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Vanderbilt tenders

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  • Member since
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  • From: Shenandoah Valley
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Vanderbilt tenders
Posted by BigDaddy on Saturday, March 31, 2018 6:49 PM

I bought a 4-6-0 Bachmann DCC ready at a train show.  The tender does not have the bottom speaker molding and there is hardly any room inside the tender.  I suppose I could cut out the top of the tender and make a fake load of coal, but I thought a Vandi could give me all the room I need.

Would a 4-6-0 ever have a Vanderbilt tender?

 

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

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Posted by gmpullman on Saturday, March 31, 2018 7:11 PM

BigDaddy
Would a 4-6-0 ever have a Vanderbilt tender?

Do you have a specific railroad in mind? S-P had 2-6-0s with Vanderbilt tenders:

 

http://espee.railfan.net/sp_steam_t-31.html

Good Luck, Ed

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Posted by BigDaddy on Saturday, March 31, 2018 7:16 PM

gmpullman
Do you have a specific railroad in mind?

The loco I bought is Ma & Pa, but I have a vivid imagination.

 

 

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

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Posted by RR_Mel on Saturday, March 31, 2018 7:22 PM

The SP had Vanderbilt tenders on their 0-6-0 Yard switches.  I bought a MDC Vandy for my 0-6-0 to make room for a speaker.
 
 
 
Mel
 
Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951
  
 
My Model Railroad   
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
 
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Posted by gmpullman on Saturday, March 31, 2018 7:24 PM

BigDaddy
I have a vivid imagination.

That's good! Near as I can tell the Ma & Pa didn't have any Vanderbilt tenders.

http://www.maparailroadhist.org/locos.htm

Use your creative licence wild card Whistling

Ed

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Posted by 7j43k on Saturday, March 31, 2018 8:53 PM

BigDaddy

Would a 4-6-0 ever have a Vanderbilt tender?

 
 

 

Quite a few UP 4-6-0's had Vanderbilt tenders.

 

 

Ed

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Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Saturday, March 31, 2018 8:56 PM

BigDaddy

I bought a 4-6-0 Bachmann DCC ready at a train show.  The tender does not have the bottom speaker molding and there is hardly any room inside the tender.  I suppose I could cut out the top of the tender and make a fake load of coal, but I thought a Vandi could give me all the room I need.

Would a 4-6-0 ever have a Vanderbilt tender?

 
 

Pretty sure Bachmann made a sound tender for that model, so you may be able to simply buy a tender floor from Bachmann that is speaker ready.

I don't do sound or DCC, but I have two Bachmann 4-6-0's that I have converted to their small vandy tender, maybe I can post a picture later.

Sheldon

    

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Posted by BigDaddy on Saturday, March 31, 2018 9:53 PM

ATLANTIC CENTRAL
Pretty sure Bachmann made a sound tender for that model, so you may be able to simply buy a tender floor from Bachmann that is speaker ready.

I didn't think of that, the "tender chassis" is sold with a PCB and speaker for $77  I didn't pay much more than that for the whole loco.

 
 

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

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Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, April 1, 2018 11:37 AM

BigDaddy

 

 
ATLANTIC CENTRAL
Pretty sure Bachmann made a sound tender for that model, so you may be able to simply buy a tender floor from Bachmann that is speaker ready.

 

I didn't think of that, the "tender chassis" is sold with a PCB and speaker for $77  I didn't pay much more than that for the whole loco.

 
 
 

Or look at their photos of the speaker ready version, then modify your tender to fit a speaker and decoder?

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Posted by richg1998 on Sunday, April 1, 2018 12:36 PM

Almost ten years ago I took a Bachmann Vanderbilt from a 0-6-0, put metal wheels on it with pickups, a Tsunami 750 in it with an oval speaker.Added some bird shot for a little weight.

The newer SoundTraxx is slightly smaller. Measure first, cut later.

I looked at the sound version at the Bachmann forums and made mine with similar speaker holes in the bottom of the tender. Smallest tender Bachmann sold. Never for sound. Tight fit but it worked. Hard wired. I ran two wires as hoses to the loco to use the loco wheels for extra pickups. Just use your imagination.

