Modern Tank Cars

[NW Mailing List]

Terry,

I suspect that what you're seeing is not that the center is smaller, but 
that it is lower.  A number of modern tank cars have the center lower 
(think of a piece of pipe cut at an angle, then re-joined) so that the 
liquid contents will drain more efficiently.

I'd hesitate to say that there are no cars with a smaller diameter 
waist, but I can't think of any that I've ever noticed.

Kenneth Rickman

NW Mailing List wrote:

> I was "railfanning" with some friends this weekend at Vardo (NS 

> Hagerstown, MD) - one of my friends asked why the newer tank cars are 

> smaller in the center than at the ends ?

>  

> We thought it was to control the contents of loaded cars but would be 

> interested in the comments from the "real" railroaders.

>  

> Terry Marshall

> Hagerstown, MD