Manufacturer
Athearn Trains
2883 E. Spring St., Ste. 100
Long Beach, CA 90806
www.athearn.com
Era: 1970s to present
Comments: The prototype for the HO scale 20,900-gallon acid tank car modeled by Athearn Trains was built by Richmond Tank Car. [We reviewed the 13,600-gallon model in the January 2010 issue. – Ed.] The model’s length is 51 HO scale feet over the coupler pulling faces. The extreme height is 14′-11″ and the extreme width is 10′-0″.
The Athearn tank cars are available in multiple road numbers and paint schemes. You’ll find a full listing on the Athearn website.
All the lettering on our sample is straight and opaque. The smallest printing, including the warning stencils on the sides of the tank, are legible under magnification. The United States Department of Transportation hazardous materials placards are correct for this car’s lading.
The model’s chemically blackened metal RP-25 contour wheels are in gauge. The wheels are the correct scale 36″ in diameter but would look more realistic if painted.
The car has McHenry operating knuckle couplers mounted at the correct height. The couplers model the upper and lower shelf-type couplers used on the prototype.
Two metal weights are enclosed in the tank. Following NMRA RP-20.1, the tank car weighs 4.25 ounces.
These easy rolling and highly detailed HO scale tankers would look great in a train behind a pair of modern-era six-axle diesels.
Excellent car to have on the layout