Steam & Excursion > 4449 AUX tender

is it true its an EX Cab Forward tender?

Yes. It has been modified to match the lines of 4449's tender, and does not look half bad behind other engines.

The 4449 auxilliary water tender originally came from SP cab forward #4219, hence it's number DLMX 4219. It actually remained with that cab forward all it's life. Then became SPMW #7206 and placed in service with SP rotary snow plow #206. After the rotary was converted to electric drive, it became SPMW #4764-A a water service car with another steam engine tender #4764. SP donated the tenders to the NRHS and the one was rebuilt to hold just water and conform to the contours of 4449"s tender. The photo I have of SP cab forward #4219 in our 4449 program was taken by another photographer and I can't show that here. But here are some shots of the tender in use.

First shot is the tender when in water service for SP working out of Eugene, Oregon as SPMW4764-A. They were used on the Cascade Line for many years in case of fires. You can just barely see the other steam tender to the right in the photo. Have a shot of that one too.

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Here it is, not lettered and numbered yet, in the 1984 World's Fair Daylight train at Portland Union Station.

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The return trip of the Worlds Fair Daylight at Los Angeles Union Station during the layover there on her way back to Portland. Tender is still unlettered and not numbered yet.

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Last shot showing 4449 and most of the Worlds Fair Daylight after having just left Klamath Falls, Oregon and headed home to Portland. These are all shots from our 4449 A/V program shown at the SPH&TS convention in Portland in 2000. Program also includes 16 stereo sound recordings that I made of this engine. Including one at this location. Thinking of putting out a CD of them, if there would be enough interest in one.

The tender has also been used behind the Spokane, Portland and Seattle 4-8-4 #700 and Santa Fe 4-8-4 #3751. It was in your basic black during both of those runs......... C.C.Chas.

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The beast has solid (not roller) bearings and as such has to get a waiver from the FRA and other RRs to operate. I asked one of the GGRM people why it hadn't been converted to rollers and the reply was "nobody make 'em THAT BIG!!!" Fully loaded, this is one heavy mutha-flotcher.

A few years ago I wrote an article for Railway Preservation News that was published on their site. I have no idea if it's still there or not, but it chronicled DLMX 4219's travels behind 4449, 700 and 3751 that year, 2002, including it's ferry moves. It sure logged a lotta miles, collecting new decals and sayings on each trip. Started with "Let's Roll" prior to the 4449 Columbia-Deschutes trip in March, Santa Fe on 3751's trip to the Grand Canyon, then SP&S on 700's Montana steam tour.

djansson Wrote:
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> The beast has solid (not roller) bearings and as
> such has to get a waiver from the FRA and other
> RRs to operate. I asked one of the GGRM people
> why it hadn't been converted to rollers and the
> reply was "nobody make 'em THAT BIG!!!" Fully
> loaded, this is one heavy mutha-flotcher.

To what "beast" are you refering to? Last I checked the auxiliary tender had roller bearings.

Thanks for the interesting history of the tender. Here's a shot of it running behind SP SW1500 2604 at Mountain View, CA, after being set out with a hotbox on the May 11, 1984 SF-Fresno run.

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Another shot of the tender heading to San Jose for repairs. The tender looks like it's rolling down SP's Coast Line all by itself!

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