Hi,

I've been wondering what the plans are for the two unrestored fuel tenders stored in Cheyenne? These are ex CSA challenger tenders that served behind the 8500hp gas turbines in later years. https://www.railpictures.net/photo/691198/

Reason I ask, is because of this video of the BB4014 running low on water. https://youtu.be/UShbt8eXHxc

It would seem that maybe trailing 3 or 4 water tenders might be necessary if certain towns are not planning to let UP take water with their steam engine.

I thought I saw someplace here on RYPN UPRR planned to salvage the trucks and scrap the tenders at some point? That would seem silly, considering there can be a legitimate argument for restoring them to their earlier CSA tender appearances for water tender service.

Robert

Robert,

Good point and suggestion.

It would seem the fuel tenders would be structurally sound and have minimal internal corrosion. Not sure if the fuel consumption in the 4014 would be great enough or have a trip long enough to warrant an extra fuel tender but that works too. It would need more coupling hoses to pass the water forward.

In the United States, we have auxiliary tenders based on heavy duty locomotive tenders. In South Africa, for the long distance steam tours, it was common to see multiple conventional tank cars between the locomotives and passenger consist. For them it was a common sight, in fact foamers in SA would expect it in many cases. Here it would considered heresy, could you imagine the outcry!

Cheers!

Randy

2017

Hello,

Buckeye trucks, looks like axle housing bearing caps have ‘SKF’ raised letters cast in….might be spherical roller bearings applied here….interesting.

Thank you for posting the photo.

Cheers!

Randy

You're welcome, Randy and forum; glad I had the pics. Here's one from the other side with a little clearer enlargement of the truck. Looks like you're right about the bearings.

Timothy

Hi Tim,

Thanks for sharing those interesting photos.

I've been trying to do some digging and compare the total capacity of these tenders against the current water tenders in service.

I believe these CSA tenders are roughly 23,000 gallon tenders. Possibly a little more with all the turbine fuel heater stuff removed. Maybe 24,000 gallons?

Definitely worth a future restoration to service in more of their original body configuration.

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3607204

Robert

I think it's amazing that the UP kept all this stuff, as so many other railroads have a "sell/scrap it now and complain about it later" mindset.
I'd read that 4014 got very low on water on her recent trip, somewhere in Texas, even with the aux tenders, due to some issues about lineside communities not letting them use hydrants? It would make you wonder how much water would be considered "enough" to make it to the next Up facility when on the road. Frankly, I've often wondered why tank cars were rarely (or ever) used for such duty.

UP’s collection of equipment in Cheyenne is honestly similar to the traits of a hoarder: keeping things they seemingly have zero use for.

What interest does the UP have in keeping a lone 2-10-2 with unique Young valve gear stored away from public eye? Why didn’t they donate that one like several of the other locomotives they once had in Cheyenne? At least the 838 makes sense being a part source for the 844, but why the 2-10-2?

Or what about the former C&NW unit in the yard? What significance is there to keeping this specific F unit in the same spot for decades?

They kept the former D&RGW F9 B unit in the yard for decades before they finally started using it with snow trains I believe.

Is a good question. I like to imagine the city of Cheyenne with UP to built a museum in the city
With display together
UP1242
UP5511
UP838
UP3985
UP4004
That could be a great attraction for the city no??

And that is different from every RR museum and tourist RR in the country how exactly?

At least the Cheyenne yard isn't UP Steam's front parlor like the rest of ours are. Virtually no one in the general public that they are working to reach sees Cheyenne's backyard.

The difference between the UP and a typical railroad museum or tourist railroad is the reason for acquiring the equipment.

Your typical museum exists to preserve this equipment and potentially tell its story. The UP just has the equipment for seemingly no reason. They aren’t doing anything with much of the equipment nor are they truly attempting to “preserve” it. Even more odd when there are several line pieces. Like the former D&RGW F9B that was there for decades.

I can’t tell you if it’s right or wrong for the UP to keep this equipment as it stands and I don’t intend to. I’m certainly not complaining about it, just mentioning that it’s the current situation. That C&NW F7 has seen a better fate than it’s companion unit #400, a unit that I believe was scrapped within the last decade. I’d rather have the 401 sitting there than for it to be sold and scrapped like 400. Or for 5511 to sit in a roundhouse away from public display than for it to rot outdoors.

There is a old wise saying "better to have it and not need it, then to need it and not have it". I have never heard there was any intention of scrapping those tenders or any other equipment on that property. I am sure even if they did want to get rid of those tenders they would have no problem finding a buyer.

I know there has been plans for turning the old roundhouse into a railroad museum over the years which never seem to go nowhere. About 5 years ago they had a nice exhibit at the Cheyenne depot showing what the finished museum would look like. There was going to be a pedestrian bridge from the depot to the old roundhouse. Looked like a fun museum and the city of Cheyenne was totally behind it. I think it would be a popular museum as there is a lot of historic equipment there including the Challenger. It is extremely close to the steam shop and I believe that is one of the major issues. Would take a lot of work cleaning up the grounds as well.

I recall that Steve Lee was contemplating restoring one to its original configuration to use as the actual tender on #844, so he didn't have to deal with the hated centipede tender anymore (there are only so many times that you can rerail it before the glamour wears off).

If I recall, all three of the UP steam engines are rated for a tighter curve than the centipede tenders are.

This is the first time I've heard of complaints concerning a profitable railroad with an active steam program, storing historic equipment in good condition, on their own property. For whatever reasons U.P. continues to store their equipment, you should light a candle rather than complain! Good God, I thought I'd heard it all!

As I recall, two of these ex-UP GTE tenders ended up stashed at some scrapper or rail equipment shop next to a RR yard on the Harrisburg, Pa. West Shore (Lemoyne? Shiremanstown?) in the 1970s and 1980s--before I was driving and just saw them as a passenger riding by in my parents' car on the Interstate-grade highway (I'm thinking the connection between US 11/15 and I-83 south?).

Did those two end up back in Cheyenne somehow? If not, how the heck did they end up in Pa. and what happened to them?