Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums Showcase and Stories, Petroliana Tank Wagon

Tank Wagon, a term used for over 100 years.

It brings to mind a two axel truck that has a tank mounted on the back and is not really a “wagon” at all. Of course the name originally applied to what it describes, a tank mounted on a wagon, to haul liquid commodities like crude oil, refined products or just water.

I have transported petroleum products for 30 years, most of that time delivering light products to stations and bulk plants. For many years now, I have enjoyed collecting photos of “old gas trucks”. While my passion is for Tractor Trailers, I have accumulated a collection of old “tank wagon” photos as well, spanning 100 years.

The styles and variations of these vehicles over the years are almost as diverse as women’s shoes. Not to impugn either, but give credit to the rich imagination of their designers.
There have been many threads on Old Gas over the years showing these. Let’s see if we can put those pictures all in one great place.

Feel free to add what you have.

Chuck

Tank Wagon was the term the company I worked used. It was used on the price sheet ; Tank Wagon 1500 to 2000 gallons or less than a different price. Other companies used terms such as peddle truck or squirt truck.
Note the heavy duty steering knob in the closest tank wagon.

Dave

Uploaded with [URL=http://imageshack.us]ImageShack.us[/

URL] Well,a bit more than a tank wagon,note the hard rubber tires,chain drive.I started driving for Shell in 1967,some of the "old timers" talked about pulling the "grapevine" from L.A. to Bakersfield,they said they could actually get out and walk beside the truck at times because of the grade.True?? I dont know but it was an interesting story!
After thought,the old timers usually referred to trucks as Shell clippers.

very cool pictures!!! I especially love the shell ones..as I drive a big rig I can`t imagine what it was like driving these early trucks..Alan

The Old and Newer.
Lincoln Oil from the early 1920's. If the driver of the Linoln Oil truck saw the one below he would think he was on the planet Mars.

1949-KB-8 Tank wagon.
The Ohio Oil was the early name for Marathon Oil before 1962.

1950's Wilco tank wagon. We were still using meters like this to load product at the terminals in the 1980's.
We still use these for off loading. Operators today say they can't find parts for them if they break. Fact is, I think the young bucks have no idea how to work on them.

Here is me, and my so called tank wagon I have been hauling gasoline and diesel for 23 years now with same company We are a contract carrier for a shell & chevron jobber here in New Mexico

This truck is a Kenworth W900 Flattop sleeper with a 475 Cat 18 speed 355 gears in the rearend's wide open. It gets down the road { Super Tanker }

I have put 925,000 miles on this truck since new ,

Uploaded with ImageShack.uswithout even a scratched fender, knock on wood !

now your talking!!!! awesome truck!!I have probably have seen ya down in new mexico along I-25..txs Alan

That looks like a sweet ride. You wouldn't like our load rack here though. 12' 6" clearance under the Vapor Recovery Line.

HI-OCTANE forgot to mention, picture was taken in Wendall's Yard.
Still hard to believe he's gone.

A local tank manufacture ad from the 1970's. The top tankwagon is from the company I worked for.
DB in this ad stands for double bulkhead & these tanks were made of steel so that during the frost law season on county roads a single axle tankwagon could scale less than 600 gallons.

Dave

Some (Hy-Flash) Miller Oil Tankers







Same tanker as the first picture..Look at the tires!!

Great Topic! I don't know of "any Little Boy" and some "Little Girls" who don't like the looks of Gasoline/bulk Oil Tanker Trucks...

A few images that I have saved:

I love the "Art Deco Streamline" look from the 30s!:

Bob;
That Texaco directly above was called "The Doodle Bug". A very fitting name I think.

The Transcontinental Oil trailer photo has a story behind it.
Fruehauf found copies of that photo in an old File drawer. They brought it to the Transportation Manager at Marathon to see if he would like to have it. Of course yeah...

He let me copy it. I tried to buy it when he retired and he wouldn't sell. I made him a generous standing offer in case he ever changed his mind.

Anyway. I ran across this ad from 1930 that shows how that photo was used.
Chuck

(Hy-Flash)
Those are some nice old truck photos.

"Same tanker as the first picture..Look at the tires!!"

For the new kids on the block... we called those tires "May Pops" when I was driving in West Texas.

DOT would have a field day around here if they caught you running those today.

Gaspedler..


Look at the truck saddle tanks. They used oil drums!!

Bill Berry told me back in the day they could get away with about anything on the trucks

Randy

Gaspedler....

Check out another Miller Tanker and tell us what is wrong with it, besides it caught on fire?

