UP's aux tenders

@CALNNC posted:

I have seen two versions of the UP's auxiliary tenders, one that resembles the model versions with the sloped ends that are actually called 'water tenders' in pictures of the real thing, and one that is square on the ends that said it was converted to be both a water and fuel tender, which is the one I have seen normally used with the 4014 excursions but does not seem to have a  modeled equivalent.  Does anyone know if the real one with sloped ends is still just for water?

The to auxiliary water tenders used by the UP steam program were originally tenders from the early 4-8-4 steam locomotives, where then converted from oil fuel and water to all oil fuel by GE for the large 3 unit gas turbine locomotives (the 'Big Blow' locomotives). After those turbine locomotives were removed from service, many of the insulated fuel oil tenders were surplus and wound up being used for all sorts of things. The UP steam program acquired two or three of those "sloped ends" former turbine tenders (sometime in the late 1980s) for use as auxiliary water tenders behind 4-8-4 #8444/844 and /or Challenger #3985.

Sometime in the early 2000s, the UP had both of those auxiliary water tenders completely rebuilt, including removal of the external insulation, and elimination of the "sloped ends". Those are the two auxiliary water tenders still in use behind #4014 today, and to my knowledge, there have not yet been any models of these rebuilt tenders produced in O Scale.

Thanks for that information Hot Water.  As you noted, no one seems to make a square end aux tender, at least yet.  I picked up some 6 wheel trucks to build my own, then found pre-war Lionel tender that was square ended and basically just a rectangular box, no coal bunker or loco side access to the coal bunker stamped into the metal that would make it easy to be modified to resemble that UP square end style with not too much more than a paint job.  Now, back on my original plan to make it more or less scale dimensions.