The T.C.L.E. (Twentieth Century Limited Express) Tender went through several variations:

    1st series - Yellow lettering, red border on outside, green wheels, rounded tabs, trucks held on by screws with brass nuts and the inside of tender is a shiny, tin-like surface.

   2nd series - Same as above except inside of tender is a dull gray.

   3rd series - Red lettering, yellow border on outside, green wheels, trucks are staked on, rounded tabs.

   4th series - same as above except wheels are no longer painted green and tabs are more 'square' (1908).

   5th series - Red lettering, yellow border on outside, tin wheels, square tabs, 'floor train' slot (1910) at end of frame, no ridge along bottom of tender on both sides.

   6th series - Same as above except this one has automatic couplers (1912)

The picture above is the early variation (1904-1906), below is the later (1908-1911). Two things to look at; the wheels are painted green on the early tenders not on later ones. Also look closely at the litho, early version have yellow lettering with the red stripe on the outside, later models have red lettering with the yellow stripe on the outside. The above tender also has the shiny tin inside only found the first year or two, it was a dull gray after that.

Full view comparison - early tender above (1st series), late tender below.

This is a bottom view of the early tender where the trucks are attached with screws and brass nuts, later version the trucks are staked on.

Later variation of the early No. 40 tender shows the red lettering, yellow outside stripe which can also be seen at the end fold. On the early tenders the fold would be red.

Circa 1910-1912 - This tender is for a floor toy and is another example of the later variation. All No. 40 tenders made from 1910-12 have slot in the back even if it's not a floor toy tender.

Very last T.C.L.E. No. 40 this one has an automatic coupler.

Circa 1912-13 - this is the tender that went with the third series No. 40 - Note that the one above has the early trucks that match the Chicago type passenger cars, the one pictured below has the later trucks that match the No. 180 series passenger cars.

Circa 1915 - 1920 - The two tenders above and below are Late No. 40s used with either a third series No 40 clockwork or the 1129 electric.