Locomotive Tender, American Locomotive Co. Schenectady Works, 1906
X263579 after repainting, May 1995. Paul Swanson photo
#X263579 in service, July 1974. Jeff Haertlein photo
C&NW auxiliary tender X263579, at Proviso, in use with a steam pile driver. This is the tender that was used behind #1385 from 1973 until 1998. Bill Raia collection.
C&NW #1361, with the tender used behind #1385 from 1973 until 1998. Photo from the collection of Bill Raia.
Presently in use with C&NW R-1 class 4-6-0 steam locomotive #1385 at Mid-Continent, this tender originally was mated with C&NW R-1 class 4-6-0 #1361, built by Schenectady in 1906. #1361 was an oil burner, assigned for use on C&NW’s western lines. As such, the tender featured an oil tank fitted inside the coal bunker. #1361 was scrapped in September 1944, but the tender survived and was last used as an auxiliary tender for C&NW steam pile driver #X263579 at Proviso yard. In this service, it was well suited as the pile driver was oil-fired.
In the early 1970’s, Mid-Continent began restoration of C&NW #1385 to service. #1385’s original tender was deemed beyond repair. #X263579 was being retired at Proviso at the time and became available. It was purchased and moved to North Freedom for use with #1385. Some modifications were required such as extending the coal boards on the side of the tank, building a higher coal bunker floor to match the cab floor height of #1385, removing the oil tank, and installing a drawbar and rear headlight. #X263579 was repainted with the 1950’s era C&NW ball-and-bar emblem and served with #1385 until 1998, including all its travels on the C&NW system in the 1980’s.
In 1995, #1385 was repainted in a pre-1940’s C&NW scheme for the C&NW Historical Society’s convention held at North Freedom that year. In 1998, #X263579 was removed from service with #1385 and was stored, pending #1385’s restoration. In 2011 the determination was made to rebuild #1385’s tender using a mix of new components and parts of the original, larger capacity original tender. As a result, #X263579 was deaccessioned and sold at auction in 2015.