Did C&O use its "long" vandy tenders with its 2-6-6-2s?

[2-8-8-0]

Hello hello!

I have quite a few of the big C&O vanderbilt tenders (I bought em for B&O projects, but they arent quite right) and also just got 2 of the new H4 2-6-6-2s, and am going to get a few more, as well as some H-5s. (Easy mallets, I almost feel guilty. Beautiful models by the way, and nice runners. Sure look like the H4 pictures I have too.) I guess its the right tender for their 4-8-2 (didnt they only have like 8 4-8-2s? odd choice of a model for a manufacturer to make) but anyway, did C&O use them with any other engines? I have one pic in a book of a H4 that seems to have a quite big tender (and they will hook right up to them, being spectrum tenders!) but its quite a distant picture. I can sell 'em I suppose, would like to find uses for a couple of them though. Thanks!

[Mark5]

You mentioned the Bmann USRA heavy Mountain so: The heavy USRA Mountain Bachmann made was built for two railroads under USRA - C&O and N&W. N&W built more to this design in the 1920s. Other roads ordered copies as well.

Bachmann offered two versions - the "as built" version and the "as modified by C&O circa 1930s" version (the one with the vandy).

I can't speak to the C&O but the "as built" version has the wrong tender. : It should have a USRA "standard" length tender - the USRA long tender that comes on the model was only used (as built) on the USRA 2-10-2, USRA 2-6-6-2, and USRA 2-8-8-2.

[2-8-8-0]

Just still wierd that bachmann would tool up for a tender that there seem to have been merely a handful of in existence. It is a nice tender model though.

Do you know if the C&O 2-6-6-2 from bachmann (the first run) has the correct tender? Most of the photos I have of the H5 have square tenders, but i dont know if they are "standard" or "long" ones. (I want to get a couple of them, but hope for the right tenders) The new H4 model has the correct (as near as I can tell) tender, a shorter vandy marked 16000 gallon/20 tons. The "big" vandys I have are marked (this is great, Bachmann) 16000...and 20....

methinks someone at Bachmann needs to read a book sometime.

Suppose i can get an "as built" 4-8-2 and swap the tender to an H5, and use one of these on the 4-8-2 if not...need to change these capacity markings though

[SkipGear]

There were a few of the H-5's and H-6's late in life that got the larger vanderbuilt as water towers started to disapear from what I understand. The long vanderbuilt also showed up on many other loco's.

I have a shot of Pacific #492 setting under the Western Hills Viaduct in Cincinnati with one of the long vanderbuilts tenders on the back of it.

I also have a shot of Mikado's #2338, 2341, 2342 with long vanderbuilt tenders on them. (I plan to use a Kato Mikado and the Bachmann vanderbuilt to represent one of these eventualy.)

The VC-12 tender that comes with the H-4 is the correct tender for it.

On the B&O side of things, an H-5 can be converted to work as a KK-1. There was an article in the B&O Modeler a year or so back on how to perform the conversion to the HO version.

*** Edit - nomenclature changes

[asarge]

The H4's done by Bachman were the 40's version. Most but not all H4's received the VC12 Vandy tenders starting in the mid 30's. The thing that really dates them is that C&O started moving the number boards just ahead of the stack in the mid-40's.

[SkipGear]

I fixed my post. Meant to say long vanderbuilt everywhere I put VC-12. I think the long vandebuilt is a VC-16 but couldn't remember. Shouldn't the VC-12 be 12000 gallon and the VC-16 be 16000 gallon?

[2-8-8-0]

I would think so Skip, I have no clear tender photos yet though, but VC-16 and VC-12 would be logical typologies to apply to 16k and 12k vandy tenders. I need to find a good reference on C&O engines (im guessing C&O power, given how good Pennsy power and B&O power are, is the place to start). I found a second photo from 1949 that shows a H4 with one of the longer tenders (VC-16 i would think) with its distinctive 3 axle trucks. Nice of bachmann to make so many correct tenders, even if they are incorrectly marked and come with the wrong models...at least they MADE them! Overall, I have been quite happy with bachmann the last 5 or so years, and hope they continue the trend (a nice 2-10-2 model would be an awesome addition to the spectrum steam family, or maybe an updated pacific, with a B&O style vandy please?)

So, we have a few nice C&O models...wonder who theyll target next...?

I am also thinking about converting one of my heavy 2-8-2s to C&O. I suppose all these tenders will have a use after all! It may be "easy mode" but its pretty exciting nonetheless to have ready models or very nice starting points for conversions. I am going to do some conversions on some of these H4s and H5s, minor details such as walkways, air tanks, bell locations, etc, wouldnt mind having half a dozen or more of these. Really a nice little model. Might even try to make one into an H6. Gonna get one of the Spectrum mountains as well as a couple of life like's 0-8-0s. Good times!