Coupled with a Mantua 0-6-0 converted to a 2-6-0 which had a Digitrax DZ125 in it.

Photo Bucket locked up my photos. Sorry.

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.

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Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Sunday, April 1, 2018 12:42 PM

richg1998

Almost ten years ago I took a Bachmann Vanderbilt from a 0-6-0, put metal wheels on it with pickups, a Tsunami 750 in it with an oval speaker.Added some bird shot for a little weight.

The newer SoundTraxx is slightly smaller. Measure first, cut later.

I looked at the sound version at the Bachmann forums and made mine with similar speaker holes in the bottom of the tender. Smallest tender Bachmann sold. Never for sound. Tight fit but it worked. Hard wired. I ran two wires as hoses to the loco to use the loco wheels for extra pickups. Just use your imagination.

Coupled with a Mantua 0-6-0 converted to a 2-6-0 which had a Digitrax DZ125 in it.

Photo Bucket locked up my photos. Sorry.

Rich

 

Sorry Rich, I have to ask, your photos were only on Photobucket? Why would you do that?

    

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Posted by richg1998 on Sunday, April 1, 2018 12:54 PM

ATLANTIC CENTRAL

 

 
richg1998

Almost ten years ago I took a Bachmann Vanderbilt from a 0-6-0, put metal wheels on it with pickups, a Tsunami 750 in it with an oval speaker.Added some bird shot for a little weight.

The newer SoundTraxx is slightly smaller. Measure first, cut later.

I looked at the sound version at the Bachmann forums and made mine with similar speaker holes in the bottom of the tender. Smallest tender Bachmann sold. Never for sound. Tight fit but it worked. Hard wired. I ran two wires as hoses to the loco to use the loco wheels for extra pickups. Just use your imagination.

Coupled with a Mantua 0-6-0 converted to a 2-6-0 which had a Digitrax DZ125 in it.

Photo Bucket locked up my photos. Sorry.

Rich

 

 

 

Sorry Rich, I have to ask, your photos were only on Photobucket? Why would you do that?

 

On my external hard drive also. Just not bothering with anymore photo hosting.

I use MRH forums which do not need photo hosting if I want to post a photo which is rare anymore.

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.

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Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Sunday, April 1, 2018 1:19 PM

richg1998

 

 
ATLANTIC CENTRAL

 

 
richg1998

Almost ten years ago I took a Bachmann Vanderbilt from a 0-6-0, put metal wheels on it with pickups, a Tsunami 750 in it with an oval speaker.Added some bird shot for a little weight.

The newer SoundTraxx is slightly smaller. Measure first, cut later.

I looked at the sound version at the Bachmann forums and made mine with similar speaker holes in the bottom of the tender. Smallest tender Bachmann sold. Never for sound. Tight fit but it worked. Hard wired. I ran two wires as hoses to the loco to use the loco wheels for extra pickups. Just use your imagination.

Coupled with a Mantua 0-6-0 converted to a 2-6-0 which had a Digitrax DZ125 in it.

Photo Bucket locked up my photos. Sorry.

Rich

 

 

 

Sorry Rich, I have to ask, your photos were only on Photobucket? Why would you do that?

 

 

 

On my external hard drive also. Just not bothering with anymore photo hosting.

I use MRH forums which do not need photo hosting if I want to post a photo which is rare anymore.

Rich

 

OK

    

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Posted by garya on Sunday, April 1, 2018 11:25 PM

BigDaddy
.

Would a 4-6-0 ever have a Vanderbilt tender?

 

The Frisco had a few Vanderbilt tenders that they inherited from predecessor roads.  They were often coupled to 4-6-0s:

Gary

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Posted by OT Dean on Monday, April 2, 2018 12:32 AM

Henry, unless you're modeling the Ma & Pa, go for it!  It's your railroad, and maybe you're loosely modeling the C&O's locos, but suit yourself.  I presume you're in the hobby for fun, right?  So, HAVE FUN!!

