Bachmann N Baldwin 4-6-0 tender upgrade options

[TinyTurner]

After waiting for what must have been actual years for a good used Bachmann 10 wheeler,  I finally found one on Greedbay. Great!  But whats this?  Doesn't that tender look a bit long? According to most, it is.  Good observation for a nooby.   

Searching for something better.  What exactly is the 'correct' tender?  Any how to's on making something, kit/scratch/bash?  Is the USRA short tender the only thing out there?

[NDave]

I've got one with a Bachmann USRA short tender:


and one with an MRC Vanderbilt tender:


Both with Soundtraxx Tsunami 2 Steam 2 sound decoders and sugar cube speakers in the tenders. Both run great!

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I've got one with a Bachmann USRA short tender:


and one with an MRC Vanderbilt tender:


Both with Soundtraxx Tsunami 2 Steam 2 sound decoders and sugar cube speakers in the tenders. Both run great!

Those are beauties!

Here's what I did: https://conrail1285.com/fitting-a-minitrix-old-timer-tender-to-a-bachmann-4-6-0/

[JMaurer1]

That Vandy tender looks really good behind that 10 wheeler! I wish I had a dozen of those tenders (but I don't) and wish that they would return, but then I wish I could get a Harriman boiler to update the locomotive as well...

[wazzou]

There's clearly something different with the cabs though too.
The #1243 looks stock while the #1585 has been fitted with something different.
Can you tell us what you've done with each of the cabs?

[Lemosteam]

Those are beauties!

Here's what I did: https://conrail1285.com/fitting-a-minitrix-old-timer-tender-to-a-bachmann-4-6-0/

When you gonna paint that thing? 

[Ed Kapuscinski]

When you gonna paint that thing? 

When the front half comes back from Super Strasburg, aka, @Chris333

[Lemosteam]

Ahahhahaha,

Here is what I did with my ten wheeler. Shortened Trix K4 shell, modernized cylinders, Trix K4 tender shell on original tender frame printed Keisel tender trucks and various boiler details:



https://goo.gl/photos/LjHJEDiDScLbDYVLA

[Caddy58]

GHQ Cab and Bachman USRA short Tender to approximate an NP engine




Cheers
Dirk

[wm3798]

Hmmm.  Somehow I ended up with one equipped with a decoder, so my options for replacing the tender are limited.  It drives me a wee bit nuts that the tender is every bit as big as this otherwise diminutive hustler.


The pile of wires between engine and tender make a simple tender swap unlikely.
I run DC, so the decoder is surplus anyway...

Lee

[peteski]

The pile of wires between engine and tender make a simple tender swap unlikely.
I run DC, so the decoder is surplus anyway...

Lee

Since you run DC, when not give the model a lobotomy (remove all the electronics), and wire it for DC.  Should only be 6 wires at the drawbar:  2 for electric pickup, 2 for motor, and 2 for headlight.

Since the tender will now be only used for electric pickup, you could graft on a smaller tender.  I guess the only limitation is how comfortable you are de-decoderizing the model.

[NDave]

There's clearly something different with the cabs though too.
The #1243 looks stock while the #1585 has been fitted with something different.
Can you tell us what you've done with each of the cabs?

IIRC, #1243 has a stock cab. The boiler was pretty much completely stripped of detail, and rebuilt... mostly new running boards, new cross-compound air pump, new piping, new headlight, new handrails (on Gold Medal stanchions), a new pilot built over the frame of the factory pilot, etc...

#1585 has a modified cab from a Bachmann 2-8-0 (part bought from Bachmann). The cab windows were rebuilt, and I think the cab was lifted (a little too much, actually). #1585 also got a new cross-compound airpump, some mods to the running boards, a new headlight, but most of the boiler piping was stock.

[NDave]

That Vandy tender looks really good behind that 10 wheeler! I wish I had a dozen of those tenders (but I don't) and wish that they would return, but then I wish I could get a Harriman boiler to update the locomotive as well...

I also like the Vandy tender behind the ten-wheeler... it is a bit too long (the Vandy on the prototype is shorter and looks a bit "tubby"), but I thought I would make a hack of it if I tried to shorten it (plus, not sure I could fit the decoder and speaker in if shortened). I have another MRC Vandy tender behind a Bachmann consolidation. bashed to resemble U.P. #618. Both have been converted to all wheel pickup, using Bachmann tender trucks.

[ChristianJDavis1]

Hmmm.  Somehow I ended up with one equipped with a decoder, so my options for replacing the tender are limited.  It drives me a wee bit nuts that the tender is every bit as big as this otherwise diminutive hustler.


The pile of wires between engine and tender make a simple tender swap unlikely.
I run DC, so the decoder is surplus anyway...

Lee

I have one of the DC-only ones included in a set, if you want an easy, no-hassle swap of the two. If you want the mechanism, we could swap mech for mech (and tender for tender), we each keep our own shells?

[Maletrain]

I would expect to see a tender that looks more like this:

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

But this also looks OK:

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]