Original Bachmann Light Mountain tender -

[nickelplate759]

I have an original (not DCC-ready) Bachmann Light Mountain tender (2 actually).

How do you get the darn thing apart?  The top deck and coal load are clearly separate castings, but seemingly locked into the main part of the body. The floor and sides seem to be one piece.
I'm mystified!

[brokemoto]

The coal load and tender deck actually are one piece.  I have converted a few of these to oil burners. 

The back, angled coal board will come off with a tug.  You will then see a slot that the coal board covered.  Insert a jeweller's screwdriver and GENTLY work out the thing..  Sometimes, toothpicks' pushing out the sides help, sometimes, they do not.

I am assuming that you do not want to damage the coal load.  I did not care, as I was removing it and replacing it with an oil bunker.

[nickelplate759]

Turns out that mine is missing the angled coal board in the first place (I bought it used, mostly for the trucks).
I may just take the trucks (drop-equalizer) and put them on a newer tender and call it done.

[Mark5]

It's a shame these were not available separately - they are the correct tenders (USRA medium) for the USRA Heavy and Light 4-8-2.

[nickelplate759]

Bachmann USRA medium were available separately and can still be found on places like eBay.  However, they don't have the correct drop-equalizer trucks.  Bachmann did briefly sell the trucks as parts, but sold out long ago and never restocked.

[Mark5]

Bachmann USRA medium were available separately and can still be found on places like eBay.  However, they don't have the correct drop-equalizer trucks.  Bachmann did briefly sell the trucks as parts, but sold out long ago and never restocked.

Yes, the separate ones had the wrong trucks.

Its funny, I would have bought the heavy in N&W if they had put the correct tender on it.

Mark