Pictures of UP 2-8-0’s in the early 1930’s show that most Union Pacific consolidations had Vanderbilt tenders. Was there a organized effort by the UP to switch them all to this kind of tender and if so, when did they make the change? - Nevin
Most Harriman Standard 2-8-0’s delivered to both UP and SP came from the builder equipped that way, so it wasn’t so much of a switch (implying old engines got new Vanderbilts) as it was a decision to equip most new (but not all) power with Vanderbilts. SP played musical tenders with its engines so you could see several different tenders on a loco during its lifetime. If I remember, Kratville’s book on UP power, there was some of that on the UP, although not to the same extent as SP. Sometimes it seems that SP changed tenders nearly as often as most people change their underwear.
As for the date (more or less), Vanderbilt tenders started showing up in the very early 1900’s. The Harriman Standard designs, IIRC, were of 7,9 and 10,000 gallon capacity. Larger Vanderbilts used by both SP and UP didn’t fall under the Harriman standard as UP was forced to sell its controlling interest in SP in 1913. SP and UP went their separate motive power ways afterward, although SP was ordering (or building in its own shops) Harriman standard power up through WWI.
Andre