PRACTICAL GUIDE TO DIGITAL
COMMAND CONTROL
By Larry Puckett
others, repainted and numbered for GATX,
lasted well into the 1970’s and
1980’s with no modifications. Magnolia Petroleum Company of
Dallas, Texas purchased at least ten of these tank cars (MPCX 50-59) from General American in 1935. A builder’s photo of MPCX 55 is published on page 64 of the book Steam Era Freight Cars Reference Manual, Volume Two: Tank Cars, by Speedwitch Media. The ten cars remained in service in 1957. After Magnolia Petroleum merged with Mo- bil Oil in 1959, the surviving MPCX cars were soon relettered into series MOBX 300-315. Seven of these MOBX cars remained in service in 1977. The new ready-to-run model from
Tangent represents the 6,000 gallon, three-compartment tank car, built by General American in the 1930’s and upgraded with an AB brake system af- ter the late 1930’s. The model is highly detailed with full detail, free-standing grab irons,
rivet
Between the “easy as hooking up two wires” hype and complex elec- tronic theory, there exists a need for solid, practical advice for get- ting the most out of DCC. Carstens is proud to present our latest book, Practical Guide to Digital Com- mand Control. Written by veteran hobby author an DCC columnist Larry Puckett, the Practical Guide to DCC bridges the gap between the gee-whiz technology, and the simplistic starter installations with practical, useful tips and knowl- edge gained by people who have used DCC since its inception. Most model railroaders under- stand the advantages of using DCC in model railroading, and now they’ll have the information to apply that technology to their lay- outs.
$24.95+ Shipping
US $6.00 (NJ Residents add 7% tax), CANADA $10.00 (Add 5% GST), Foreign $12.00. Checks must be drawn on US bank and in US funds. We can only accept checks and money orders payable to: Carstens Publications. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery.
To Order Today Call 1-888-526-5365 Monday-Friday 8 AM to 5 PM EST
Secure Online Ordering Available at:
www.carstens-publications.com
Send your order with payment to:
CARSTENS PUBLICATIONS, INC. P.O. BOX 700
NEWTON, NJ 07860
coupler cut levers, air hoses, brake rig- ging and piping. There are turn-buckles on the tank bands and double-step sill steps. Both tank ends have connections for attaching an external steam source to the cars internal heater coils. An out- let flange for each compartment is on the bottom of the underframe. The model is equipped with ASF 50-
ton, cast steel, spring-plank trucks with free-rolling 33-inch all-metal .110″ RP-25 tread wheel sets. These are new trucks by Tangent. If desired, one can purchase replacement 33-inch semi-scale, all-metal precision wheel sets from the Tangent website. Kadee scale head couplers are in- stalled with coupler covers secured with Phillips screws to facilitate cou- pler maintenance. The model weighs 3.5 ounces and has the following di- mensions: tank length 29′-4″, tank di- ameter 6′-2″, underframe length 32′-8″. Tangent is initially offering the model in four paint schemes with three num- bers on each. They are STCX “black lease”
1958+, GATX “black lease” 1968+ and
GATX “Celanese” green. STCX “Black Lease” 1930+ with AB brakes is appro- priate for the period from 1938 to 1943. It is offered with road numbers STCX 9232, 9234 and 9238. The STCX model has one-inch wide white bars stenciled above and below the reporting marks. In 1957 the AAR stopped requiring these bars. Tangents website has a builder’s photo of STCX 9234, a car which ran until about 1943 when re- painted for GATX. GATX “black lease” 1958+, appropriate for after 1958, is of- fered with road numbers GATX 52438, 52441 and 52456. GATX “black lease” 1968+, appropriate for after 1968 with ACI labels, is offered with road num- bers GATX 52437, 52444 and 52459. Tangents website has a 1973 in-service photo of GATX 52444 with ACI labels. GATX “Celanese,”
appropriate for
1952 and later, is bright green with red and white graphics and road numbers GATX 1401, 1404 and 1407. Major prod- ucts of Celanese Corporation are basic chemicals such as acetic acid, acetic an- hydride and vinyl
acetate. Celanese
shipped these basic chemicals from its main plant near Houston, Texas to many industries including chemical,
paint,
coating, construction and adhesive in- dustries. After 1950 cellulose acetate be- came a major product of Celanese. The lettering, sharp and clear with the smallest lettering legible, includes letter- ing on the center-sill, air reservoir, tank ends and domes. Apparently Tangent plans to offer the model decorated with additional paint and lettering schemes. Tangent also offers a ready-to-run model in undecorated gray primer paint. Black Cat lettering offers a GATX decal lettering set that could be useful for decorating the undecorated model. An undecorated kit is also of- fered that will enable some modelers to build tank car variations. This is an excellent, detailed model
1930+, GATX “black lease”
that will be appreciated by many mod- elers. The standard retail price for the decorated ready-to-run models is $42.95, while the undecorated kit is priced at $38.95.–JOHN RIDDELL
SPECIAL SALE! - HO SCALE BRASS
R-445P W/Roof vents, F/P Economy R-446P W/roof vents, F/P Full lettering
R-447P W/O Roof vents F/P Economy R-448P W/O Roof vents F/P Full lettering
The cars are sale priced @ $160.00 / 2 for $300.00 + shipping Supply is limited, please don't delay
www.crowncustombrasstrains.com
VISA, MASTERCARD & DISCOVER CARD Same Price - Cash or Credit
273 Route 110, Suite 114 Huntington Station, NY 11746-4149 Phone: 631-692-8805
88 MARCH 2014
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100