Lets see your "beercan" tank cars

ccang3321 Jan 20, 2008

  1. ccang3321

    ccang3321 E-Mail Bounces

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    I was going through my collection of rolling stock this morning; I can across 10-12 Atlas beer can tank cars. I didn’t even remember having bought these much less run them on track. So I put them on and man I really like the look of them. So let’s see yours...
     

    Attached Files:

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  2. christoph

    christoph TrainBoard Member

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    I am thinking about a Gold Medal Models (GMM) kit to improve mine. Up to now I used a GMM kit on one of my two short Roundhouse tank cars and it is a great improvement.
    [​IMG]

    Did you convert your cars to MTL trucks? The short coupling distance looks like this.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 20, 2008
  3. Ed M

    Ed M Passed away May 2012 In Memoriam

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    I had a couple of old ones that I redecorated.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    The ladders and platforms are a bit clunky, but with my eyes I don't notice them as much in real life as in the photos.

    Regards

    Ed
    .
     
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  4. Grey One

    Grey One TrainBoard Supporter

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    Zebra Train

    [​IMG]

    I probably have another 5 to 10 of these black and / or white cars along with 20+ other colors of beer can tank cars.
     
  5. ppuinn

    ppuinn Staff Member

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    christoph:The Gold Medal Models kit looks great!

    I have picked up several of Roundhouse's (Atlas's?) Corn Products beer can cars over the last 20 years or so and have always been disappointed by the oversized ladders and platforms, but never had the nerve to attempt a correction. The GMM kits will certainly provide a nice upgrade.

    Compare the Roundhouse/Atlas? ladders and platforms to these on some Atlas Trainman tanks I bought last year.
    [​IMG]
    And to these Kato (?) tanks purchased ages ago.
    [​IMG]

    To get greater reliability in the yellow and green tanks, I put on MT trucks and added a lot of weight inside...more weight than recommended by NMRA N-scale standards...because the prescribed weight just didn't seem to be effective enough.
     
  6. Tudor

    Tudor TrainBoard Member

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    I got a few of these that I run every now and then. They are way out of my era tho I think. Aren't they "1970s"? My era is mid 50's, but I upgraded a few of these with MTL trucks and couplers, and just love the way they look. I typically run a bunch of Atlas 11k gallon tankers. I love those too, and the detail is really good on these.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  7. gatoreye

    gatoreye TrainBoard Member

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    Beer can cars are COOL!
     
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  8. Pete Nolan

    Pete Nolan March 17, 2024 TrainBoard Supporter In Memoriam

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    I've got a bunch of them, all in one train, even though they are a bit out of my era. I'm looking for photos. If I can't find any, I'll take some new ones next weekend.
     
  9. Grey One

    Grey One TrainBoard Supporter

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    Brass Kits?

    I was just wondering as I looked at mine. There must be 1000s of these out there and there must 100s of guys who wish they had finer detail.
    What is the interests level and what would the cost be in making a conversion / upgrade detail kit for them that could be assembled in less than 10 minutes, per car.

    Just a thought.
     
  10. BNSF FAN

    BNSF FAN TrainBoard Supporter

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    I for anything that will improve a car that is quick and easy. It's hard to find time for the hard projects these days.
     
  11. Carl Sowell

    Carl Sowell May 1, 2025 TrainBoard Supporter In Memoriam

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    Here is one I did. I have several painted as this and I run my Sulphur train.

    [​IMG]
     
  12. gdmichaels

    gdmichaels TrainBoard Member

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    Here is a video of my collection of these. 120 or so different:

     
  13. MK

    MK TrainBoard Member

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    They made 120 different road numbers of those things? :eek: My collection is not worthy....only have 13 of them.
     
  14. Hardcoaler

    Hardcoaler TrainBoard Member

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    I agree -- great l'il cars and perfect for smaller pikes too. Years ago before the more typical longer tank cars were offered in N, it was an easy kitbash to splice two beercans together. Add a brake line with a piece of wire and viola! Here's mine from '89. It doesn't compare to today's models, but I still enjoy running it.

    2017-03-19 Beercan Car Kitbash.jpg
     
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  15. Ozarked

    Ozarked New Member

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  16. MK

    MK TrainBoard Member

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    Ed, I hate you! :D I didn't realized they sell them without the trucks! This could create some interesting scenarios (as my wallet hides!).
     
  17. maxairedale

    maxairedale TrainBoard Member

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    At one time (late 1980s) I had at least one each of the beer cans that Atlas offered, but then they started releasing more. My pocket book could not afford any more. :cry:

    Gary
     

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