Do these count?

Here is one my friend found up by Ratone NM

1900s I think , Two compartment horse drawn wagon Notice it has Conoco painted on it.

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

That looks like a regular storage tank on that frame.

oldnfuelish.
That is definately a tank wagon. I always wondered how they ever came up with the nick name Honey Wagon for those vac trucks?

This International was one of the first conversions from the Ohio Oil name to the New Marathon Logo in 1962.
The sign on the side is in a slide in frame. It allowed them to change advertising on the truck. One on each side. They must have been metal or plastic, cardboard would not hold up to the weather.

Are those septic tankers local?--crazy names!

A couple more from the outside looking in.

Sorry about the quality. Except the Sunoco, these are pics of an old catolog I purchased. I just thought the trucks were cool!!

Some of these may have been posted before.

1946 Dodge

Dave

I am surprised no one has ever tried to do a restoration of that Gilmore Neon. Has always been one of my favoite Bulk Truck photos.
I wonder just how hard it was for those guys to use the Aero designed trucks? A lot of extra truck body to work around.
Chuck

Here is 1945 Chevrolet tanker truck that was for sale,

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

This Kalamazoo company is still in business.
The plate on the #3 tankwagon is a 1935

Dave

Love the REO Bob ! Great pictures you guys!

This could be had for cheap if you have a big truck and trailer to haul it on. No cab or chasis just a tanker.

This is a curious one. Skelly and Marathon. My research shows Transcontinental oil and Skelly did a joint venture for a couple years. I lost that clipping and have not been able to find another. I have a couple photos of Stations dual branded Marathon / Skelly also.
LOVE THAT HAT!
Pretty much anything this old that says "Marathon Oil Company", will date prior to 1930. Transcontinental Oil used the name "Marathon Oil Company". When the Ohio Oil bought Transcontinental Oil it dropped the "Oil Company" and changed it to "Marathon" or "Marathon Products" up until 1962 when they changed the company name from The Ohio Oil to Marathon.
Chuck

Tank Wagon photos from the 1940's.
Chuck

Check the static chains on these !!
Old timers said they caused more fires than they prevented.

Dave

Here is a tank owned by a friend. His dad owned it when he started his gas business. He told me when business started booming, his dad had the 50 gallon compartment added to the front! A '55 chevy truck is currently being restored which the tank will go on. Then he will let his sales reps drive it around.

On another note, if anyone knows where one of the 5 gallon increment clock face dials that would go on the inside door pictured below and used to record how many 5 gallon cans they sold, please let me know!

TheGriffin -
That will be a sweet advertisement to drive around when finished.
Chuck

Necessity is the mother of invention.
Note the hand operated pump on the back of the "leaking" wagon.
Chuck

Buds Service. For a long time Bud's Truck stop on the southwest corner of Indy was the only Truck stop on the beltway around Indy. A popular stop for drivers and lot lizards. Now you will find it was replaced by Mr. Fuel and an addition of Pilot and "The Fishhook" truck stops. Bud's main competition was Blue and White Service, an Indianaplis based group of Truck stops.

Ulmer's truck exemplifies the early truck regulations in Indiana.
Maximum width - 8'
Maximum height - 12'
Maximum combination length - 40'
Maximum weight - 40,000 lbs.
Maximum allowed speed for loads of gross weight over 5,000 lbs was 45 mph.
5 years ago Ulmer's was still in business pulling that same type wagon.

Chuck

One we don't like to see.
Product running down the road and no apparent attempt to stop it.
Probably had some high speed maniac driving 45 mph cut him off.
Chuck

Nice photo of a bulk truck taken in the early 60's sent by another Old Gasser when he was 2.
Chuck

Matt;
That is a nice find. Marathon had issues at one time with how jobbers/resellers were using company logos on their trucks and had issue standards as well.
Chuck

Saw these while searching thru http://www.adamscountyhistoricalsociety.com/photo%20collection/index.htm?1 looking for pics of Othello Ford in 1957.

I am a new member looking for information about my Quaker City streamlined tank body presently mounted on a 1956 Mack B20. I saw your brochure and wondered about getting some copies of your pictures or purchase. It appears my tank is similair to the Airstream tanker pictured on the lower front cover.

1956 Mack Texaco Truck with 1941 Quaker City Streamlined Tank

The Quaker City Truck Tanks brochure is quite a find. I’ve seen brochures for Gar Wood Industries and for Heil but this is the first late 30s Quaker City brochure I’ve seen. Can you PM or email me to discuss the brochure?