Tender Rebuild

Where users can chronicle their builds. Start one thread and continue to add on to it.

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NP317
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Re: Tender Rebuild

Post by NP317 »

Sure looks good, and worth all the effort.
RussN
ccvstmr
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Re: Tender Rebuild

Post by ccvstmr »

Thanks again Russ. As you and most others in Chaski-land know, any time a major overhaul is performed, you don't really want to go back and revisit that kind of work for a few years. So you do the best you can. Feel confident you made the best decisions along the way regarding design changes, fabrication methods and paint finishing. Can only hope this tender makeover...will last at least for the next 15-20 years! Carl B.
Life is like a sewer...what you get out of it depends on what you put into it!
I don't walk on water...I just learned where some of the stepping stones are!
I love mankind...it's some of the people I can't stand!
ccvstmr
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Re: Tender Rebuild

Post by ccvstmr »

SHOW 'n TELL

Well, the entire point of this thread was to describe, explain and share the "TELL" portion of this rebuild. This included the good, the bad and in a few cases...the ugly. It was time to enjoy the results of several months effort.

It was mid September. Colder weather would soon be upon the Chi-town area. Was able to finally get the loco and tender mated for the 1st time in 2020 at the local club track. The club hoist is usually used as the default "builder's photo" location.

IMG_3819-1.JPG

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Looks only go so far when considering the entire loco. I had to run too. Much of the loco prep work had been completed off-site. Now, was just a matter of connecting all the water, air and electrical lines between the tender and loco. Connections between the stock car and tender had to be made as well. Stock car carries either a 20# or 20# propane cylinder. Contains (3) modules: for power (lighting), compressor (brake air) and a CD Walkman (for entertainment).

Thereafter...place the blower on the stack and plug that in. Fill the boiler until water is seen at the bottom of the glass. Fill the tender with water. Add some water treatment. Use the hand pump to push treated water into the boiler until the water glass is approx. 1/3 full. Load the propane cylinder in the stock car and hook that up.

And then...open the fuel valve, light the fire and kick the tires (ever so gently so as not to chip the white walls)! While the boiler comes up to pressure, lube around the engine. Make sure the air brakes are working. When the pressure gauge tops 100 psi...can verify the injector injects, the steam powered water pump pumps, the safeties blow (among other things). Safety valves are set to lift in the 120 to 125 psi range...and then it was off to the track. Honest Dave was along for the occasion and to lend a hand if/when needed. Thanx Dave!

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During the 1st lap, made sure everything else was in working order while in motion including the axle pump, axle pump bypass return, etc. Stopped along the way for a few loco selfies...

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With the Rutland back on the rails, was time to start hauling "the Shorties". They had been waiting patiently for a ride behind the ole girl since March this year when they were completed in time for a train show...that never happened.

IMG_3921.JPG

The tender rebuild project has run its course. Hope you enjoyed the ride along and learned a few things to use for your new or rebuild tender projects and of course, share with others. Thanks for hanging on during this trip. I had fun...hope you did too! Carl B.
Life is like a sewer...what you get out of it depends on what you put into it!
I don't walk on water...I just learned where some of the stepping stones are!
I love mankind...it's some of the people I can't stand!
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Steggy
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Re: Tender Rebuild

Post by Steggy »

ccvstmr wrote: Sun Nov 15, 2020 4:28 pmStock car carries either a 20# or 20# propane cylinder.
There must be quite a difference between those two 20 pound cylinders. :D
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Music isn’t at all difficult.  All you gotta do is play the right notes at the right time!  :D
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NP317
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Re: Tender Rebuild

Post by NP317 »

Welcome back on the rails!
RussN
ccvstmr
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Re: Tender Rebuild

Post by ccvstmr »

BigDumbDinosaur wrote: Sun Nov 15, 2020 5:39 pm
ccvstmr wrote: Sun Nov 15, 2020 4:28 pmStock car carries either a 20# or 20# propane cylinder.
There must be quite a difference between those two 20 pound cylinders. :D
BDD...you mean to say YOU'VE never had a fat-finger error? Was only off by "1". Was supposed to read "20# or 30# propane cylinders", but it's a safe bet you figured that out. Thanks for pointing out the obvious...pointing out the merely obvious would have been enough...(maybe)! :roll: Carl B.
Life is like a sewer...what you get out of it depends on what you put into it!
I don't walk on water...I just learned where some of the stepping stones are!
I love mankind...it's some of the people I can't stand!
ccvstmr
Posts: 2230
Joined: Sat Jan 04, 2003 10:37 am
Location: New Lenox, IL

Re: Tender Rebuild

Post by ccvstmr »

NP317 wrote: Sun Nov 15, 2020 6:38 pm Welcome back on the rails!
RussN
Yeah Russ...next year can't get here soon enough. C'mon April showers for boiler rain water and May to light 'er up once again. Carl B.
Life is like a sewer...what you get out of it depends on what you put into it!
I don't walk on water...I just learned where some of the stepping stones are!
I love mankind...it's some of the people I can't stand!
daves1459
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Re: Tender Rebuild

Post by daves1459 »

Your tender rebuild was nicely completed. I'm sure it will survive the 15 to 20 year target life. I'm also glad your mindful of the wheel white walls as they are a important part of the locomotive presentation. There is nothing more eye catching and hard to look at than white walls that are chipped or smudged.

