Description
Since 2012, TrinityRail® has built thousands of 31,000-gallon tank cars with end head shields for crude oil unit train service. The head shields cars are designed to prevent a coupler from piercing the ends of the tank car body during a derailment. As demand for shipping crude oil by rail has declined, these cars can often be found in mixed freight trains carrying ethanol, gasoline, petroleum distillates, and other commodities.
Prototype Specific ScaleTrains
- New road numbers
- Era: 2012 to present
- Series 350325 to 352368, built 2012
- Fully-assembled
- Multiple road numbers
- Plastic head shields
- Integrated blank hazmat placards
- FRA-224 conspicuity striping
- Textured plastic end and top walkways
- Precision injection-molded one-piece tank body with separate ends
- Standard full-height ladders
- Molded-on grab irons
- Finely detailed manway cover and protective housing
- Simplified underbody brake rigging
- Semi-scale coupler boxes
- Body-mounted semi-scale Type E knuckle couplers
- ASF Motion Control Super Service 110-ton trucks with finely raised foundry data
- 36” machined metal wheels with accurately profiled .110" wide wheel tread
- Operates on Code 70, 83, and 100 rail
- Simplified printing and lettering
- Lettering and data is legible even under magnification
- Weighted to industry standards for reliable operation
- Packaging safely stores the model
- Minimum radius: 18”
- Recommended radius: 22”
The story of the TrinityRail® 31,000 Gallon Tank Car begins in 2012, a pivotal year for the North American oil industry. During this period, the rise of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling technologies unleashed a boom in oil production, particularly from the Bakken formation in North Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana. The rapid increase in oil output created an urgent need for efficient and reliable transportation methods to move crude oil from remote oil fields to refineries located on the East, Gulf, and West Coasts.
TrinityRail responded to this burgeoning demand by designing and producing thousands of 31,000 31,000-gallon tank Cars equipped with head shields. These tank cars quickly became a staple in the rail industry, recognized for their unique trapezoid-shaped end shields, which provided enhanced safety by protecting the tanks from impacts and punctures. This distinctive feature made the Trinity tank cars not only easy to identify but also highly regarded for their robustness and reliability.
The logistics of transporting crude oil via rail required the assembly of mile-long unit trains, each comprising over 100 tank cars. These trains crisscrossed the United States and Canada, forming a vital link between the oil fields and the refineries. The efficiency and capacity of the Trinity 31,000 Gallon Tank Car made it a crucial component in this supply chain, significantly contributing to the ability of the railroads to meet the high demand for oil transportation.
However, the oil transportation landscape began to shift as pipeline infrastructure expanded and oil prices fluctuated. The initial surge in rail shipments of crude oil eventually subsided, leading to a decline in demand for oil-specific tank cars. Yet, the versatility of the Trinity 31,000 Gallon Tank Car ensured its continued relevance in the rail industry. As the transportation needs of the oil sector diminished, these tank cars were adapted to carry other commodities such as ethanol, gasoline, petroleum distillates, and various other liquid products.
The adaptability of the Trinity tank cars allowed them to remain integral to the rail freight industry. They seamlessly transitioned from single-commodity unit trains to mixed freight trains, where they transported a diverse array of goods. This flexibility demonstrated the foresight of TrinityRail in designing a tank car that could easily pivot to meet changing market demands.
Moreover, the safety features of the Trinity tank cars, particularly the head shields, continued to play a critical role in ensuring the secure transportation of hazardous materials. The robust construction of these cars mitigated the risks associated with the rail transport of flammable liquids, thereby maintaining their status as a preferred choice among shippers.
