Athearn Genesis HO GEN UTC 13K Gallon Acid Tank Car, MDCX #1111

Athearn Genesis HO GEN UTC 13K Gallon Acid Tank Car, MDCX #1111 Overview

Union Tank Car (UTC) and Procor, UTC's Canadian affiliate, built 13,000-gallon (13k) tank cars, particularly the 13,600-gallon specialized acid service tankers. Produced from the late 1970s through the late 1990s, these tank cars often featured a distinctive early four-section (built from mid-1979 to late-1988) or late three-section (early-1988 to late-1999) welded, non-insulated tank body. Primarily designed for transporting sulfuric acid and other chemicals, these cars are commonly seen in modern-day industrial service, characterized by a white body with central black band and high-pressure fittings

Operationally, these cars offer many opportunities for contemporary (late 1970s to present) modelers. Sulfuric acid tank cars can be seen in great numbers all over North America, often moving in groups of multiple cars in a train. Sulfuric acid is a common commodity, consumed and produced by many different industries: oil refining, metal processing, ore refining, fertilizer manufacturing, waste water processing, and chemical synthesis, among others. Even if your layout does not have these industries represented, these cars can still be of use, since they often traveled as bridge traffic on many roads, to be interchanged to and from other railroads as part of their journey across the country.

These cars represented a standard, shorter tank car for regional or specialized industrial work during the late 20th century, contrasting with the much larger 33,000-gallon tankers appearing in the 1960s for highvolume LPG transport.