Re: SVR Whitney Water Tank

These 2 photos of Jim's are among his collection which I am working on captions for in cooperation with Garrie Tufford. I have these dated in the period 1927 being the earliest and 1937 being the latest. The engine as stated is SVRy 1st 11 C/N 4429. This engine was UN7 to SVRy as #11 in 1903, to SVRy 12 in '06, and out of service in 1916. This engine was put on display at U of Id. then cut up for scrap in 1942. Dating is based on a related photo in the same set of scenes that has the water tank shown in Martin's photo in the back ground without the windmill and pump house. The new water tank at the location to the East was constructed in June 1926. The windmill and additional pump house was constructed in June 1937. One of the Baldwin Mikados is seen at the depot in the photo set and has a Rushton stack. As the number of the Baldwin Mike is not visible, it could be any of the 3. 17 was the first to get a Ruston stack which was in 1927, so this is the earliest year it could be.
As a side note I suspect the #11 on the steam dome is done with chalk as there are a number of other photos of engines that were on the dead line at Bates with numbers chalked on by the photographer which in one case caused quite an exchange of email by a few of us interested in SVRy history as the chalked # was not correct, but was not recognized as a chalk # by some of us at first causing much confusion.
It might be possible to narrow the date further if we knew when the 11 left Whitney for U of I. Also in the photo set is seen coach #26 behind the Baldwin Mike. It being the only car in the pass. consist suggests later rather than earlier in this time frame when the economics of the Depression had reduced the daily pass. train to one car or a mixed. I don't think coach 26 as built had the side door near one end shown in the photo, but if so I don't have a date on this change.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 12/04/2012 09:15AM by J.B.Bane.