The "vertical rod" on the J's tender?

[wobblinwheel]

I just got back from the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke today. I have been there three times before, and am always in AWE from the sheer beauty and MASSIVENESS of the J-611 and the A-1218. I'm always looking for more details to add to my HO scale models. One detail is a horizontal rod, or tool hanging below the tender, on the left side, below the tender. Is it possibly the "poker" used to stir the ashes in the pan? I lifted it off it's hooks, and boy is it HEAVY! any other ideas what it might be? Also, there's a VERTICAL rod-like gadget mounted on the LEFT side of the tender, right where the fireman would climb into the cab. It is not the handrail, as the handrail is in front of that. There is NOT one on the RIGHT side. There is a knob or something at the top of this tube, but I can't get close enough to get my hands on it. Any ideas what THAT IS! This detail IS represented on my BLI J. What could it be? Curiosity is killing me!

[BigJim]

wobblinwheel

I just got back from the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke today. I have been there three times before, and am always in AWE from the sheer beauty and MASSIVENESS of the J-611 and the A-1218. I'm always looking for more details to add to my HO scale models. One detail is a horizontal rod, or tool hanging below the tender, on the left side, below the tender. Is it possibly the "poker" used to stir the ashes in the pan? I lifted it off it's hooks, and boy is it HEAVY! any other ideas what it might be? Also, there's a VERTICAL rod-like gadget mounted on the LEFT side of the tender, right where the fireman would climb into the cab. It is not the handrail, as the handrail is in front of that. There is NOT one on the RIGHT side. There is a knob or something at the top of this tube, but I can't get close enough to get my hands on it. Any ideas what THAT IS! This detail IS represented on my BLI J. What could it be? Curiosity is killing me!

Question One, Yes, although it would more likely to be used to bust up clinkers that formed in the fire bed.

Question Two, That vertical "gadget" is the water gauge for the tender. You should have noticed a vertical row of holes near the bottom of the tube. The fireman would push down on the "knob" at the top and see how many holes of water were spewing out the side in order to gauge the water level in the tender. You should also have seen one on the 1218's tender.

[daveklepper]

Thanks for a good question and an informative answer on two of my favorite locomotives.