Western Railroad Discussion > Rock Island Water tower questions

Hello to All,

Did the CRI&P have a standard design for their water towers? As you may know, AT&SF had their standard steel water tank of various heights/capacities.

Was "The Rock" more into the traditional wooden style?

I am particularly interested in what may have been used in the southern Oklahoma portion of their railroad.

Any info appreciated!!!

You might look at these links for some of the variations in style on the Rock Island tanks. Most pictures of the earlier days were the typical wood design and tapered roof built on the structure beneath. Later years the metal tank design was typical and probably replaced some of the wood style. Most of these tanks I've seen had the flat top and were usually associated with another smaller tank used in the water treatment processing.


http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,2602495,2602495#msg-2602495

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,2282313,2282327#msg-2282327

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,1658663,1658663#msg-1658663

rrman6 Wrote:
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> You might look at these links for some of the
> variations in style on the Rock Island tanks.
> Most pictures of the earlier days were the typical
> wood design and tapered roof built on the
> structure beneath. Later years the metal tank
> design was typical and probably replaced some of
> the wood style. Most of these tanks I've seen had
> the flat top and were usually associated with
> another smaller tank used in the water treatment
> processing.
>
>
Understand that I am asking here, not disputing. There
was a tank similar to the one shown in the second thread
in Manly, IA, that was a fuel storage tank. It was out
of service when I was there because the underground fuel
lines leaked. (The tank was east of the main and the engine
facility was west.) There were similar tanks in Inver
Grove, that were also used for fuel. So, were any of these
silver flat top tanks actually used as water tanks, or were
they constructed as fuel tanks and used exclusively in that
service?

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA

Nick, I may be mistaken and you may be correct on the metal tank. I've seen pictures where these tanks were black with the white or silver RI emblem and thought they were water tanks of the 30's or 40's. I know Pratt, KS had one that was the silver paint w/ black emblem that sat NW of the depot across the mainline. There were fueling pipes and hoses, but what I recall was that a tank car was spotted and attached to these. Consequently, I always thought the silver tank had been a water tank following the demise of the old wooden tank of earlier days, but do know in later years there was a stand pipe for water. I don't recall any treatment tanks being associated with it and this stand pipe was nearly a block away across Main St. from the metal tank. I don't recall seeing any treatment facilities for even the wood tanks, so not sure when water treatment came in, but maybe it was in the latter years of steam. Guess I need to get the facts on the Pratt facility. Regardless, thanks for your input.

Nick, here are some pictures (credit to Bob Riebe) that I dug out of my files of Rock Island metal tanks. These were taken back in the 1930's at Esterville, IA. You will see the (a) picture looking down on what I presume was the water treatment tank with the doghouse and beyond it, the water tank with an overflow spout.

The last picture is of two tanks taken at Phillipsburg, KS that may have at one time been used as water tanks, but later when steamers were gone, may have became diesel fuel tanks. Note the larger one has the tapered top and the smaller has level markings evidently for an external gauge.

I will follow with another posting of what I have from the Rock Island at Pratt, KS.

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The first picture is looking SW from near Main St. at the fuel tank and fueling area with the depot behind (this depot is now long gone and replaced w/ the new UP modular unit).
The second picture is taken from the station platform near the SW end of the depot and looking toward the watering area. To the righthand side of this picture and out of the view is the area where the larger tank once stood.
The third picture is of this larger tank that I thought was the later water tank that replaced the old wood tank that would have been NE of Main St. along the mainline. This larger tank is shown after it was moved off the railroad property and onto a private business area.
You still have me questioning now if these larger tanks were once used for water and later for diesel fuel after the steamers were gone. Maybe someone can help on this topic.

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RE: Picture number 3, I think you're right about it once being used for water. The square outline at the base looks like the location of a previous frost-box. That pretty much means it held water. The removal of the frost-box could indicate a conversion to oil or that it had been placed out of service.

Thanks much for posting the photos!!!


rrman6 Wrote:
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> The first picture is looking SW from near Main St.
> at the fuel tank and fueling area with the depot
> behind (this depot is now long gone and replaced
> w/ the new UP modular unit).
> The second picture is taken from the station
> platform near the SW end of the depot and looking
> toward the watering area. To the righthand side
> of this picture and out of the view is the area
> where the larger tank once stood.
> The third picture is of this larger tank that I
> thought was the later water tank that replaced the
> old wood tank that would have been NE of Main St.
> along the mainline. This larger tank is shown
> after it was moved off the railroad property and
> onto a private business area.
> You still have me questioning now if these larger
> tanks were once used for water and later for
> diesel fuel after the steamers were gone. Maybe
> someone can help on this topic.