Outstanding. It would be wonderful if THAT was a scene from OUR little town today! Also... your e-book... great eye and very thought-provoking. The "late eighties" doesn't seem that long ago, but maybe it is.
Thank-you for the comment. You are very observant! Which is not surprising based on the photos you post. :-) These oil trains typically run in a push-pull configuration (there are probably two locomotives at the other end). Regarding the tank car shape... as I understand it, there are a couple of complementary reasons for the slight "dip" in the center. To increase capacity (within a fixed car length) the tank diameter was enlarged but the overall height needed to be maintained due to clearance constraints (tunnels and bridges). Also, with the slightly "depressed" fill valve and work platform at the center/top, this "shape" creates an airspace above the load at each end of the tank that allows for thermal expansion. I suppose... if the tank train sits here in Seattle, that's one thing, If it sits under the sun in Arizona or Texas, that's another!