NCNG #8 whaleback tender

[NCNG#7]

Brian,
is this the book by Bob Bader you are refering to?

SP NARROW GAUGE LOCOMOTIVE AND FREIGHT EQUIPMENT


Florian

[Brian Norden]

Yes, that is the book.

[Loco112]

There is an Original Baldwin erecting drawing of the NCO?/SP #9, and the drawing has the tender on it.

It did come from DeGolyer, so they have something that shows the details of those whale back tenders.

I seem to remember that when delivered the tanks were connected, and shared a tank wall between the two tanks. After the rr's figured out that oil was getting into the water and visa-versa, the tanks were separated and ceased to share a tank wall.

[NCNG#7]

A couple of days ago, I got my copy of Bob Bader's book.
I think it is a must have for all interested in SPng. Even for me, who is actually on the NCNGRR track, there is a lot of information about equipment that ended up in Grass Valley.
But what type of components were used to build up NCNG #8's whaleback tender remains rather misterious.
The chapter covering these tenders, mentions only the frame was an old "R"-class type. Right now, I have not really a clue what a "R"-class tender frame is.
All further information about that is greatly appreciated.

Florian

[Andrew Brandon]

The "R" Class is Southern Pacific's classification for standard rectangular tank tenders. So initially the tender started life as a regular Baldwin tender delivered with one of the C&C 4-4-0s, quite possibly that of "Churchill". When the original tender was rebuilt the tank was replaced with the semi-cylindrical tank it had on the NCNG.

Because it was an SP job done in house, there is no true drawing for it as anyone has been able to locate. One day something could show up, but until that day Herman's drawing of the tender from Bader's book is the best drawing available.

David was correct in noting the tender drawings for SP #9 / N-C-O locomotives still exist at DeGolyer. I have a copy of the erecting drawing for N-C-O #14 / SP #1's tender, however these drawings are for larger tenders than NCNG #7 / #8 wound up with. The short SC class tender may have been a unique experiment on the SP's part.

[Brian Norden]

If I recall correctly, the tender of N-C-O #14 stayed with the locomotive when it became SP #1. (Renumbered because SP had a number 14 on its roster.) This was the longest of the Semi-Cylinder ng tenders on the SP.

The NCNG got the locomotive with a different tender because of turntable length. The long SC tender went to locomotive #22.

[NCNG#7]

Brian, Andrew,
not long after submitting my post, I got the idea that the meaning of "R"-class may have been for "rectangular tank". So it is great to have it proofed right by you as experts.

Furthermore, thank you very much for bringing up more background information about this particular and obviously one of a kind tender.

After reading some chapters in Bader's book, I wonder how it was possible keeping track of all the equipment that was gathered on the SPng from various companies ( and some of it went even further ahead )

Said that the tender frame was a regular Baldwin product, I will keep my eyes open for more information about that. Eventhough I have H. Darr's and Al Armitage's drawings of the NCNG#8 tender on hand which give me a good base to work from, I am still curious about the design of the frame. So far I have never seen a tender frame of this size built up from such "ligthweight" components.

However, I am still in good mood that one day this mistery will be solved.

Florian