARS AGO, with P2K and their type 27  8k Gal. & 10k gal. tank cars, then gradually a ton of tank cars became available in my era.

Industries I model now can have an appropriate type of tank car billed to them. Acid tank cars, insulated, radial course, LP, three dome, the list goes on.

What was missing was a model of the X-3. Arguably the single most numerous tank car of the Steam era, the X-3 was exclusively operated by UTLX (Take that! Mike Peters).

It still makes up nearly 10% of the North American steam era tank car fleet, and should be represented on our layouts. 

Remember what I said about “expensive”, Rapido’s model of the 10k Gal X-3 is beautiful, but pricey.

I initially bought three, and made myself happy with that. Then I started wheeling and dealing. I had a number of locomotives that I acquired from an estate, all lettered for ATSF. I contacted ATSF friends and offered these engines IN TRADE for Rapido X-3’s.

Well, now the X-3 is not only the most numerous tank car on the steam era prototype, but it’s the most numerous tank car on the Atlantic Inland.

I think it’s best if we don’t tell my wife about this…

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