HO Union X-3 Tankcar UTLX 1920s Paint

Overview

Rapido Trains is excited to announce its newest ready-to-run freight car –the Union Tank Car 10,000 gallon X-3 tank car.

Modelers interested in accuracy know that most boxcars are painted redand most tank cars are black. That’s just the way it is – and was. Whendiscussing tank cars from the 1920s through the 1970s, there can be nomore important car than the Union Tank Car (UTLX) X-3 design. And yes,they were almost all black!

The X-3 cars were built in various capacities and configurations, including6,500 gallon, 8,000 gallon and 12,000 gallon tanks. They were also built withsingle, double and triple domes. However, none of these variants were morenumerous than the basic 10,000 gallon, single-dome version. From the 1920sonwards Union Tank Car (UTLX) fielded the largest fleet of tank cars inNorth America, and the 10,000 gallon X-3 accounted for nearly 13,000 ofthem!

The basic X-3 was used to haul fuel oil, gasoline, vegetable oils – essentiallyany liquid that did not require special handling features. These cars wenteverywhere!

Rapido’s model has been developed with the help of notedUTLX tank car expert Steve Hile. Rapido is offering twodistinct versions, the K-brake equipped cars, good before1953, and the AB-brake equipped cars good from the 1940sonwards. In addition to brake equipment, Rapido models willfeature correct handbrake and coupler cut bar arrangementswhich differed depending on the brake equipment installed.

Features of Rapido’s model include:

Decorated cars have six individual car numbers per paint scheme.These will be available as a six pack.