Deano

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Posted by wjstix on Monday, April 2, 2018 9:59 AM

I think Bachmann tenders have removeable coal loads, so you wouldn't need to cut anything. My old 2-6-6-2 came out before they added the speaker holes, so as a temporary measure when I converted it to sound I drilled a hole between the main tender body and the coal area of the tender and ran wires thru to put a 1" speaker under the removeable coal load. Eventually, I'll use a metal-cutting drill bit and drill holes in the tender floor and move the speaker there, as I think it will sound better there. (There isn't room in the coal bunker area for an enclosure, it's just the speaker.)

Stix
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Posted by hardcoalcase on Saturday, April 7, 2018 6:54 PM

While putzing through some historical photos, I came across a pic of a camelback loco with a vandy tender.

Now if that doesn't prove the old saying "There's a prototype for everything." I don't know what would!

Jim

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Posted by Bayfield Transfer Railway on Saturday, April 7, 2018 8:00 PM

Just use a sugarcube speaker.

 

Disclaimer:  This post may contain humor, sarcasm, and/or flatulence.

Michael Mornard

Bringing the North Woods to South Dakota!

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Posted by Ladder1 on Saturday, April 7, 2018 9:43 PM

Picked up two Spectrum 2-10-2s at a train show.  Put sound in both using high bass Soundtraxx speakers in the coal bunker.  Drilled a bunch of tiny holes in the coal load, sounds great! 

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Posted by 7j43k on Saturday, April 7, 2018 11:09 PM

Bayfield Transfer Railway

Just use a sugarcube speaker.

 

 

 

As opposed to......?

I do admit I am made suspicious when someone uses the latest key words:

sugarcube, gorilla glue, liquid nails

 

Ed

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Posted by doctorwayne on Sunday, April 8, 2018 1:13 AM

7j43k

Bayfield Transfer Railway

Just use a sugarcube speaker.

 

As opposed to......?

I do admit I am made suspicious when someone uses the latest key words:

sugarcube, gorilla glue, liquid nails

Ed

 
Hey, Ed, those words can't be the latest...even this old goat has heard of them.  Sugar cube speakers are about the size of their namesake, and are, I think, the ones used in cell 'phones.  In any case, they're really small, but offer very good sound quality, especially considering their size.
And, just to prove that I truly am an old goat, personally, I'm not a fan of sound in models.
 
Wayne (not ba-a-a-d, eh?)
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Posted by BigDaddy on Sunday, April 8, 2018 10:02 AM

Bayfield Transfer Railway

Just use a sugarcube speaker.

You overestimate the amount of free space in this tender.  After plugging in the lenz decoder, I could barely reattach the tender shell.  The later versions of the Bachmann 4-6-0 came with larger (or maybe smaller drivers) and a tender with a bit more height to it and a well for the speaker in the bottom. 

I suppose I can tear the circuit board out and put in a loksound micro and sugar cube.  I've got a couple DCC convesions under my belt, but it's not the fun part of the hobby for me.

 

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

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Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Sunday, April 8, 2018 10:14 AM

Just clear things up, the Spectrum 4-6-0 came with three different tenders dependjng on roadname and driver size. Two of the three are very small.

I will try to remenber to post a photo of my vsbdy tender conversion, but it is the large driver loco.

Sheldon

    

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Posted by doctorwayne on Sunday, April 8, 2018 11:20 AM

Luckily, I'm running DC, and don't need to worry about decoders or the equipment needed for sound.  I found the tenders for Bachmann's large-driver 4-6-0s...

...too big, and not only shortened it, but also took a piece out of it lengthwise, as it was wider than the locomotive...

As you can see, with lots of lead in the cistern portion, I was able to create an open coal bunker, useful if you use loose "coal" loads.

Wayne

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Posted by snjroy on Tuesday, April 10, 2018 8:04 AM

You can also buy the long haul tender separately. They are low cost and are DCC ready.

Simon

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Posted by BRAKIE on Wednesday, April 11, 2018 6:24 AM

OT Dean
and maybe you're loosely modeling the C&O's locos, but suit yourself.

Then you need to be careful because some engines in the same class had standard tenders.

Larry

Conductor.

Summerset Ry.


"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt  Safety First!"

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