Question-USRA Tenders

[sparkingbolt]

In Train World's ad I see Bachmann (Spectrum?) tenders sold separately. One is listed as a USRA long tender. Long as compared to what? Is this the correct tender I need for a USRA Light or heavy Mikado? Thanks, Dan

[tomwatkins]

Dan, It will depend on what road and era you're modeling. As far as I know, the USRA Mikes were delivered with the short, 10,000 gal. tender with four wheel trucks. Over the years many railroads enlarged the coal bunkers for additional capacity. Some roads switched to larger tenders. Let us know what railroad and time period you're interested in and we'll try to help more.

Tom Watkins

[cacole]

The USRA long tender is for Heavy Mountain locomotives, but should go well with a Heavy Mikado as a "long haul" type. Many prototype railroads swapped tenders, or rebuilt locomotives and changed tender types in the process. The California Railroad Museum is presently running a UP 0-4-0 switcher that has a tender from a Consolidation.

[orsonroy]

Generally, the USRA sold three tenders to go with their engines. The short tender was for the USRA 0-6-0 and 0-8-0. The medium tender was standard behind the pacifics, mikes, and light mountains. The heavy mountain, 2-10-2 and 2-6-6-2 got the long tenders.

As soon as the USRA released control of the railroads, things changed. Most roads cut back the USRA short coal bunker for better visibility, and started swapping around tenders. From the roads I know extremely well (the IC, NKP and W&LE), I know that all three roads preferred using the USRA long (and copies) behind their 1920s-1930s mainline steam, which was primarily mikados. Both the NKP and IC had "stretched long" tenders hauled behind Mikes, and the Wheeling built up the water and coal spaces (the NKP even had a series of really odd tenders, with a six wheel truck under the coal bunker and a four wheel truck in the back. One is still around in Illinois, in a park behind Mike 639).

I'm really glad Bachmann has decided to sell the USRA long tender as a seperate item! They're not exactly right to represent NKP long tenders, but they're close enough for me!