This is what I did. Still no where near prototypical.
No couplings. The hoses are all the same size. The hose for the steam line would be larger diameter and a much different connection than a air hose.
Again it is only an analogy.
I have seen prototypical loco tender connections at Steamtown and my locos are not even close.
Here is what is typical on a train at Steamtown. There are variations of the steam line types.
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
Here are some pictures of the hose set-up. The vestibule-style cab on this loco helped to hide the mounting bracket on the loco, but I may not include hoses on the rebuilt loco, as it will most likely be an open-style cab.
To separate the loco and tender, the loose coal is first dumped from the tender's coal bunker, then drawbar screw on the loco is removed. To disconnect the wire from the tender to the loco, tweezers are used to lift out the bottom of the coal bunker, allowing access to the screw holding the wire terminal in place.
Wayne
Yes. Great to see some photos of the tender connections, and yes, there certainly is a lot of "stuff" hanging down as you mentioned, glad to see someone is interested in accuracy, and a great job on the loco, that tender sure looks like something that belongs on a C.P.R. locomotive. I am amazed at the non-response on this subject, I would have expected much more controversy on this subject, is there something else I don't know about locomotives that involves super accuracy, yet something major has been left off as it seems too much trouble or cost to apply to that locomotive?????
I modelled the hose connections between the loco and tender on this John English Pacific, although it's not overly visible in the only photo that I could find. At the time, I didn't really know what needed to be there, so there were 7 "hoses", representing two water lines, tender air brake line, train air line, signal line, steam line for train heat, and a steam line to prevent the cistern water from freezing during long winter lay-overs. I didn't model buffer blocks, double drawbars, or safety chains, although there was a working diaphram between the tender and the all-weather cab. The "hoses" were very pliable insulation from a handset cord, and were fastened to the tender on steel wire pins. The front end of the hoses terminated in a built-up styrene plate, which was attached to the rear frame extension of the loco by the same screw which held the drawbar in place.
The loco is currently torn down for a complete re-build, but I have the tender in front of me as I type, with the hoses still attached. If anybody wants a picture, let me know.
Ironic too that the DCC/Sound wire argument, and MTH is trying to elimate those. But they are a pian to un/redo, and hard on the wires.
-Morgan
tatans It would seem this "problem" of not detailing tender connections is another stigma attached to rivet counters where details only count where you want it to count. Supposedly brilliant and talented modellers can not attach tender connections that actually move??? I find that hard to believe.(don't attach them to a hard point) I always noticed that something was missing when a $1300.00 brass loco at a train show went by there is this huge gap between tender and engine, now we know. And that analogy about curves solves another question, I often wondered why model trains look goofy going around curves (the angle between the cars is too great) the problem is the curve is too tight. The worst sight is to see a passenger train on a curve with the end of the coach making a huge sweep out in the field of the curve, something to think about.
It would seem this "problem" of not detailing tender connections is another stigma attached to rivet counters where details only count where you want it to count. Supposedly brilliant and talented modellers can not attach tender connections that actually move??? I find that hard to believe.(don't attach them to a hard point) I always noticed that something was missing when a $1300.00 brass loco at a train show went by there is this huge gap between tender and engine, now we know.
And that analogy about curves solves another question, I often wondered why model trains look goofy going around curves (the angle between the cars is too great) the problem is the curve is too tight. The worst sight is to see a passenger train on a curve with the end of the coach making a huge sweep out in the field of the curve, something to think about.
One problem is that the engine and tender are usually connected by the modeller, not the factory. Adding many super-delicate / breakable connections between the engine and tender might not be what most modellers - even rivet-counters - want to do. Plus every time you had to remove the tender you'd need to re-do everything. But we'll see, 30 years ago adding all the m.u. and other hoses at the front of a diesel was considered unnecessary if not impossible, now many engines come with them attached.
The tighest mainline curve in the US is about a 10-degree curve, which works out to about 33"R curve in HO scale...and at that, a real train would be restricted to about 15-20 MPH speed.
Overhang "lurch" can be limited on our sharp curves by using proper easements.
What boggles my mind is that the technology to close couple model steam engines and tenders has been around for for years in Europe, but the same technology is not used here. It's a shame. Here's a photo of a ROCO DB class 50 2-10-0 with a close coupled tender. The engine will go around 17" radius curves. http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/showphoto.php/photo/90754/ppuser/10849 Incidentally, both the tender and the loco are driven by a motor in the tender. These puppies will pull the wallpaper off the walls.
Incidentally, this guy apparently likes American models as well. Here's a Bowser L-1 he's built. http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/showphoto.php/photo/90231/ppuser/10849
Another view: http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/showphoto.php/photo/90229/ppuser/10849
Andre
Or lets not forget an intermodal car. I think there is a happy medium where you can make it look passable but still have curves that are too small. Some people just don't have the room or don't mind how things occasionally look. As long as it doesn't derail. As for the steam thing, most models I've seen don't have enough room between the tender and loco to worry about too much detailing. A good looking steam model is quite a sight, and a little skipped detailing I don't think is too big a deal.
There ARE some such connections on steamers with sound or DCC where stuff is hidden in the tender. The connections are wires that could resemble hoses and a plug {for connections} that could resemble an auto feed auger. Perhaps they could be designed better to resemble the real thing more.
Problem is, modelers already complain about those connectors too!
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
This is largely so, although you can sort of approximate those connections with the tethers on DCC engines with sound. It isn't a very good approximation...I don't mean to suggest it is quite realistic, but if the tether is neat and droops nicely, still allowing the engine and tender to negotiate layout curves, it can look close.
But that is largely the case; sharper curves make it impractical, and adding more details of that kind, especially that actually worked, would add to the cost.
Model railroading is a analogy of the real thing. All analogies break down somewhere. The hoses and couplings for a model steam loco is one place. Another place the analogy breaks down is, most model railroad curves when scaled up to full scale would not be suitable. Much too sharp.
No, this is not a romantic setting for a novel. Whenever I see a photo of a steamer side view, I see all these pipes, connectors, cables, metal and piles of other crap hanging down between the engine and tender, now when I see a model there is only the little popsicle stick connecting the tender, what gives??? where are all you rivet counters on this subject???
Is it too much trouble to add these to the locomotive?? sure would add a bit more realism to the locomotive.