Mobilgas Tank Cars

[bob turner]

I am reluctant to post more photos here, (most of you have seen all my photos) but this one may help a friend.

I can't find where we were discussing decals, but Bob Anson found it and PM'd me - said he could "do it." The story is - I wanted to duplicate a prewar Lobaugh tank that I had sold to Art Hayes, who had offered more $ for it than I could rationally withstand. Let me paste what I typed for NK, and then get you a photo. The NK thread has lots of interesting photos.

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Bob Anson just authorized me to mention that he did the decals. I had been reluctant to let on, because I thought he didn't want to do too much of this stuff.

Bob has an Alps printer and really good decal paper, and is willing to take on a few projects. He did these from photographs, and you can see how nice. If you need custom decals, Bob is an excellent source.

e2picasso at yahoo dot com to get his attention.

[bob turner]

So here is the Mobilgas photo. Let me get a bit wordy - this one is a 12,000 gal 1950s production Lobaugh kit, characterized by multiple rows of rivets on a wrapped tank and a completely built-up underframe. It replaces a prewar tank, characterized by a tube tank with rivets on the ends only and sand cast underframe ends. My prewar tank was decalled one side only (probably for catalog shots; why waste your time . . .). The decals were white with black outline, and as far as I can tell, only available from Lobaugh before 1941. We used photos and copies of Protocraft and Walthers (both beautiful decals, but a more prototypical silver with black outline) to generate these.

Of course I wanted to replace it with a prewar tank, but found out that the two prewar kits I have (pristine, by the way) are for 10,000 gal tanks, characterized by a 1 3/4" diameter. So they won't do, and are available for trade for a prewar 12000 gal or 16000 gal of any condition, because I want more of these. The 12,000 gal tank is 2" dia; the 16,200 gal tank is 2 1/4", I think. All are nice models.

Postwar kits prior to about 1950 or so have tube tanks, but no rivets at all, and built-up underframes. Note in my photo a slight angle to the ends with respect to the catwalk - I discovered that the way around that is to build the catwalk and end pieces prior to inserting and soldering the center sill and bolsters. Then clamp the entire thing and solder bolsters to sill, catwalks, and truck attach pieces. Damn the instructions; full speed ahead!

I know - that is more than you wanted to know. Here is the photo. If you need decals, Bob is a participant here, and will help you out.

I don't really expect any responses, but a few photos of your Mobilgas tanks would brighten my day.

Oops! Now I know why nobody around here wants to post photos - board is full. Go to NK to see this car.

[R.K. Maroon]

Here is Bob's latest model:


The lettering is really distinctive. Glad those decals became available.

This is my only Mobilgas tank car:


It's a KMT. I have the ladders in a ziplock waiting for reinstallation. I think it's a pretty good model for it's price point (but that long coupler has got to go). The Mobilgas finish is custom. I have another one of these marked Cities Services, which is I think how they came from the factory. Perhaps others can comment.

Jim

[Dennis Holler]

I like em both. Don't have any scale tanks in any kind of assembled shape... lots O projects though

[bob turner]

By the way, I went nuts on Mobilgas tanks! Not sure I mentioned it, but a Chrysler color worked out - Flame Red in a Duplicolor rattle can. Let me see if I can find another photo . . .

[up148]

Bob, what are you using for lighting. Whatever it is, It works very well. Doesn't look like a flash.

Cars look great too!

BH

[bob turner]

Sunlight. See the shadow on the left? Winter makes it tough, since the trees are higher than the sun. Later, when the sun moves north and I get a straight shot, just before sundown is best. If I had a farm, it would be easier.

A "bounce card" can help, but I have found that just low sunlight, and the photo editor on the computer, and I can get reasonable results. I will never match Erik or Chris, or Jon, for camera technique, but my plan is just to enjoy the trains and press on with the aviating.

Which is why it took all day to get this shot:

DSC02691.JPG (857.59 KiB) Viewed 6878 times

The one on the left is MiLoco, and is an 8000 gal tank in 17/64. The other two are 1950s 10,000 gal Lobaugh kits. I wanted to do a prewar Lobaugh, but all I have are 8,000 gal kits

[Dennis Holler]

Dangit! You keep posting these fine looking tank cars and it’s driving me crazy that I have a box or two full of nothing but old tank car projects!!!!!!!!

[rogruth]

Bob,
You often say that you are reluctant to post photos because they have all been posted in the past.
To me your photos of cars and locos that you have built are like photos of Murph's layout. He says
the same thing but when you guys post photos for the umpteenth time I still find things that I did
not see the other times they were posted.
Of course that might just be my bad memory.

[bob turner]

Just got a replacement Lobaugh tank from Art. Very happy - my favorite tank car is the prewar Lobaugh 10,000 gal tank. Photos very soon . . .

[rogruth]

Just got a replacement Lobaugh tank from Art. Very happy - my favorite tank car is the prewar Lobaugh 10,000 gal tank. Photos very soon . . .

I will be watching for them.

[J. S. Bach]

Same here. My first true two-rail scale car was a Scale Craft tanker that I still have, it is still almost all original except for a replaced broken coupler.

[E7]

Some miscellaneous ramblings: My favorite tank car (though I like them all) is the single dome 10K gallon. PSC and Hobbyhill offered them among others, and Red Caboose made a dandy in plastic, both kit and built-up in several liveries. The Hobbyhill is said to have no prototype. OK, what did the builders use for plans? I can't imagine they cooked them up on their own, and odd that Mike Hill and Larry Muir, two serious modelers would promote a work of fiction.

The was a big discussion on MOBIL cars over on NK, and for the longest time, no one could find a photo of a real one with the pegasus. The only pic that eventually turned up was a modern one that shaped like a hot dog. (the car not the flying hoss )

Rich

[Bob Anson]

I was told Larry Muir that all the reefers and tankcars were of USRA design. I was the custom painter for all these cars...
Bob Anson

[bob turner]

Speaking of Bob - I was just chatting with Art about this new tank, and was talking about another set of those great decals!
Also means that I need another can of Chrysler "Fire Red" .

But photos - I am seeing a lot of "question marks" on photos here. That includes one I successfully posted a few days ago. Should I assume that we still have photo problems?