Good Evening, Anyone happen to know what ever happened to the former steam locomotive tenders used as steam generators on the original Auto Train service after the breakup of Auto Train?

Robert

I remember this came up on another thread here about tenders. Search "tender" and "steam generator"

Are you looking for one?

there were a few different ones, http://www.themetrains.com/auto-train-roster.htm
some good info but cant find any current were abouts of any of them

Hello BigBoy, I'd suggest you make a posting on my thread called "Retained Steam Generators" to discuss the fate of Steam Generator Cars and other locomotive boilers. As to the fate of the Auto Train cars I can tell you that they were promptly scrapped by Amtrak after the failure of the original train in 1981. At that point there was little need for steam heat for most coaches were now equipped with HEP and the maintenance involved with such cars was cost prohibitive and labor intensive. The F40PHs virtually took over that job as it was deemed to be cheaper and more efficient to operate than the unreliable boilers they replaced.

Cameron

To Richard, Not looking for a steam heat car to actually own one.

If my interest was in seeking a steam heat car, I personally would be looking to purchase one of the former Via Rail purpose built cars.

The reason I was asking about the Auto Train cars had to do with the Algoma Central having had a steam tender conversion that looked similar to the Auto Train cars.

Robert

IIRC (and I probably don't) that car was one of several such cars rebuilt by Northern Pacific from auxiliary tenders and two were purchased by Algoma Central; two of the Auto-Train steam generator cars were also from NP and were from the same group of rebuilt cars.

Cameron, Amtrak had nothing to do with disposing of the original Auto Train equipment. It was all sold by the bankruptcy trustee. Some of it went to scrap (like the U36B's), some remained in service (like most of the full dome cars).

By the way, does your steam generator list include the ex-TH&B car built from an NYC Hudson tender? It had been owned by the Green Mountain Railroad and I think it's at Steamtown, now. Somewhere (Railroad Model Craftsman magazine, possibly) I've seen an article on the car, its construction, and how it worked.

It is there, complete and in reasonably good shape, at the back of the double line of dead equipment between the shop complex and the long ramp to the mall.

Now all we need is a magnetometer and some mapping software to recover the trailing truck from the river in Little Falls, and we can start the restoration... ;-}

Correct. In 1972-73, both ACR and AUT acquired former NP steam generators rebuilt from 4-8-4 tenders. AUT acquired their 3 cars from J. Simon & Sons in 1973, along with 2 former GN cars (all sold by BN to J. Simon in 1972); it is likely, however unconfirmed, that ACR also acquired their 2 cars from this company in 1972.

Auto Train had:

NP #H-1 to BN to J. Simon to AT #130 renumbered in 1977 to #1130, disposition not listed by Randall.

NP #H-2 to BN to J. Simon to AT #131 renumbered in 1977 to #1131, disposition not listed by Randall.

NP #H-4 to BN to J. Simon to AT #133 renumbered in 1977 to #1133, disposition not listed by Randall.

Algoma Central had:

NP #H-3 to BN to J. Simon?? to ACR #80, scrapped in 1996.

NP #H-5 to BN to J. Simon?? to ACR #81, scrapped at unknown date.

The acquisition of the 2 NP cars allowed ACR to retire 1, if not 2, of their steam generators converted from boxcars: #71 and possibly #73.

Besides the 3 NP cars, Auto Train also acquired from J. Simon & Sons:

GN #3 (StLCCo, 1928) to BN to J. Simon to AT #132 renumbered in 1977 to #1132, disposition not listed by Randall.

GN #9 (rebuilt in 1951 from 40' express boxcar #2525 [GN, 1947]) to BN to J. Simon to AT #134 renumbered in 1977 to #1134, disposition not listed by Randall.

Acquired from WP in 1970:

California Zephyr baggage car #801 Silver Beaver (Budd, Lot #9601-021, 1948) converted to steam generator #135 renumbered in 1977 to #1135, sold in 1979 to Ringling Brothers #231, renumbered (when??) to #73, renumbered (when??) to #35, renumbered (when??) to #39, sold in circa 1990 to VIA Rail as #628 for planned HEP conversion; I don't believe this car was converted, current status unknown.