Honest Dave
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Steggy
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Re: Tender Rebuild

Post by Steggy »

ccvstmr wrote: Sun Nov 15, 2020 7:20 pm
BigDumbDinosaur wrote: Sun Nov 15, 2020 5:39 pm
ccvstmr wrote: Sun Nov 15, 2020 4:28 pmStock car carries either a 20# or 20# propane cylinder.
There must be quite a difference between those two 20 pound cylinders. :D
BDD...you mean to say YOU'VE never had a fat-finger error? Was only off by "1". Was supposed to read "20# or 30# propane cylinders", but it's a safe bet you figured that out. Thanks for pointing out the obvious...pointing out the merely obvious would have been enough...(maybe)! :roll: Carl B.
Just giving you a bad time! :D
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Music isn’t at all difficult.  All you gotta do is play the right notes at the right time!  :D
Bill C
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Location: Pensacola, FL

Re: Tender Rebuild

Post by Bill C »

Great looking tender and very helpful write-up and photos. Thanks!

I especially like the flare fittings and very neat hose work between the tender and locomotive. Would like to do the same on mine, but can’t tell what kind of fittings you used on the locomotive side. Could you please show photos of the connections and tell us a little more about how you connected things? I am especially interested in the connections to the injector feed.

Thanks!

Bill C.
ccvstmr
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Joined: Sat Jan 04, 2003 10:37 am
Location: New Lenox, IL

Re: Tender Rebuild

Post by ccvstmr »

Bill C wrote: Sun Nov 29, 2020 5:28 pm I especially like the flare fittings and very neat hose work between the tender and locomotive. Would like to do the same on mine, but can’t tell what kind of fittings you used on the locomotive side. Could you please show photos of the connections and tell us a little more about how you connected things? I am especially interested in the connections to the injector feed.
Hi Bill, thanks for the compliments. Glad to help and offer additional info.

All water connections use right angle or 90 deg brass elbows. The loco to tender rubber fuel hose connections are bent in a "U" configuration. This allows up/down and side-to-side motion between loco and tender to move independently of one another (track deviations, going thru turnouts, etc.)

Believe the fittings used are 1/4" tube x 1/8" npt right angle fittings. The 1/8" npt goes thru the bulkhead plates and screw into a 1/8" bushing on the back side of those plates (McMaster 50635K403). The 1/4" hose connection end of the fitting accepts a 7/16-20 flare connector.

Hose connectors are brass push-on barb fittings for 1/4" ID rubber fuel hose with a 7/16-20 female flare swivel fitting (McMaster 53485K22). Hope those numbers are correct. ALWAYS have problems when trying to size mating tubing and pipe fittings. You might get lucky and find mating fittings where you can let your fingers do the shopping...on Ebay. Hoses are cut as close to the same length as possible. Would suggest using a little Teflon or silicone grease smeared on the barb to help slip dry hose on to the tubing barbs.

For the injector feed water valve, the loco builder installed his own external valve with a drop down barb fitting soldered into the valve body. A small diameter hose clamps holds the hose on the valve barb.

Some reference photos for you...will start with the back side of the tender front before everything was dismantled for the tender rebuild. Can see the brass adapter bushings the builder made. These have a 1/8" npt thread connection on the face for the right angle brass fittings. Pipe dope was used to seal the 1/8" npt threaded connections. Builder drilled a hole on the back of the bushing for soft soldered 5/16" copper tubing.

IMG_2467.JPG

Next photo, was replacing old hoses and trying to match up the hose lengths (not easy when the hose has a "curl" in it). Hose on the far left is for the injector feed water valve with only (1) swivel connector. Note...better to cut hoses long. It's easier to shorten hoses than stretch them. Also...want to insure you can maintain at least 1" clearance between the bottom of the hose and the rail.

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Here's the front end of the tender engineer's side. Smaller hoses to the right of the injector feed water line are for brakes. Think when this photo was taken, hadn't removed the vacuum line for the old tender brakes (yet).

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And here's the fireman's side of the tender face with some of the hoses in place (think this photo was taken before hose lengths were corrected).

IMG_4734.JPG

None of the water or brake lines criss-cross to avoid getting the hoses tangled. If I need to separate the loco from tender for transport, the swivel connections make for an easy-off and easy-on connections. Helps to keep the appropriate sized (9/16") open end wrench on the tender.

How's that? Give you everything you need to push ahead with your tender plumbing? Contact me with questions. Carl B.
Life is like a sewer...what you get out of it depends on what you put into it!
I don't walk on water...I just learned where some of the stepping stones are!
I love mankind...it's some of the people I can't stand!
Bill C
Posts: 258
Joined: Fri Aug 08, 2008 9:14 pm
Location: Pensacola, FL

Re: Tender Rebuild

Post by Bill C »

Thanks, Carl. That helps a great deal, much appreciated!

Bill C.
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