Tender for a G Scale 2-8-0

[colfaxstation]

I got a G Scale 2-8-0 engine without a tender at an estate sale.  Does anyone have a spare for sale, or will a different engine's tender also work with this?

[Loco Bill Canelos]

Hi,

One of the others might work as far as to what you can accept cosmetically.  Some of the other tenders do not have a working backup headlight.

The Anniversary 4-6-0 does have a working rear headlight, but the connections between are very different.  It is not impossible to rewire things, but the socket on your loco would have to be bypassed in order to do it. this is true for both the lighting connector, and the connector for the chuff sensor.

If the rear headlight is not important to you, and if you want to install sound, you could install one of the sound systems that does not need a chuff sensor to give you the chuffs.  This would allow you to add any tender with metal wheels(if you want to power the lights that way or add sound) , however the method for connecting the tender to your locomotive, is different from most other Bachmann Locos , if not ALL other Bachmann tenders.  So if you do buy a tender you would need rig some way to connect it to your locomotive, again doable with some work.

Best I can do!!!

Loco Bill

[armorsmith]

Colfax,

Bill only hit on part of the issue. First, I am going to make the assumption that the 2-8-0 is a Spectrum locomotive. That said, there is a major difference between the Spectrum line and the Big Hauler line of products. The two connectors on the 2-8-0 (affectionately known as the Connie) are one six pin and one four pin (if my memory is correct). The tender on a Big Hauler tender will have two, two pin connectors....a significant difference.

The Connie is a 1:20.3 scale loco and the Big Hauler tender will be 1:22.5 ish, considerably smaller. If the size difference is not an issue, obstacle one out of the way.

Making the electronics in the tender work is another issue. The Connie electronics are significantly different from the Big Hauler. In my opinion, the only way to make a Spectrum Locomotive work with a Big Hauler tender would be to completely remove ALL ELECTRONICS from both the engine and the tender and install your own system. Also, finding a mating connector to the engine connector for the tender will be a bit more than the average modeler will be capable of. If one can determine the exact part number for the engine connector, Molex Electronics will likely have the mate.

Being as you have already posted here, my recommendation would be to post to the other fora looking for an orphan tender. There are lots of bashers on them that may (a long shot I think) have a tender or possibly a wiring harness from a tender they have abandoned. Large Scale Central www.largescalecentral.com and My Large Scale www.mylargescale.com.

A closing comment, I don't recommend purchasing a locomotive with out a tender unless you are experienced enough to hack and slash to make it work. No matter the manufacturer, locomotive and tender are usually a paired product.

Best of luck in finding what you need to get you up and running.

Bob C.