PTRX 7004 Refrigerated liquid tank car.

[gleno747]

I'm looking for information on this car as I'd like to purchase a resin kit to build it in HO scale. The most specific detail I'm looking for is what the year of manufacture was for this car. I've done a quick search on google, but could not find this info. I know some of you guys have been Railfanning for many years and may have seen it, and possibly give a rough guess as to what year you saw it.


That's what the car look's like in HO scale.

Any help and/or information on this car is greatly accepted.

Thanks Glen

[Noel]

Um..... I never saw anything like that before!
I have seen normal tank cars, but this one..... it's different to me.

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

Very unusual car. Are you sure there is a prototype for it? Those long overhangs sure pose problems when coupling on curved track.
Liquified gas is the most likely commodity to be transported in cars like this. What is the specific density of liquified gases like Helium?

The largest tank cars I know are the Whalebelly cars on 8 axles.
This 220 ton monster is almost 100 feet long!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cnynrhs_editor/3849889243/

[Hawk]

Have you seen this link?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquid_hydrogen_tank_car

[Chessie8638]

Only info I can find is that PTRX is the reporting marks for Petrolite Corporation. They have four cars of that specific car design 7003 - 7006. And have been rolling the rails as recently as Jan. 2011. Pressure-Tank within a Tank.

As for what it carries it's Ethylene (Refrigerated Liquid).
NFPA 704:
Red 4 -- Flammability: Extremely flammable
Blue 2 -- Health Hazard: Hazardous - use breathing apparatus
Yellow 2 -- Reactivity: Violent chemical change possible

DOT Hazard Label:
FLAMMABLE GAS (1075)

General Description:
A pressurized liquid when shipped below 50°F. Colorless with a sweet odor and taste. Vapors arising from the boiling liquid are lighter than air. Easily ignited. Not toxic but is a simple asphyxiant. Under prolonged exposure to fire or intense heat the containers may rupture violently and rocket. Used as an anesthetic, a refrigerant, and to make other chemicals.

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

Thanks for the prototype pic. The overhangs are more realistic than on that model.

Here is a liquefied argon car, much smaller because argon has a higher density:


I haven't found a picture of a cryogenic liquefied hydrogen tankcar yet.

Pressurized hydrogen and helium were carried in the 40's and 50's for DOD purposes on what I remember from pictures as a sort of bulkhead flatcar fitted with horizontal pressure vessels.

[gleno747]

Only info I can find is that PTRX is the reporting marks for Petrolite Corporation. They have four cars of that specific car design 7003 - 7006. And have been rolling the rails as recently as Jan. 2011. Pressure-Tank within a Tank.

Pretty new cars then.

The largest tank cars I know are the Whalebelly cars on 8 axles.
This 220 ton monster is almost 100 feet long!

Yea, the Whalebelly's are huge. I think I might buy one of these as they are a little older. Which is what I'm looking for.

Thanks guys for all the info, it's a big help.