...to one that used oil? I am modeling the Missouri Pacific and I see that they used them, along with the T&NO, SP, T&P and others in Texas. Thank you Polski
Adding an oil bunker for one thing. There is a commercially made, forget by whom, oil bunker that fits the Mikado. But you can make your own using sheet plastic. Coal tenders do have doors that can be closed off using sheet plastic. Find a photo of the oil tender you want to model and the differences should be obvious. Ben
I know it's just a box, but are there external piping shown, is the filler cap on the front or back of the top? I have not seen a photo showing the top of a tender supplying oil to the engine. Polski
I understand your dilemma. For every one photo of the top of a tender there must be at least a billion ground level 3/4 views of the locomotive. Rail photographers are not known for their climbing ability. Tender tops are rarely included in loco plan drawings. Judging by the models I have there is usually one filler cap, of probably 1 foot in diameter, centrally located on the oil bunker and possibly a small pipe for venting vapors located nearby. The water hatch or hatches are located toward the rear of the tender, as they are with coal tenders. There is piping to get fuel to the loco but these are rarely modeled, particularly in N scale. Ben
GHQ makes the oil bunker insert for their Northern Pacific W-3 Mike conversion. The part can be purchased separately form Republic Locomotive Works.
There are a few manufacturers out there that sell oil bunkers. Ultimate N scale was one. That firm has changed hands at least once. I do not know if they are currently operating. UnS sold three different kinds of resin bunkers. Someone sold a pot metal bunker, but I suspect that they are out of business. Most of the N scale bunkers are designed to fit the USRA Standard tender on the Kato mikado. It is possible to sand them down to fit the USRA Standard on the Model Power and Bachmann SPECTRUM. It is also possible to cut and sand them down to fit the box tender on the Model Power eight-wheeler and mogul. The SP version of the MP eight-wheeler supposedly comes with an oil box tender, as most SP E-classes had a box tender, althuogh some did have a Vanderbilt. The SP version of the MP mogul comes with a Vanderbilt. The MP Vanderbilt is based on a Harriman oil tender that ran behind some switchers, E, M, T and C classes on the SP. The problem with the MP tenders (and indeed with their power) is that MP caused the factories to employ 1970s construction methods; thus, the tender only has half the wheels live.. As others have posted, you can always cut out the coal load and put a deck over the fuel bunker and add appropriate details. I have done all of the above.
This post intrests me as well as I have a new Athearn Challenger with a coal tender that I want to convert to oil but I can't find any photo's of the top of the tender. I don't want to go down the route of getting another tender shell from Athearn as their oil tender has all of the new fangled environmentally friendly bits and pieces that are now fitted to the top of the tender. Can anyone assist. Thanks.
It didn't come with a conversion kit for coal?? :tb-err: My Challenger (Clinchfield version) came with a coal equipped tender but also included was a kit to convert to oil. :tb-cool: But you might also try Republic Locomotive Works for GHQ Challenger parts: https://www.republiclocomotiveworks.com/
Ultimate N Scale makes oil bunkers that you can use in Kato Mikados. They can also be machined to fit the Spectrum 2-8-0 and 4-8-2's. These are plastic pieces that can easily be painted and weathered. Ultimate N Scale is still in business.
Thanks everyone. While kind of on the same subject, does anyone make an oil fuel filling facility? Polski
I'm late to the thread ( I was traveling) but for a change I have somehing constructive to add. I have several photos of the top of an existing oil tender in my Rail Images albums. Three are on this page: http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/showgallery.php/cat/1261/page/25 A lot of what detail to include depends on just how detailed (or what scale) you plan to model. For example, all the oil bunkers I have seen were riveted construction, but on the one tender I converted I didn't even try to model the rivets. (I can't see them, much less count them.) The photo of this particular oil hatch has a vertical bar next to the hatch, which is to prop the lid open (as opposed to letting it flop completely open). Besides the already mentioned breather cap, there would probably be a small (2" diameter?) open ended pipe where you'd stick down a long rod to check the oil level. All the bunkers I have seen have 4 lifting lugs, one near each corner, for installation and/or removal of the bunker. And don't forget to include handrails (required due to the danger of slipping on spilled oil) on top of the bunker. Note the handrails in this photo are depressed opposite the hatch to allow access for the oil column spout. The piping for oil supply from the tender to the locomotive, and the steam piping from the locomotive to the oil bunker (to keep the oil hot and flowing) would be under the cab/apron/tender, and like air hose piping would not be modeled on a working loco (at least not in the smaller scales). Details are going to vary by railroad, by era, and by whether the bunker was a factory job or home road converted. For example, the bunker in my photos has a tool box mounted on top. But if you can't find detailed info on them, probably no one who is going to see your models will have either. Best regards Ed .
Here is a kitbashed loco with a simplified oil tender using styrene sheet for the bunker. The oil filler hatches, two for this loco, are HO Scale diesel bells (gong type) from one of the detail makers. The railing from a freight car or caboose the identity of which I forget. Ben
