In reply to all the posts about the tender swaps of the NKP, the strory in Trains magazine back in 1989 stated that the the 587 had been retired but another Mike that was still in service, (either 639 or 624, I can't remember), had a failure to it's stoker so the shops just swapped tenders instead of repairing the stoker. Ironic twist was that both locomotives ended up being preserved. When the 587 was rebuilt, the stoker was repaired, but they also ended up with a much larger tender than it pulled in regular service, but worked much better for them in todays world.

Steve C

Steve's comments bring up an interesting point. In the post steam era, a number of restored locomotives have run with larger capacity tenders, such as NKP 2-8-2 #587. A couple of others that come to mind are:

1. Louisville & Nashville 4-6-2 #152 which now sports a tender from an L&N 4-8-2.

2. Southern 2-8-2 #4501 which now sports a differenct tender than it had on its days in service on the Kentucky & Tennessee and supposedly during its last days on the SRR.

In the case of Nickel Plate 587, the engine was restored with the tender she was preserved with; the original presumably scrapped. But the other two engines were specifically given larger tanks so that they could have a greater range when running over Class 1 railroads. In todays environment however, when locomotives are banned from the Class 1's and run only on museum trackage (or are only on display) and thus where the bigger capacity is no longer needed, the question is...should these locomotives now get the tenders that once ran behind the engines in the interest of historical accuracy? In the case of #152, the ex-GM&O tender apparently still exists at KRM, in an unrestored state. I believe the tender from #4501 also still exists at TVRM. If the situation on Class 1's would change, then the larger tenders still could be put back behind #152, #4501, and on wherever else this change has occurred.

Les

If 4501 returns to service it really is not very suitable for the local run at TVRM, The engine is usually operated on the long trips down the C&C to Georgia. That being the case she will need the bigger tank on those trips. The original 4501 tender frame is going to be used to build a larger capacity tender for the 630 in a fashion similar to some the Southern used on other KS class locomotives. The object of this move is to increase capacity for 630 on the Georgia trips. From what I understand the tender used on 630 in fantrip service was not her original.

In this case greater capacity is definately needed even if neither locomotive sees the mainline again.

John Bohon

I think that with the larger railraods many locomotives and tenders were swapped more than one might think. Thinking a locomotive built for a Class I RR in the 1910's lasted with the same tender all the way to the late 1950's when put in a park or museum might be a mistake.

While not an operating locomotive, during cosmetic restoration of Georgia Northern 107, we have found that the tender was originally built for FEC 126, but came to the Georgia Northern with FEC 130 (Georgia Northern 130). In the year before being donated to the city of Albany, GA, the 130's tender was mated to engine 107, so we have engine ex-FEC 88 with tender ex-FEC 126 making up the engine displayed since 1957 as Georgia Northern 107. What happened to 107's "original" tender is unknown. The tenders were, however, the same as used in service on the FEC except the oil bunker was removed and the tender modified to carry coal.

Sister locomotive Savannah & Atlanta has a completely different tender from what she had in service on the FEC (as no. 80) or with the S&A. I can't remember what locomotive it is from, but it has been a part of the locomotive's history about as long as was the "original" tender. She just wouldn't look right if an original FEC tender was stuck behind.

That would be Savannah & Atlanta 750, of course!

I seem to recall that S&A 750 has one of the ex-NYO&W light 400-series Y-1 class 4-8-2 tenders that came south when the engines were sold to S&A in 1945.

John is correct. The truck centerline to centerline dimensions on 630's present tender do not match the tender it was delivered with. The original tender also only had 6,000 gallons of water capacity (versus 7,500 on the present tender).

I am not a historian in the true sense of the word but I think if one was to look at the size of locomotive tenders, you would see them grow in size in parallel with the growth of locomotives. Practically all of the Southern Railway locomotives, all being of essentially WWI or older designs, were built were small tenders. There were some Ps-4's built with 14,000 gallon tanks. Several backshops began building larger tanks to retrofit existing tenders and also as locomotives were retired, the tenders from larger locomotives were coupled to smaller locomotives. The tender that 630 has is from another K Class consolidation but the number is unknown. Maybe we will uncover it someday.

I don't know exactly when 750 got its current tender, but it was before 750 was donated into preservation.

The photo below (by Charles E. Winters) shows 750 in the dead line at Savannah on May 3, 1948, prior to shopping. The tender swap occurred when 750 emerged from the shop later that year. The loco also got its distinctive pilot and a lowered headlight in 1948. It would be pure guessing, but that may even be the donor 4-8-2 behind 750 (Howard?).

750 was stored serviceable after a 1954 shopping, and donated to the Atlanta Chapter NRHS in 1962. It operated under its own steam from Savannah to Atlanta on July 4, and powered an Atlanta - West Point, GA excursion for the NRHS Convention over Labor Day weekend.



JAC

The tender that NKP 587 has now,, is the one from NKP 624,,, the swap was made so that NKP 587 could be kept running,, before she became a park,,,engine.... I hope this is of help,,,,thanks Pat

Not true. According to the NKP mechanical department memo dated 11/29/54, NKP 587 swapped tenders with NKP 639.

BUT...639 had a 10RC tender (small clear vision) originally from H-5b 512.

SO...NKP 639 ended up with a 16RA tender (five axles), which is the tender she was retired with.

NKP 587 ended up with a small clear vision 10RC tender, which is definitely NOT what she has today.

NKP 587 never came out of retirement after 11/29/54. The Frankfort engine shop kept giving her different tenders as they were needed (or not), and she was eventually stricken from the roster with the large, Berkshire-like 22RA tender from NKP 611. THAT'S the tender she has today.

As you can see from the above explanation, the NKP liked to play musical chairs with their 2-8-2's tenders.

Hope this helps!

Ray:

Thanks much for the clarification.

Les