tender information


L

lmadsen

New Member
I am new to railroading and have some questions about Tenders. First of all do Tenders have to be matched with a particular locomotive? It seems because they are obtaining power from the track that the locomotive should not have anything to do with being matched. Give me as much information as possible.

Thanks
Larry
 
It will depend on the size of the engine. Small steam engines often use the tender wheels for power pick up off the rails. Large engines with more drive wheels can do all of the rail power pick up without using the tender. It can also depend on the manufacturer and even when it was made regardless of the size. A tender with electrical pick up on one side can be used on an engine that doesn't need that pick up as long as it is electrically isolated from the engine either with a non conductive draw bar to join them or simply making sure there is no electrical connection of any kind between them. However, an engine that needs power from the tender can't be run with a tender that doesn't provide it.

As a way of adding to your question, yes you can mix tenders if they will be electrically compatable. I have replaced some coal tenders with Vanderbuilt oil tenders on a coupler of steamers. So you can mix and match if you like.
 
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With HO and N steam engines, the tender is also a good place to put DCC and Sound Decoders along with speakers.:D
Like NH Mike was saying, There are several different setups as to how the power is picked up and distributed either from the engine or to the engine.;)
 
From a model perspective, there is no reason not to change the tender that comes with a locomotive for one that more closely resembles the prototype. I've done it on a couple of locomotives. As has been pointed out, you do need to match the electrical connections - more wheels in picking up power is always better.
In the real world, it was quite unusual for a locomotive to get a different tender than the one it arrived with, but it did happen.
 
In the early days of the hobby, most steam engines picked up current from one side of the rail, while the tender picked up current from the opposite rail. The tender transmitted its current to the motor in the locomotive by way of a current conducting bar connection.

Subsequently more power pick-ups were added to the locomotive itself, and in some cases both sides could be picked up by the loco itself...so loco could run without a tender connected.

Nowadays most steam engines come with circuit boards onboard that distribute power to the motor as well as the lighting, and usually have a receptacle into which a decoder can be plugged to obtain DCC control. You have to be careful trying to switch tenders around with these engines, as some of them are purposely wired in different manners between various loco types to avoid electrical mismatches. You need to google these and look for forum discussions as to their compatibilities.
 
Thank you for your comments on my questions which leads to more quetions. First of all I do not know for sure that the tender came with this particular loco because of the way I purchased it. Therefore I do not know how it picks up its power. The loco does function without the tender. The loco is a 1666 if that helps anyone. Lastly ,does it make a difference which wire is hooked to which power post on my controller.

Thanks
Larry
 
I need to ask one major question, what scale is this loco?
That would make a huge difference in the answers!;)
 
lmadsen said:
Thank you for your comments on my questions which leads to more quetions. First of all I do not know for sure that the tender came with this particular loco because of the way I purchased it. Therefore I do not know how it picks up its power. The loco does function without the tender. The loco is a 1666 if that helps anyone. Lastly ,does it make a difference which wire is hooked to which power post on my controller.
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Hmmmm, usually when people start talking about locomotives by the cab # it means we just jumped into Lionel territory.

A Lionel 1666 is a Prairie class locomotive 2-6-2. It should run totally independent from the tender as you noted. That loco often came in sets with a 2689T or 2689w Tender, but no it would not matter what tender you use. I used to mix and match tenders with whatever locos I felt like. However it would look a bit screwy with a sloped back switching tender on it.

What wires need to be hooked to which power posts would depend on the exact controller, and if indeed we are talking Lionel trains here.
 
I did reverse the wires on the controller. After I did that I began to hear a faint whistle. The Tender probaly has not been used in thirty years so after holding the whistle button continuously for a period of time the whistle became louder and seems to work pretty well. It does make quite a lound grinding sound as it is whistling. Just wondering how the whistle is actually produced and if the mechanism can be lubricated. Also looking at the tender how would you take the shell off to get to the whistle mechamism?

Thanks
Larry
 
Iron Horseman,
I was thinking the same thing, Engine #1666 = Lionel O
 
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