By the way, the new short tender (VC-12) would NOT be a bad tender to foobie behind a B&O loco, its pretty close. And im betting they will be available seperately just like the others.

Skip, i have the PDF of the H5 as KK from the B&O modeler, and it is a neat project; didnt B&Os 2-6-6-2s pretty much permanently stay on the BR&P tracks?

[2-8-8-0]

O yeah...the dummy coupler on the pilot needs to go. Model makers, please please stop doing this, especially on locos like this that pushed as often as they pulled.

[2-8-8-0]

Well, me being the clever type I am, failed to notice that the new H4 model has the decoder (it comes with it, when did that start?) in its tender, connected to the loco with a 4-wire plug, so simply switching tenders wont be quite as simple as I had thought. It shouldnt be insanely hard to relocate the decoder, but the back up light will be another story, as it is mounted directly to the decoder, and wont be in quite the same place in the new tender (may try a trick I saw with a bit of optic fiber if i swap a VC12 for one of the VC16s)

Also, apparently C&O didnt mark its tenders with capacities on the rear (at least not all the time) just the number of the loco it belonged to.

I have found pics on the C&O historical societys website of all sorts of tenders combined with the H4-6 groups, so maybe ill just put one of the big ones behind an H5 for some variety and save the other tenders for other projects, and leave the H4s (and their decoders) alone. Would the USRA long ones be correct for the H-6? Could just get another decoder and install it in one of the VC-16s too I suppose.

But, I wonder, if the decoder in one of my H4s goes bad...will bachmann be stocking replacements for a while?

[Mark5]

Bachmann's separately available tenders are "DCC ready" but I'm not sure if this will help in your situation.

[2-8-8-0]

No, as they dont have the wiring connector the new engines use (and the fact that the decoder is installed and ready to go is kinda nice) but they do list a DCC equipped 4-8-2, with both the USRA and VC-16 tenders, on their site, so perhaps the tender (with decoder inside) will be available seperately.

[SkipGear]

The VC16, USRA Standard, USRA long and USRA short all have the 6 pin connector in them. If you are not using DCC, you could swap any of them with the VC12, plug in the harness and go. They come with the jumpers to bypass the decoder connections and use the loco as DC only. If you want a decoder, it is simple to install one. The backup light is probably on the lightboard, not the decoder. The decoder is wired seprately to the tender.

Short -


Standard -


Long -


Vanderbuilt -

[AlkemScaleModels]

There were a few of the H-5's and H-6's late in life that got the larger vanderbuilt as water towers started to disapear from what I understand. The long vanderbuilt also showed up on many other loco's.

I have a shot of Pacific #492 setting under the Western Hills Viaduct in Cincinnati with one of the long vanderbuilts tenders on the back of it.

I also have a shot of Mikado's #2338, 2341, 2342 with long vanderbuilt tenders on them. (I plan to use a Kato Mikado and the Bachmann vanderbuilt to represent one of these eventualy.)

The VC-12 tender that comes with the H-4 is the correct tender for it.

On the B&O side of things, an H-5 can be converted to work as a KK-1. There was an article in the B&O Modeler a year or so back on how to perform the conversion to the HO version.

*** Edit - nomenclature changes

Not a long vandy but, in my scanned collection. Cabin Creek Engine house. Date 1954. Gene Huddleston photo




Go to www.cohs.org and do a search on H-4. You'll find many shots of H-4s with vandy tenders such as


 Rectangular too.

[2-8-8-0]

As always, thank you guys! Ill get into the guts of the VC-12 with the H4 and see where the backup lamp is. I have no idea how good the decoder that comes with the new locos is, im sure its made by the lowest bidder in China, so I may want to change it (now or in the future) anyway. Thanks for the pics as well!

I just took one of the vandys apart (my spare ones) and it is identical to the one you pictured, so a couple questions please?

1) what is the PCB for? That isnt a decoder is it? Why such a sophisticated board for the lamp?

2) What is the 6 pin connector for? If i connect the plug from my new H4 to that will the loco run? (the H4 has a similar plug, but supposedly has a DCC decoder in it, not that i would know the difference. Ive run DC until now, DCC is new ground to me, and dont want to fry anything)

Thanks, Tim

[SkipGear]

I believe they are low end older generation Lenz decoders. They don't offer a lot of speed matching options, BEMF or silent mode. The only lighting features are Rule 17 dimming.