Putting MTL coupler on a Bachmann Short USRA tender

[bbussey]

The surplus tenders I picked up have rear steps and full DCC-ready circuitry.  The one medium-length car I pulled the coupler off had the slot.  I don't remember if the Mountain tender had slots or not, or tabs or not, as it's been a while since I upgraded the coupler.

In any event, I agree with you that it is not difficult to upgrade any of the Bachmann tenders to have MTL couplers.

[OldEastRR]

That is the medium tender on your New Haven. The short USRA has higher sides on the coal bunker.

Yes, right -- that's my tender, the high coal bunker. Plus METAL rear steps. Plus working cut bar. Maybe I have a mutant version. OR since I was working as a magazine reviewer of RR prods at the time, I got one of the earliest earliest versions  made. I remember Bmann had me return the first 4-6-0 sample because of some production error, but this tender was a separate item I received at the same time. It has the slot, the metal steps, high coal bunker, etc. From what I've learned here I think I can get a 1015 on it after milling, drilling and tapping.
Now -- since I cut down the decoder board from the original tender to fit into the short one, I don't know which connections I need to re-attach to get the headlight lit. Any ideas there? Other functions work fine.

[atsf3751]

OldEastRR's comment made me get out all my Bachmann tenders and look at them closely, I have learned something. Every tender is slightly different.

I have not used the short USRA tender nor the slope back tender yet so I saw with interest that both tenders have metal rear steps and a single long slot in a metal floor.

The medium USRA tender has no rear steps and a single hole for a screw in a metal floor. I have used several of these.

The long USRA tender comes with both plastic or metal rear steps and two slots, one on each side of the coupler box. The tender with the plastic end steps also has a plastic floor.

The medium and long Vanderbilt tenders have plastic end steps and a single screw hole in the metal floor, these I have used a lot.

Several of the tenders came with a circuit board in them for connecting a decoder to (haven't used one yet, usually remove it) and all have power pickup. I like to couple my tenders close to the engine and have an assortment of Bachmann drawbars to facilitate this, but sometimes I have to make my own.