Acquired from Santa Fe in 1971:

Baggage car #3926 (P-S, Lot #7027, Plan #53447, 1966) converted in 1970 to steam generator #138 (1st), to AT #138 renumbered in 1977 to #1138, sold at 1981 auction? to American Railway Service in Sanford, likely for scrapping.

Baggage car #3932 (P-S, Lot #7027, Plan #53447, 1966) converted in 1970 to steam generator #137, to AT #137 renumbered in 1977 to #1137, sold at 1981 auction to Delaware Otsego as NYS&W #500, scrapped in 2004.

Baggage car #3933 (P-S, Lot #7027, Plan #53447, 1966) converted in 1970 to steam generator #136, to AT #136 renumbered in 1977 to #1136, sold at 1981 auction? to American Railway Service in Sanford, likely for scrapping.

Acquired from Amtrak in 1976:

UP E9B #956B (EMD, Order #2058, June 1954, Serial #19292, Frame #2058-B7) retired in October 1971 (likely leased to Amtrak as #458 [1st] at that time), sold in September 1972 to Amtrak #458 (1st), retired in May 1974 (October 1975??*), sold to AT in May 1976 and converted to steam generator #139 renumbered in 1977 to #1139, disposition not listed by Randall.

UP E9B #958B (EMD, Order #2058, June 1954, s/n 19294, f/n #2058-B9), leased in July 1971 to Amtrak as #460 (1st), retired in June 1972 and sold to Amtrak #460 (1st), retired in May 1974 (October 1975??*), sold to AT in May 1976 and converted to steam generator #140 renumbered in 1977 to #1140, disposition not listed by Randall.

*Strack lists retirement date as May 14th, 1974, both Warner-Simon and Theme Trains list October 1975.

Sources:

1. "Streamliner Cars Volume One: Pullman Standard" by W. David Randall (RPC Publications, 1981)

2. "Streamliner Cars Volume Two: The Budd Company" by W. David Randall (RPC Publications, 1981)

3. "Railway Passenger Car Annual Volume Five: 1980-1981" by W. David Randall and Zenon R. Hansen (RPC Publications, 1980)

4. "Railway Passenger Car Annual Volume Six: 1984" by W. David Randall and Elbert Simon (RPC Publications, 1984)

5. Algoma Central roster: http://www.trainweb.org/algoma/proster.html

6. Auto Train roster: http://www.themetrains.com/auto-train-roster.htm

7. Don Strack's UP diesel roster pages: http://utahrails.net/up-diesel-roster/up-diesel-roster-index.php

8. "Amtrak by the Numbers" by David C. Warner and Elbert Simon (White River Productions, 2011)

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Additions and corrections are welcome. Thanks in advance.

Just how many steam generators did Auto Train need to maintain the schedule? Seems like an enormous investment described here.

"Acquired from WP in 1970: [i]California Zephyr[/i] baggage car #801 [b]Silver Beaver[/b] (Budd, Lot #9601-021, 1948) converted to steam generator #135 renumbered in 1977 to #1135, sold in 1979 to Ringling Brothers #231, renumbered ([color=#0080FF]when??[/color]) to #73, renumbered ([color=#0080FF]when??[/color]) to #35, renumbered ([color=#0080FF]when??[/color]) to #39, sold in [color=#0080FF]circa 1990[/color] to VIA Rail as #628 for planned HEP conversion; I don't believe this car was converted, current status unknown."

I also don't believe this car was ever converted to a steam generator car by Auto-Train, even though it was painted Auto-Train colors. This was was sold by Ringling Brothers to Jon Clark circa 1990 and moved to Los Angeles. Sold by Clark to VIA Rail circa 1991. Car never converted by VIA Rail and sold circa 2010 along with remaining unrebuilt US Budd equipment to group affiliated with Gateway Rail Services. Car moved to Madison, IL. Reportedly donated to IRM, but not confirmed.