Russell,
Like you, all I remember seeing were older tenders from mikes, pacifics
and mountains. In the '50s when I lived in Downers Grove, we often had
MOW equipment sitting at the end of our street about a block from my
home. Whenever I saw an orange tender, I would stop and check it out.
If you looked at the back of the tender at the proper angle, you could
see the locomotive road number decals that had been painted over. Most
that I recall were 4900, 5000, 5300 2900 and a few 7000 series tanks. I
seldom saw the older curved coal bunker style used on R class and S
class locomotives. The tenders, of course, were always modified with a
coupler and draft gear where the drawbar used to be. They would be
coupled to other MOW equipment including old wood box cars that had
been made into bunk cars for section men and their families. The tender
provided water and fuel for their bunk car homes. I don't ever remember
seeing a hudson or northern tender in MOW service, but I believe there
is a photo of one in orange (b&w) in Corbin's "Steam Locomotives of the
Burlington Route".
Speaking of the bunk cars, I can't imagine that they provided much of a
home. They didn't have air conditioning and probably weren't insulated
very well if at all. I remember the odor of coal smoke drifting from
the smoke jacks most of the time as i think they both heated and cooked
with coal. There was a old wood passenger coach carbody sitting on the
ground about two city blocks east that was used by the few locally
assigned section and signal people. It sat adjacent to the old
turntable, which was removed shortly after the commuter yard was closed
in 1952. The car was painted dark red and later white as I recall.
Years later it was removed. I think it caught fire. Today, a microwave
tower is all that marks the location.
After the BN merger, the tenders and the MOW equipment seemed to
disappear. Probably the end of a way of life. Now, where that MOW
equipment was parked in the lower yard along Warren Ave., the property
has been sold off and some attractive single level office buildings
have been built. One, used by an engineering company, even resembles a
RR depot.
Bill Barber
On Thursday, November 24, 2005, at 07:52 AM, CBQ@yahoogroups.com wrote:
> Date: Wed, 23 Nov 2005 10:26:43 -0600
> From: Russell Strodtz <19main@groundcontrol.us>
> Subject: Re: Digest Number 2591
>
> Bill,
>
> What is also interesting is that many of those tenders were
> never used for anything. By the mid sixties they were being
> sent up to Sterling in pairs. A little bit of wasted labor
> there but I can see why they would save something that might
> be useful. Just saved a few too many.
>
> Most of the tenders I saw in M of W service were older, from
> engines that had been scrapped in the reclamation plant days.
> Were any of the 4-6-4 or 4-8-4 tenders ever used?
>
> Russ
------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~-->
Get fast access to your favorite Yahoo! Groups. Make Yahoo! your home page
http://us.click.yahoo.com/dpRU5A/wUILAA/yQLSAA/8ZCslB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~->
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CBQ/
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
CBQ-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
|