Those old general purpose cars carried pretty much everything not
pressurized.They were the backbone of the industry for decades and were used
primarily in various "oil services" which could include
lube,refined,motor,raw oil,etc as well as kerosene,gasoline,diesel,etc.
Chlorine,lpg,aa,etc moved in 105 class 11,000 gallon pressure cars until the
30/33/34 jumbo cars were built starting in 1960.Chlorine moved to 105a500w
17,100 when they were developed.
While the answer concerning foods,etc moving in special cars is correct many
food types also moved in these 8,000 gallon cars.
For example corn syrup moved in 8,000 gallon class 103 w and then 111w for
many years.They were interior coated for product purity. The corn syrup
industry then moved to 10,000,then 17,500 gallon and now is moving to
19,500s.Per my copy of the UTLX Commodity data guide dated 1971 "the
insulated exterior coiled 8,000 gallon car is the standard of the industry".
The old 8s were probably in sulfuric acid at one time and would have been
uncoated as the industry didnt start coating sulfuric cars until the
early/mid 80's.Again per a 1972 copy of the data book sulfuric acid "has been
shipped in a variety of riveted and welded cars,usually no larger than 10,000
gallons".
Tallow could have moved in these in their later years after they had been
downgraded from more premium services.Prior to that tallow would have moved
in 4,and 6,000 gallon cars as once a car is used for tallow thats pretty much
where it has to stay and usually the oldest more obsolete cars get dumped
into that service.Today its the oldest 20's and 23.5's in tallow.
The oldest reference I can find in my UTLX Commodity data book for asphalt
shows the material shipped in riveted 10's so its a pretty good bet 8s were
used before 10s were developed.
Per the same book (this time dated 8/71) "vegetable oil cars come in 2
sizes,the standard 8,000 gallon car and 20,000 jumbo cars".
Keep in mind that in the "old days" commodity stencilling was not that common
.
Hope this helps.
Leo
|