The Pennsylvania RR had two similar locos, down to the curved glass at the corners of the cab. These were #217 and 251, and a 2-4-0T which was #212. Baldwin built all of them, #217 and 212 in 1861 and #251 in 1863. These were different only slightly, with side tanks having straight sides, not inclined as in the CB&Q photo. Number 217 was converted into a 4-4-4T inspection locomotive in 1865 by attaching a small coach body to its extended frame with a four wheel truck under it. This only lasted in this configuration a short time as a 4-6-0 built in 1872 had this number in the January 1, 1874 PRR roster.

The LIRR had several side-tank Rogers 4-4-0s in commuter service in Brooklyn, NY in the 1880s.

What would be the likely application of CB&Q #94? Where would the coal be carried, and how much coal would be carried?

Saddletank 4-4-0s and 4-6-0s were not uncommon. Mostly they were worn out road locomotives that were downgraded to maintenance or shop switchers. They were usually converted to one man locomotives and often had the windows on the fireman's side of the cab plated over and a coal/oil bunker installed in that location. CB&Q had a bunch of those locomotives over the years. SP also had some tank 4-4-0s as well as 0-6-0 tanks. Some locomotives were also rigged with small steam powered cranes for use in light construction and shop work.

In the case of the Q's No. 94, it might be a wood burner based on the stack and arrestor design. At any rate, what little amount of fuel it would carry would be carried either inside the cab (probably on the left side) or on the platform behind the cab. Being a shop switcher, it was never expected to venture very far from the fuel depot.

Ron -

My guess is that CB&Q 94 (and LIRR #4) were both built for commuter service. They would have handled short runs and there would have been replacement fuel and water available as needed upon arriving at their destinations. The railroads in those days would have had a number of these short turnaround runs where these fast locomotives would have been suitable to operate. Coal would have most likely been carried in pockets in the cab, or behind it. A ton of coal was probably sufficient to get these locomotives from originating point to their destination. Why pull a tender when it was not needed?

Les

I understand the application of shop switchers, and the need for very little coal onboard. But I would guess the No. 74 is nearly new and intended for something more than just a shop switcher.

Being intended for short run commuter service makes sense for No. 74, just as is the explanation given for No. 4. I am familiar with small coal bunkers on saddle tank engines, and surely there could be a substantial one in the cab of No. 4. But I thought No. 74 seemed to be a bit of a mystery because it does not appear to contain a coal bunker, although maybe there is one and it just does not show clearly in the photo.

Union Pacific had a tenderless 4-4-0 during the construction phase. It was called a "Pony Engine" by the UP. I've seen photos of it hauling Russell's special, darkroom-equipped photography car.

David

94's stack arrangement suggests that it was a wood burner. I'll have to look in my book on CB&Q locomotives to see if it has any information. The Q did have a lot of wood burning 4-4-0 locomotives and a handful of lignite burners.

The combination of the locomotive's finish and the stack suggest that the photograph was made sometime in the 1870s. Wood burning locomotives tended to have large stacks due to the necessary cones, baffles and screens needed to arrest sparks. In many cases, the diameter of the screen was greater than the diameter of the boiler.

We have to remember that for the railroaders of the 1870s and 1880s, embellishments such as the bell bracket and trim were the norm rather than the exception. Locomotives were flashy looking. Folks took pride in their trades and it showed.

The photograph of the subject locomotive appears on page 23 of "Steam Locomotives of the Burlington Route" by Bernard Corbin and William Kerka. The only information provided is that the locomotive was apparently built by Rogers in 1863. Based upon available historical information, the majority of the Q's locomotives at the time of her construction were wood burners. Of the 58 locomotives on hand on the road's May, 1858 Report, only 5 were coal burners. Thus, it is apparent that the 94 was wood fueled.

It is most likely that the 94 was a shop locomotive, as virtually all of the tank locomotives owned by the Q were engaged in that service. That being said, the Q was known to have experimented with at least one 4-4-0. That was inside connected No. 9 which received a short tender mounted on a single, four wheeled truck in 1864-65. The tender was connected to the locomotive with knuckle joints. The curved cab windows were also a common feature on the Q's locomotives of that era. They also had two 4-4-0 Inspection locomotives. One (No. 1370) had a full length cab and the other (No. 360) had an inspection cab with enclosed vestibule on the pilot. It probably had an air signal for communication with the engineer's cab as the height and width of the inspection cab and vestibule probably totally blocked any meaningful vision from the rear cab.