Lionel Tank Cars are used to transport all sorts of liquids over the rails and were included in a great many Lionel Train Sets. But don't try to transport water in a Lionel Train or a real railroad tank car in freezing weather!

In addition to including Tank Cars in most postwar Lionel Train Sets, Lionel sold enormous quantities to Lionel Train buyers who wanted to add a Lionel Car to their previously purchased Lionel Train Set or Lionel Train Layout

There were 5 basic types of Lione Tank cars produced from 1946 thru 1969:

A Lionel Train tanker with sheet metal tank and die cast frame (as carry over from pre world war 2 production

A 2 dome Lionel Tank car (plastic tank)

A shorter single dome Lionel Tank Car

A longer single dome tank car (also called the chemical tank car and usually made with metal catwalk around the dome, usually with Lionel Lines markigs)

A 3 dome Lionel Train Tank Car, with the Lionel Train Corporation having obtained a license from both Sunoco and Gulf oil to use those names on many other Lionel Trains as well as this particular Lionel Train Car