Lionel AEC Reactor Fluid Car numbering question

Mine are numbered the same way.  I could never figure that out.

Thanks

Dave Sheahen posted:

I dismantled my layout last year to refinish the basement and have taken the opportunity to find new homes for several items in my collection.

I started to prep my set of 4 AEC Reactor Fluid Cars for sale and I noticed that the blue, purple and green cars have different car numbers stenciled on them than printed on the box label.  For example, for Lionel 6-16153, the Blue fluid car, the label reads 6315-1, but the car itself is lettered with number 6515-1.

Can anyone tell if this is a “known” issue?  I searched around for photos and found images that were similar to my cars.  I hope that the numbering discrepancy is a known production quirk and that I don’t have a problem with the authenticity of the cars.

It is hard to believe these are 20 years old or so.    They still have a lot of fluid in them, although I gotta believe the angels may have gotten a share over the years.

Thanks in advance for any info.

Dave- the fluids in my cars are even with the hand rails. Curious as to what level yours are at as well as if anyone has added fluid to these cars. 

O-GAUGER - If by handrails you mean the the metal rail along the side of the tank - my blue and purple car fluid levels are also at the handrail.  My green and black cars are a tad (1/8" at most) above the handrails.  

I thought I read a post once upon a time about someone adding fluid, perhaps they had a leak, although it is not something I would ever try.

If I remember correctly the fluid had some iridescent material that would swirl round inside the colored liquid.  I don't know what you would use or where you get the fluid in those cars.

Does anyone know what the fluid is called that is inside the AEC reactor tank cars?  It's chemical name is labeled as sodium lauryl ether sulfate.  Evidently it is widely used in cosmetic products.  I was looking for a more common name of the fluid that has the coloring and silvery appearance inside it already.  Any help is appreciated?

aussteve posted:

Does anyone know what the fluid is called that is inside the AEC reactor tank cars? 

Rheoscopic fluid.

TRW

PaperTRW posted:

aussteve posted:

Does anyone know what the fluid is called that is inside the AEC reactor tank cars? 

Rheoscopic fluid.

TRW

Any chance the stuff in the cars is actually shampoo?  Found this looking up rheoscopic fluid: Glycol stearate is the ester of ethylene glycol and stearic acid. It is generally used as a pearlizing agent in shampoos and liquid hand soaps.

Fred