Can any of you who have experience with these locos tell how easily the tender could be converted from coal to oil? All I’ve got to go by is photos, but the tender profile is close, and it seems that removing the coal load and replacing with a flat piece and a little piping would do a reasonable representation. I’d want to do it on a DCC+Sound loco so I guess I’d need to consider space issues as part of the tender modifications.
Reason for the conversion is to approximate one of the 400 series locos that the Fort Worth and Denver operated in North Texas (Dallas–Ft. Worth–Wichita Falls) right to the end of the steam era. All thoughts and suggestions, including detailing ideas, are appreciated.
While I don’t have that particular loco, since it’s plastic, it should not be difficult to replace the coal bunker with an oil tank. It’d be a bit more than just replacing the coal load, though. You’d probably have to build a box, since you couldn’t use the slope sheet on the back of the bunker.
Another option might be to use one of the old MDC Santa Fe style oil tenders. They’re a bit heavier, since they have a diecast frame, but they are already converted for you, while retaining the USRA-style tender sides. You can probably find one on eBay.
Edit: Here’s a link to a guy who’s selling the MDC tender shells.
Nah, Loathar, it’s way too small for a USRA tender. It’s made for the Mantua switcher tender for their 0-4-0 and 0-6-0 switchers. Really small oil bunker.
Thanks Gary and Loathar for the suggestions/offers. Maybe I should ask the same questions about the Broadway Limited Mikes. They are more expensive, but I don’t know if that translates into greater detail, better operation, etc.
The key for whatever loco/tender I go with is whether the DCC decoders in the tender will create any issues when making the modification. I think I will post a version of this question on the prototype board and see what happens.
The FW&D 400 class engines were built before the USRA series of Heavy 2-8-2’s. The 450 class FW&D engines should be close(or at least a copy) of a USRA Heavy 2-8-2. See the photo at this link:
The IHC model is a good start, but they are a little light(pulling wise). If you can get one ‘cheap’, it would be a good start. The BLI USRA Heavy 2-8-2 would be better. The oil bunker on the tender would be about the only ‘add-on’. The pair I have has QSI Sound/decoder built in. And they do pull great!
Thanks, Jim. Your photo not only saved me from trying to figure out the photo posting issue, but answered another question as to whether the 400 series were light or heavy Mikes. Now I understand that they were both. I had pretty much decided that the 450 series with the center mounted headlight and absent the characteristic CBQ ‘flat faced’ smoke box was close to the answer. I’ll check out BLI, and hope someone has additional information/experience regarding replacing the coal load with an oil bunker.