A thick and large pressure tank ...

[modelsof1900]

Some days after cars I received also the pressure tank. Fantastic painting job by my friend from Leipzig, Germany. Thanks!



Laying the tank on saddles and fixing by screws were not a problem. However how should I fix the tank for transporting by train?
Look the picture of prototype on my opening post and there you can not find a fixing in any sort. However I think also that this was a picture of in-plant moving, and not more. And if you remember, the tank was shipped by a barge to receiver, not by rails.
In this way fixing by steel bands over the tank was the most logical method to me. Such bands must be available from the stock at the largest private ship builder at that time. However how to paint them? Rusty steel? No, this was not that what I would like to have. Shining bands, no again.
I have etched my nickel-silver strips with two different metal blackener and found that the darker one should be the best solution.



The next question, should I protect the tank by underlaid wood? Maybe also against slip of bands out of their positions?



No, I have decided to use a strong reduced solution with a protection of bands on edges. Not more. (In reality, this shall be more a protection against heavy pressure of bands on the pressed plastic rivets.)



At end of my thoughts and my work, this is the tank fixed on the flat car owned by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co. (NNS&DD), also the builder of tank. Ready for transporting on rails?



A view on other tank cupola opposite of manhole with the bearing for power shaft of propeller inside of tank.



Here a picture how I fastened the bands at stake pockets. I have riveted an U-bow with threads onto the bands and I used small nuts made from NBWs for stretching the bands against small brackets which are fastened inside of stake pockets.



My small friend who is watching about my work and maybe he asks - and what is with a securing of tank against gliding in running direction of car? I reality my friend from Leipzig asked this after I have sent him as a first a picture of ready car.
Until this point I was sure that this what I have done is enough for securing the load. My idea is to run this car on an extra train at low speed, max 15 or 20 mph. Should I need a more and stronger fixing for moving of this load by a such specific train? This car with this extraordinary large weight and size will never run with an regular freight train!
I have asked and mailed sometimes with Doc Wayne before this posting because I was not sure what's to do. Additional fixing or is all ok in this built condition.
He was the opinion that my fixing should be good enough for moving the load by an extra-train at low speed and he referenced me to this highly interesting picture SHORPY. He referenced the relative slight securing of these both steam tractors which are shipped by a flatcar on ferry boat in a heavily iced port. However I explored a many more interesting fact on this picture! Please look the tank car! No, not a tank car, this is a tank fixed onto a flatcar!
The tank is fixed by steel bands, maybe steel rods onto the saddles and onto the the floor. However please look also, how the tank is fixed and secured at ends. Heavy wood beams are bolted onto the floor and they are connected additionally and continuously together by long trussrods. That is the idea which I needed!
It's good to mail, to discuss problems and searching for solutions together with friends. Thanks!



This was my first idea how I should fix additional end blocks onto the floor - before I found this solution with the end-blocking of tank on a flatcar. All bolts of my first sample must be replaced by bolts with nuts and washers. Additionally I planned an additional fixing with a L-shaped metal profile and at last a provided a short truss rod as connections to the outer saddles.
Now I think I should use this end blocking however with changing the truss rods as end-to-end connection onto upper wood beams. I think, that this should give a really good securing of this heavy tank against slipping?
How do you think? Can I ignore all this additional end blocking? Or how should I change my idea for a more simple solution? I would be lucky to read your answers and thoughts.
Thank you very much!



At end a preview on my extra train yet. The cars and the load is ready, nearly. However the engine needs small additions on backhead of boiler yet and a re-lettering. Look the number of this engine - 2156! This is the number of an Y-6b! And then I'm missing yet the caboose which will fit this train of 1922. A class CF caboose of N&W from AMB will be the right one. Or a brass model?

A short addition. You can find a gallery with all pictures of this project on a gallery of my website, picture descriptions in English.