While I was reading my MR today it occured to me that I had never read any periodicals about how the water and coal/wood was transfered out of the tender into the boiler. I know in the early days a fireman would shovel the coal but as engines got bigger he couldn’t shovel fast enough. Was there some kind of flexable auger? Has anybody model it?
Yes there was a “stoker” that used a large auger, not flexible but the tube was hinged at both ends. Water was a gravity feed to a “pump” called an “injector”.
Dave H.
Yes, I can see how a stoker being hinged on both ends would work . How about those times when 2 tenders were used? And has anybody modeled this?
The second tender was not used until steam engines were replaced by diesels and water spouts were removed. The second tender carries only water. And yes, Rivarossi makes a model of a Berkshire with dual tenders; I have one decorated for the Nickel Plate Road.