Tender - ize Me!

[jonathan]

For many months now, I have been tinkering with a Spectrum Long Tender.  These were leftover from my Spectrum Mountain project.  Just picked one up every once in a while, worked on it, and put it down.

Now I'm just about done messing with the former long tender.  To generalize, I shortened it 50mm, modified the tender pick up, added a reverse light and made a new draw bar.  The paint is still drying, but I intend to connect the tender to my 2002 0-6-0.  I never liked the larger tender, and I couldn't find a separate slope back tender to modify.  So...  here is it.







The reverse light is made from two pieces of brass tubing.

There is a prototype for this tender.  However, I made it a couple scale feet shorter than the original.  Oh, and the ladder is on the wrong side.  I was too lazy to move it over.

Regards,

Jonathan

[Jerrys HO]

Nice work as usual but I am kinda shocked you were too lazy to move the ladder.

Have a MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Jerry

[rogertra]

Excellent work.

You can always move the ladder later.   

Merry Christmas.

[richg]

You are the best. Keep up the good work. It will be an inspiration to others.

Rich

[jonathan]

Thank you, Gents.  You're too kind.

The project is now finished as I finally managed to scratch up a draw bar out of a couple pieces of leftover running board (roof walk).  I used 1/2" 2-56 screws on the loco and the tender for connecting the draw bar.  The tender's 2-56 screw also hold the shell onto the frame.  I tapped some 2-56 threads in the metal underframe.  

It took a bit of adjustment to get the tender to pass current to the loco.  The metal underframe likes to cause little shorts as you would imagine.  Got it all ironed out:

Regards,

Jonathan
Up and running smoothly (after some adjustment)


Roof walk draw bar


Tender screw that holds draw bar and keeps the tender together.


Dragging 15 ore cars + a bobber caboose (extra weight helps)

[Desertdweller]

Nice, clean work!


Les

[richg]

Hi Jonathan

I know many see projects like this and think it must have been easy but most of the time, never realize that there is a lot of try this, try that, or, oh,oh, not going to work or ugh, just broke the part.
Sometimes, I cut it three times and it is still too short. Ever cut a little too much? Just never mentioned this after the project was finished.
I most of the time don't mention those details as the project is finished and working.
Maybe it would help those starting on a project to know there will be times we have to try something different.
Model Railroading like this is never plug and play or I would have never went beyond Lionel 0-27.
I bet many here have had there share of projects that really tried their patience.

Rich

[jonathan]

You are correct, Rich.  I use words like "adjustment" or "tweak" to stand in for something like, "disassembled this thing a half-dozen times, and added/moved certain parts."  It tooks a few hours of tinkering just to get the tender to stop shorting itself on the underframe.  However, I would rather show the finished product, after everything had been fixed and working properly.

I usually don't mention these projects take a while, too, because I use simple hand tools.  The only power tool I use is a cordless drill.  As much as possible, I used hand tools for my benchwork, too. 

I cut up the original tender and frame using only a razor saw.  All my cuts were not square, so I have a piece of sandpaper taped to a ceramic flooring tile.  I spent most of this project s-l-o-w-l-y sanding down the ends of my cuts to get everything to fit.

That being said, that simple hand tool construction is the fun part for me.  Some may consider it wasting time.  We all find enjoyment different ways.

Oh, and I do have a few project "failures" that sit in a parts box.  I never throw anything away.  It amazing how many parts are recyclable.

Les,

Thanks. The paint and weathering hide a few 'oops' here and there.

Regards,

Jonathan

[J3a-614]

That's an interesting looking tank; has a Pennsy look to my eye.  Wonder if the prototype was from one of the Pennsy-designed engines the B&O had (E-24 2-8-0, and a series of Atlantic types, I'm afraid I don't recall the class just now).

[jonathan]

J3a,

I used the B&O D class 0-6-0 as my reference for the tender.  A very few had the slope back tender, as in the new DCC 0-6-0 offering, but most of the D-30s (and others) had a small rectangular shaped tender.  I used the old photos on NE Rails as a guide.  Some of those tenders were flat across the top, some had the bunker walls, fore and aft, like I did; all were just a bit longer than what I cobbled together.  

My branch line, with mining operation, has very tight clearance issues.  My locos must be less than 9" long in order to operate freely on this part of the layout.  That was my motivation anyway.  That why I like the 0-6-0s so much.  They can be made strong and smooth enough to handle the work, yet are small enough to negotiate some pretty tight areas.

Regards,

Jonathan

Addendum:

B&O D-30s that had the small rectangular tender, without the box extention on top:

1169, 1185, 353, 355, 359, 362, 363, 366, 377, 384, & 387.

[Doneldon]

jonathan-

I see this project is up to your unremittingly excellent standards.
May I congratulate you yet again on a terrific redo.
                                                                              -- D

[NevinW]

How did you get the bead to continue along the straight edge of the top of the tender after you cut the upper raised edge of the coal bunker off? - Nevin

[jonathan]

Thanks, Doneldon.

Nevin,

The 50mm I cut off the tender shell was the raised portion of the tender walls.  The top bead appears continuous as a result.

Regards,

Jonathan