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UP Turbine Tender Build


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UP converted some for extra water for the steamers, since there is no water towers left anywhere. I thought they looked cool, and decided to make one. Did some research online and came up with a plan.   Simplified it some, just straight ends, no angles.

  Used plywood for the ribs, the wrapped it with old aluminum newspaper printing plates I got years ago. Handy stuff! Embossed it with rivet patterns using an old leather tool.

Plywood on top, the covered with embossed metal duct tape. Plastic pieces for the things on top. Thick wire for the 'pipes' and brass wire for the handles. Will use small cotter pins for the stanchions and brass wire. Then ladders, need ones with curves on the top, I use some strips cut from sections of wire I get that is in half inch spacing. Can't recall the term for it.

May make the trucks, figured a brass piece for a master and making sure the axle holes line up. I have some old castings of centipede tender pieces, will cut out the Timken bearing parts and glue them on. WOn't be real accurate, but good enough for me.

59036ea907f97_TUrbTendersteps.thumb.jpg.d4419c0996c28c17c81a83b155bce806.jpg

 

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Finally got the decals done for the turbine tender. Ladders are made but not on yet. Wanted to see how it tracked, since I made the trucks also. Only thing I did not make was the Gary Raymond wheels and the Kadees. Tracked around fine and matched up well with the BB tender.5968f5984c8d5_TurbineTenderRunB.JPG.303a3700edee92d257a853f132a9072e.JPG5968f59a3a84e_TurbineTenderRunA.JPG.34535abb0f7bd2c0de4e9c938ef8e584.JPG

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I've heard of modelers desiring this tender. I didn't understand it years ago. I really did not look at any steam.

Now that I see the steam revival going on, this build fits right in. Nice job!

I had saved a build like this from Marty C. out west. He posted pictures and I never did anything with them either.

This would fit right in with all the UP steam models coming from MTH.

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Great job Jerry:

 I have a good friend here in France that is going very seriously into UP steam (and deisels) in 1/32 scale and he is making the baggage with the flag on it. The nice thing about UP steam is that its pre 1950 's but it is also contemporary as they are still running these today! So that you can use these with contemporary equipment. I wonder if those "turbine" tenders were really built specially for the turbines or were converted from older FEF and first generation chalenger tenders?

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The GTE tenders (Gas Turbine Electrics) were indeed all acquired from "retired" steam locomotives.

 

Here's the history about them and it get's a bit complicated...

 

 http://utahrails.net/up/gte-tenders.php

 

Over the last few years I have read that those old GTE tenders that the UP Steam Program is using are in bad condition and are in need of replacement. Seems they're rusted out severely where the tank joins that big pedestal frame. 

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Thanks. I liked the tender with the flag, just made it straight on the ends. I see it when the steamers go by. they have been working on the tenders, fixing them up. I think Aster charged several thousand for the ones they made that you could order, the whole run sold out I know. Lots more accurate than mine I am sure!  But I'm happy with it, looks fine from the deck.  Marty made several in 1/29 that he sold, or gave to a few guys.

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23 hours ago, Jerry B44 said:

Thanks. I liked the tender with the flag, just made it straight on the ends. I see it when the steamers go by. they have been working on the tenders, fixing them up. 

 

Cosmetics only on the outer wrapper. The UP insulated the sides of the old steam tenders then applied an outer wrapper. The original riveted tank underneath is in bad shape on both esp. where it's fastened to the frame as those rivets are 12" long...hundreds of them are used and they're rusting out. And that's from the contractor that rebuilt them 10 years ago when they pulled the old heating coils out for a bit more capacity and cleaned up the ends and top. 

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Here's the actual posting from 1/24/13 about the condition of the UP's water tenders and auxiliary water tanks from the contractor courtesy TrainOrders.com

 

See the problem is where the sides are riveted to the huge cast frame underneath is the actual bottom of the tanks.

 

Quote

Reality Check: The tenders are in the worst shape where the side sheets of the tank meets the steel cast frame. Like any riveted joint, the area where the two sections are joined is prone to corrosion and thinning. This is the case with the 844, the 3985, and the water cars. Short of removing the tender sides and replacing them... It is simply a matter of time before they fail. There is nothing at this stage that can be done to prevent it. They will fail at some stage. 

The problem is NOT in how the UP handles the water. It is not a problem in how Ed runs it now and it is not a problem in how Steve ran it then. The problem is: Between 1944 and 1960 the locomotives did not get any special attention respective to the tenders. The damage, the bulk of it anyway, I feel was done between 1956 when the locomotives entered seasonal service and 1980 when the locomotives got an actual boss! They sat with water in the boilers, in the tenders, half full, empty, outside in the winter, frozen half the time... It sucked, it really did and the damage, as innocent as it was, it happened during this period. All of the efforts of Steve and now Ed are slowing it down, but, it simply will not cure the problem. There is no cure at this stage. 

The future: The tenders will need new side sheets at some point. All of the tenders will need this action. For now, they are as stable as they can be. Replacing the sides will be an awesome project. The rivets that hold the sheets to the steel cast beds (frames) are about 12 inches long! If any of you have ever removed 4-5 or 6 inch mud ring rivets and know what that is like, can you imagine taking out 12 inch rivets from a steel cast frame?! WOW... That will be cool! 

No, there is no coating on the interior of the tenders. We thought about it, it was discussed, Wasatch never did it. If it has been done since, I have no idea. Yes, they have new baffles. Yes, we did a ton of work, yes, they have new steel, yes they can run longer without refilling. 

That about ends the discussion I would say. I depart again thanking Hotwater for all of the great lessons he has taught me, his friendship, and his time and efforts to make TO the best it can be. 

Kindly submitted, 

John E. Rimmasch 
Wasatch Railroad Contractors 
 

 

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Well for 3 of those 4 years there was no steam operating and all available hands were fixing the 844 boiler fiasco. If you have proof of them being worked on please share it as I'm sure the TO crowd would enjoy hearing about it! Pictures would be a plus :Slightly_Smiling_Face_Emoji(24x24):

 

Seems a few years ago Ed himself commented at the Rocky Mountain RR Show?? something about those water tenders are junk and they were looking into making new ones in the near future.  

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