Has a decent Esso 8k tanker ever been built?

[Point353]

Anyone got a WAG as to why Esso tank cars have never been modeled in the US but have been modeled by several manufacturers in Europe? Is it IP? Or did Esso tank cars never exist in the US?

Perhaps it was an anti-trust matter: http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/2884.html

[DKS]

Anyone got a WAG as to why Esso tank cars have never been modeled in the US but have been modeled by several manufacturers in Europe? Is it IP? Or did Esso tank cars never exist in the US?

Actually, there were many model North American tank cars lettered for ESSO in multiple scales, but there are no prototypes to be found.

[Mark5]

Closest thing I found is this car a Galveston TX museum: https://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/533/humbleoil.jpg UTLX 31589

Can't tell but I guess the logo says "HUMBLE".

Mark

[sd45elect2000]

Standard oil owned UTLX. I assume the tank cars you need were all plain black UTLX cars.

[ridinshotgun]

In the US, Esso became Exxon in the early 70s.

ESSO is still a brand in Canada and other countries. https://www.esso.ca/en/

Mark

I have started seeing Exxon stations on the East Coast with ESSO branding.  The station signs still says Exxon but ESSO in on the pumps and advertising material.

[Bill H]

Standard oil owned UTLX. I assume the tank cars you need were all plain black UTLX cars.

Great! Those I can find.

Many thanks,
Bill

[Ntrainz1]

Maybe Humble Petroleum Products?

https://www.tangentscalemodels.com/product/hox-humble-petroleum-products-1935-ga-1917-design-10000-gal-tank-car/

or

Humble Oil UTLX 31589  ARA-III blt 1918 UTLX series 21000-42999     100,000 lb. capy w exceptions   service stencil late as 1969  Photo at Galveston RR museum:

http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/195481.aspx

[cv_acr]

Complicated history of the "Standard Oil" name:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_Oil#Breakup

If your facility is labelled as an "ESSO" facility, it's definitely not Sohio or Amoco, etc.

While it does appear that UTC was owned by the original Standard Oil, the wiki article doesn't make it clear what happened to UTC after the Standard Oil dissolution. Certainly they leased tanks to everyone not just S.O.'s successors, but also by this token yes, UTLX tanks would be commonly used by just about anyone. Can't go far wrong with UTLX tank cars.

I'm not sure what sort of ESSO/S.O.-New Jersey marked tanks they operated during this time if any.

Imperial Oil was Esso's Canadian subsidiary and operated some privately marked tanks with IOX reporting marks. Not sure how much these would have operated cross border in the 1940s, but could potentially mix in if your facility receives any product from Canadian refineries (Imperial Oil had and continues to operate a large refining complex in my hometown of Sarnia, Ontario.)

[peteski]

I've seen examples of ESSO oval logo on N scale European tank cars, and often on models of racing cars from the '60s and '70s (included in sponsor's decals). I have not seen the ESSO logo much in the US-prototype models.  I believe that the ESSO name was much more popular in Europe than in US.

[cv_acr]

Decal set for UTLX/Standard Oil tank car in 1:48:

https://www.protocraft.com/category.cfm?ItemID=238&Categoryid=22

Interesting info in the link:

The Union Tank Car Line, by the 1930’s, owned over 30,000 tank cars. These varied from 8,000 gallon to 12,500 gallon pressurized, unpres- surized, heated and unheated tank cars. The fleet encompassed every tank car builder in the US. Lettering was simple and unobtru- sive as possible. Union Tank Car virtually held a monopoly of the transportation of crude oil to the refinery, a fact held negatively by the public in general and the Congress at large. Because all the UTLX stock was privately held by all the members of Standard’s board of directors, there was no direct connection with UTLX and Standard Oil, effectively frustrating any antitrust undertaking. A highly unusual example of Standard Oil Company painted on a tank car is seen in this photograph. Although no docucmentation is known, it is generally thought that UTLX lettering was changed from white to yellow in the early to mid-1920’s. This car, built in 1919, was painted all black with all white lettering. By the 1930’s, this car would be repainted with yellow lettering and the Standard Oil Company name painted out

[cv_acr]

I've seen examples of ESSO oval logo on N scale European tank cars, and often on models of racing cars from the '60s and '70s (included in sponsor's decals). I have not seen the ESSO logo much in the US-prototype models.  I believe that the ESSO name was much more popular in Europe than in US.

As noted above, in the US the company currently operates as Exxon.

Not sure about current situation in Europe, but in Canada Exxon operates via Imperial Oil under the Esso brand still. (Exxon is not seen at all in Canada - or at least my part of it - just Esso)

[peteski]

As noted above, in the US the company currently operates as Exxon.

Not sure about current situation in Europe, but in Canada Exxon operates via Imperial Oil under the Esso brand still. (Exxon is not seen at all in Canada - or at least my part of it - just Esso)

There used to be many EXXON gas stations in the '80s and '90s, in the Northeast US (New England), but they all seem to have disappeared some time ago.

[DKS]

There used to be many EXXON gas stations in the '80s and '90s, in the Northeast US (New England), but they all seem to have disappeared some time ago.

Not all, but many, ever since they merged with Mobil.

[peteski]

Not all, but many, ever since they merged with Mobil.

That makes sense - there were quite a few Mobil stations, and some are still around.  But is seems that most of the "branded" gas stations around here were taken over by no-name suppliers.