Review by George Riley/photo by the author
The Van Dyke patent V-type frameless tank car revolutionized the shipment of liquids by the railroads. Originally constructed in 1903 for the Union Tank Carline, then a subsidiary of Standard Oil, these cars featured a reinforced bottom tank panel to stiffen the tank body allowing for the tank to be a self-supporting unit dispensing with a conventional underframe. This type of car could be found on both narrow gauge and standard gauge lines since changing out the trucks for the appropriate gauge was easily accomplished.
While the V class cars were predominately built for a lading of 6500 gallons, FCM’s model being designed to operate on On30 micro layouts has nominal space for 1200 scale gallons. The tank car model is part of a growing line from this manufacturer of freelanced On30 rolling stock specifically aimed at those building smaller lay-outs. Each of which while following common building practices of the turn of the 20th century era has a prototype look rather than being simply a caricature.
The kits main components are 3D print-ed in ABS like resin with some of the smaller details like the walkway supports and ladders printed using a flexible ‘tough’ translucent resin. Both types rival injection molding for fit, finish and detail. An additional benefit of 3D printing is that since much of the detail can be printed in place, the number of necessary parts is minimal. Brass wire, a short length of chain, and a laser-cut walkway rounds out the model’s core components.
Injection molded Tichy truck frames with Kadee 36-inch diameter wheelsets and couplers are provided completing the tank car model. All that the builder needs to provide additionally is a sharp knife, flush cutters, a pin vice with small bits, paint, glue, and their choice of decals. This car is small enough, measuring slightly over three inches long that perhaps an HO set of decals might be used to letter the model.
For those new to 3D rolling stock kits, FCM’s tank car kit makes for an enjoyable build. The finished model, although truncated to operate smoothly on curves as tight as eight inches in radius, is still very credible due in no small way to the attention to prototype detail by the designer.
Full Circle Models
On30 Frameless Tank Car Kit
$70.00
