I received one of Funara & Camerlengo's "PRR TM8 8000 gallon ACF Type 7 tank
car" models in the mail the other day.
I had ordered it because I understood it might be useable for modelling
Canadian cars. Canadian Car & Foundry used some AC&F designs, and had a
relationship with that company. Also, some cars "built" by CC&F appear to
have been manufactured south of the border by AC&F and shipped north. So
the fact this is a U.S. model does not mean it would not be built in Canada.
Now that I have the F&C model home, I am still looking for a possible
prototype....
According to what I've read on other lists, the PRR TM8 is really just an
American Car & Foundry Type 11 frame with an MCB Class II tank. Some key
spotting features:
1) no casting at the side sill bolster joint as on earlier design (Type 7's)
2) tank straps emerge from the underframe through a slott in the
saddle/bolster - the slot is shaped like the profile of an upside down test
tube (later cars had a more triangular shape).
3) the flanges on the side sills are inward facing - not apparent when
looking at the typical side view of the car.
4) car is roughly 32' long over the end sills.
5) the end sills are "fish belly" shaped, not straight across as on the
later Type 21 and Type 27 cars.
6) the tanks are comprised of 5 vertical courses above a bottom horizontal
course.
7) the seems between the courses and ends are all made with a single row of
rivets, with the exception of the horizontal joint between the long
horizontal course and the vertical courses - that seem is made with a double
row of rivets.
Anyone with the Kaminski tank car book can see examples at page 93. Also,
the lead photo in "Cotton Oil Tank Cars" by Cyril Durrenberger in July 1998
Mainline Modeler shows a type 7 - note the different sill/bolster
connection/casting. But otherwise very similar to a Type 11.
I was hoping to use this kit to model the CPR cars of similar design with
only a few modifications, but neglected to notice that F&C's cars are
supposed to be 8000 US gallon cars, whereas the CPR cars I know of were
8,000 Imperial Gallons! Oops! Most of the photos I have don't have
sufficient clarity to read the gallonage off the car side, and I know of no
other sources for this info. The 1938 MP 14, for example, only provides
weight based capacity info.
From the Merchantile Library in St. Louis, I have photocopies of shots ofCPR cars CP389489 (8370 Imp. Gal., 10,044 US Gal.), CP300900 (with some sort