Coal tender drawbar

[tatans]

I've got an old NKP Berk. and the tender drawbar (is that the correct term?) is simply a flat piece of brass, also is the drawbar attached to the tender or engine or completely seperate on a real engine? would anyone have a clear photo of a real or scale engine drawbar-I imagine they must all vary but follow a rough design. anyone??? Thanks

[Anonymous]

In real life, there were many things connecting the tender to the locomotive. Steam lines, Watern lines, air lines, ect. There was usually two large pieces of metal also between the loco and tender. One for the crew to walk on, and one to semi-permenantly couple the tender to it's loco.

[mcouvillion]

tatans,

I used to think that all tenders were connected by drawbars to their engines - until I looked closely at a stuffed engine on display in a park. It had couplers between the engine and tender! I don't remember where the release lever was (I hope not too accessible!!!), but it sure wasn't a drawbar. I have a hard time believing that the railroad took the time to switch from drawbars to couplers just to park the engine on display. I have converted a Mantua Mikado and a couple of tenders to use couplers. Its a little way to be more prototypical (at least from one observed engine) and it is different.

I used to be against using drawbars, but I started using them on early F units because it was prototypical. I have an ABBA set that uses all drawbars because of an internal wiring harness used for sound and power pickup. There should be a coupler between the two B units, but I have wires running there and the drawbars keep the diaphragms mated at all times, and the wires hidden.

Mark C.

[tatans]

A response on the Trains forum answered my question plus even more information on how a steam engine backs up without pushing the tender off the tracks. as usual, great responses to some odd questions, what would we do without interested forum members??? thanks again.

[dinwitty]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mcouvillion

tatans,

I used to think that all tenders were connected by drawbars to their engines - until I looked closely at a stuffed engine on display in a park. It had couplers between the engine and tender! I don't remember where the release lever was (I hope not too accessible!!!), but it sure wasn't a drawbar. I have a hard time believing that the railroad took the time to switch from drawbars to couplers just to park the engine on display. I have converted a Mantua Mikado and a couple of tenders to use couplers. Its a little way to be more prototypical (at least from one observed engine) and it is different.

I used to be against using drawbars, but I started using them on early F units because it was prototypical. I have an ABBA set that uses all drawbars because of an internal wiring harness used for sound and power pickup. There should be a coupler between the two B units, but I have wires running there and the drawbars keep the diaphragms mated at all times, and the wires hidden.

Mark C.

They could have decided to use couplers as a convenience while moving the engine, a drawbar would have been more work to reconnect/disconnect.
Look around that engine to see if the original drawbar might be laying somewhere on it.
If it was a small engine couplers would work easy.