UP Auxiliaries

Seth Jackson · **Posted:** Fri Mar 12, 2004 9:09 pm

Hello everyone. Where did the #3985's auxiliary tenders come from? They look like former turbine fuel tenders. Is this correct? How much alteration was needed to convert them to water cars? What is their respective capacity? Thanks. Seth

Wilmington & Western Railroad
sethajackson@hotmail.com

Kevin Gillespie · **Posted:** Fri Mar 12, 2004 10:26 pm

These tenders were originally built by Alco for the FEF-1 class 4-8-4's (#'s 800-819) in 1937. As they were retired in the 1950's, these tenders were converted into fuel tenders for the gas turbines. After the gas turbines were retired they were converted into water tanks for the steam fleet.

kevin.r.gillespie@verizon.net

Earl Pitts · **Posted:** Sat Mar 13, 2004 7:36 pm

> These tenders were originally built by Alco
> for the FEF-1 class 4-8-4's (#'s 800-819) in
> 1937. As they were retired in the 1950's,
> these tenders were converted into fuel
> tenders for the gas turbines. After the gas
> turbines were retired they were converted
> into water tanks for the steam fleet.

The GTEL's were retired in the late 1960's/early 1970's. Most of the turbine tenders were scrapped, but some went into m/w service to supply water and diesel fuel to track gangs, and some were placed on panel tracks at various locations to serve as diesel fuel storage tanks. I remember seeing a couple at Ogden in the early 1980's and a whole line of them at Los Angeles.

Sometime in the early 70's, UP turned one of these things into a water car for the 8444, and it even made some trips with the 4449 on the AFT.

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Sat Mar 13, 2004 9:57 pm

> The GTEL's were retired in the late
> 1960's/early 1970's. Most of the turbine
> tenders were scrapped, but some went into
> m/w service to supply water and diesel fuel
> to track gangs, and some were placed on
> panel tracks at various locations to serve
> as diesel fuel storage tanks. I remember
> seeing a couple at Ogden in the early 1980's
> and a whole line of them at Los Angeles.

At least one of these tenders *somehow* ended up at a railroad car-repair place or storage line adjacent to the Conrail yard at Shiremanstown, Pa. (west of Harrisburg along the PRR line that paralleled the Reading to Carlisle). How it got there and what happened to it, I have no idea.

LNER4472-NOSPAM-@bcpl.net