Friday 8 February 2013

Home Gas Corporation - Tank Cars

CV 8027 switches out a propane load and lifts a string of empties on the White River Division. The models are a past offering from Atlas.
 Adding a fleet of Homgas
propane tank cars

Over the last few years I have been able to collect a small fleet of four Homgas propane tank cars. Homgas was based in Housatonic, Ma. supplying fuel to a chain of propane dealers throughout New England. Customers included a dealer in Oxford, Maine on the GT (installed in 1957) which today is Amerigas and a dealer just south of the CV yard in Palmer, Mass. in North Monson, Ma. Other locations were in Hudson Falls, NY, Chester, NY and Housatonic, Ma. It was noted that only 5 cars remained in service by 1960.

Replicas of the the 11,000 gal., 50 ton capacity tank car was available in HO and N scale by Atlas. I was able to add to my collection:

FGCX 60
The Fuelgas Corporation
L&HRR Siding, Chester, NY

HGCX 63
The Homgas Corporation
B&A Siding Palmer, Mass

HGCX 70
The Home Gas Corp.
North Monson, Mass, The CV Delivering RR.

ABX 5645
Adirondack Bottled Gas Corp.
Hudson Falls, NY...this car was also produced in N scale.

Atlas had at least three more cars available in the past, FGCX 100, The Fuel Gas Corp. L&HRR siding, ABX 189, Adirondack Bottled Gas, Arlington siding NY, and ABX 431, Adirondack Bottled Gas, Saranac Lake, NY. There might have been more but I am not currently aware of any.

My newest addition to the fleet found 1st up behind the engine got the heaviest weathering of the group.

I took this photo of two Homgas tank cars on Don Janes layout a few years ago. Don had Neil Scholfield weather up this pair of Homgas cars. Don't you think these two tank cars really turned out great.
Another look at Neil's weathering handy work on Don Janes propane cars.

I have viewed a couple of prototype photos of these cars lettered, HGCX 978, The Home Gas Corporation, Housatonic, Ma., HGCX 119, The Home Gas Corporation, Housatonic, Ma.

The Models
The Atlas models look great right out of the package. One change I made to my cars was switching out the larger looking couplers with Kadee true scale #58 couplers. All my cars got an over spray of Floquil grime and grimy black with a little bit of chalk weathering. All the weathering is very light on my first three cars. My last car purchased, FCGX 60 got a heavy grimy black spray down the ladder area with additional Bragdon weathering powder streaks for a heavily weathered look...George Dutka

One can see my current fleet of four Homgas propane cars at Westminster Centre.

1 comment:

  1. My dad was a homgas retailer from 1952 to 1967,starting with a 1952 Ford F 100. Our Homgas distributor was in the Grassmere section of Goffstown.
    It was heard work dragging 180 lb tanks thr the snow Then chasing them for paymemt, thanks but no thanks

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