Bachmann #2000 2-8-0 Steam Locomotive

[jtroese]

I have a Bachmann #2000 2-8-0 Steam Locomotive without a tender, were can I purchase one to match it inexpensively?

[kevin2083]

Bachmann sells seperate tenders

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/products.php?act=viewCat&catId=89

to me, the medium vanderbilt and USRA medium would look best

[SteamGene]

Is this a Spectrum 2-8-0 or the old model with the Wooten firebox?  Or, to put it another way, are there six wires and two plugs in the rear of the locomotive, or is there no electrical connection between loco and the missing tender?

Gene

[jtroese]

There are no wires coming out the back.

[GN.2-6-8-0]

Either the medium length USRA or the medium length vanderbilt tender would best fit a 2-8-0.
The tenders shown in the above link are spectrums with wire harness's ,if it was me I would tuck the harness back inside the tender shell rather than cutting it as on the older Bachmanns its not needed but for future use you'd still have it.

[SteamGene]

From memory, there will have to be some kitbashing done to either loco or tender to allow the two to connect.  
I had two of those old 2-8-0s.  Unfortunately, they belong to the Trashman era and, unless willed to you by your sainted great grandfather, are not worth much and don't perform well.  I'd put it on the rip track and buy a Spectrum 2-8-0.
Gene

[Yampa Bob]

I bought 3 Bachmann USRA Medium tenders #89731, they are DCC ready with NMRA 8 pin socket,  plugs inset into the front so you won't have to worry about the wires.  It has a pin that sticks down on the front, so your loco needs a drawbar with a hole in it to hook up.

They are well weighted at 4.25 ounces, nicely detailed with a realistic coal load.

I got them from Discounttrainsonline.com for $31 each, may have gone up this year.

[Pacific Northern]

jtroese

I would not spend/ waste money on this engine.

Perhaps you could find a free tender for the engine  through a local model railroad club. Club members quite often have an accumuation of odd ball items. such as spare tenders........

[Jim Banner]

I had two of those old 2-8-0s.  Unfortunately, they belong to the Trashman era and, unless willed to you by your sainted great grandfather, are not worth much and don't perform well.
Gene

What Gene failed to mention is that there were TWO older generations of 2-8-0s.  The first, commonly referred to as a "sidewinder," had a flat motor mounted transversely and coupled to the wheels by a series of spur gears.  I believe these are the ones Gene refers to above.  No matter what you did to them, they were always noisy and had poor low speed performance. 

The generation just before the Spectrum 2-8-0 was the Bachmann Plus version and incorporated a can motor, a large brass flywheel/worm gear, and had performance much superior to that of the sidewinder.  In some ways, they even outperformed the Spectrum version.  Their only significant problem was two piece drive wheels that tended to wobble, causing some of these locomotives to waddle down the track.  With the proper equipment, it is possible to bore out the original wheels and insert bushings to make them run true.  Then they are excellent performers. 

Alternately, the front truck can be removed and the locomotive used as an 8-coupled switcher.  Their good low speed performance makes them excellent switchers.  And as switchers, their waddle is completely in character.  Many real world switchers developed a waddle as the flanges on their first and last axles wore away, allowing the locomotive to hunt, even at relatively low speeds.  Yours would not be the first railroad to convert old 2-8-0s to 0-8-0s - even some real world railroads did it.

In the event that you have a sidewinder bequeathed to you by your great-grand-pappy, you can easily fit a Plus version mechanism into a Sidewinder shell.

As far as a tender is concerned, installing a pin under the locomotive to allow it to use a Spectrum tender is relatively easy and allows you to make use of the extra power pickups on the tender.  But do clean the wheels and lubricate the engine, then test run it to make sure it runs well enough to warrant the expense.  Unlike the Spectrum locomotives, it does not need a tender to run. 

[SteamGene]

Jim, thanks.  I had no idea that the old 2-8-0 came in an improved, can motor version.  They all slipped by me!  Mine were both sidewinders, with good looks and poor performance.  (Well, acutally one was the pretend 2-8-2 - but it was still bad.)
Gene

[grumpy]

I have a Bachman 2-10-4 Texan with sidewinder  motor. Is it possible to use the upgraded plus version 2-8-0 motor to improve the performance of this loco.
Don

[Jim Banner]

Don, the Consolidation upgrade from Sidewinder to Plus version involved a whole new chassis as well as a change in motor.  So I don't think upgrading the Texas would be practical.  I would never say "impossible" because I think with enough cutting and grinding you could probably put the motor and gears from a Plus Consolidation in there, but it would not be easy.