In the years following World War II, the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (Santa Fe) purchased two groups of welded tank cars delivered in 1949 and 1953 each with 16,000 gallon capacity. Prior to the acquisition of these two new classes of tank cars, riveting was the primary method of assembly tank cars. These two new classes of tank cars were constructed by General American Tank Car Corp. (GATC) with welded tanks and underframes using new retooling developed during and after the war.
The Santa Fe ordered these two classes of welded tank cars equipped with AB brakes, Ajax handbrakes and 70 ton ASF A-3 Ride Control Trucks.
The Santa Fe instituted a color-coding system to delineate the tank car's lading. As such these tank cars wore colorful paint schemes with colored coded end bands and dome bands to clearly indicate specific use.
The railroad upgraded many of these GATC welded tank cars in the 1970s with modern safety appliances including roller bearing trucks and replacing the side walkways with safety bars preventing employees from slipping under the cars.
Many of these 16,000 gallon GATC welded tank cars lasted until the 1990s in company service or in Maintenance of way service.
