# What can be made out of surplus LGB Mike and 2-4-0 Tenders?



## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

I've ended up with an extra LGB Southern Mikado tender and a quantity of LGB 2-4-0 tenders. The Mikado tender is a spare and the 2-4-0 tenders are surplus after buying them to add sound systems to LGB 2-4-0's that did not come with sound systems.

Rather than just boxing them up and putting them away on a shelf I would like to find some use for them.

An obvious conversion would be to make water tenders out of them. Another option would be to make oil tenders out of the coal tenders to give a choice of fuel for the locos. I would prefer to avoid non-reversible modifications if possible.

With the irregular shape of the coal box just making a rectangular flat topped insert would not be an easy solution.

Has anyone made conversions to water or oil tenders or to other things from these or similar tenders and if so how did you do it? 

Do you have any photos you can show?

Thanks,

Jerry


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## myline (Dec 6, 2008)

Jerry, would any of thoes tenders be a vanderbilt type? Would you consider selling it?
Little Paulie, [email protected]


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Remove the trucks, build stands and use as lineside storage/refueling tanks. Add hoses and a pumping shed. A ladder on the side. 

John


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## nkelsey (Jan 4, 2008)

paint it red, put a steam pump and you have a fire rig


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## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

Posted By Totalwrecker on 21 Jul 2009 06:13 PM 
Remove the trucks, build stands and use as lineside storage/refueling tanks. Add hoses and a pumping shed. A ladder on the side. 

John I'dve never thought of storage tanks. Was going to build a few round 'traditional' ones. Thanks for the idea! It's great for my SL.

Les


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

A hat, or a brooch, or a pterodactyl... 

(If you don't get the reference, don't worry about it.) 

Your problem is going to be doing something that's reversible. That really limits your choices, and if you're concerned about later resale, I'd just put 'em on the shelf. My guess is that if you got them surplus, you probably didn't pay a whole lot for them and they're unlikely to have any great appreciation in value in the future. I think they're probably on the order of the old Delton C-16 parts. People bought them for a song a few years ago with the idea of doing something with them, but now no one wants 'em, and they're practically giving C-16 cabs away. (Ask me how I know...) I'd just take a saw to the tenders and be happy. Truth be told, you'd probably have better luck selling them as kitbashed storage tanks, etc. than you would as actual tenders. 

Later, 

K


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Posted By myline on 21 Jul 2009 06:05 PM 
Jerry, would any of thoes tenders be a vanderbilt type? Would you consider selling it?
Little Paulie, [email protected]


Hi Little Paulie,

Sorry, they are all (but for the Mikado) LGB 69232 sound tenders. I have a sound board and Mogul that need a Vanderbilt tender myself.

Regards,

Jerry


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Posted By East Broad Top on 22 Jul 2009 11:22 AM 
A hat, or a brooch, or a pterodactyl... 

(If you don't get the reference, don't worry about it.) 

Your problem is going to be doing something that's reversible. That really limits your choices, and if you're concerned about later resale, I'd just put 'em on the shelf. My guess is that if you got them surplus, you probably didn't pay a whole lot for them and they're unlikely to have any great appreciation in value in the future. I think they're probably on the order of the old Delton C-16 parts. People bought them for a song a few years ago with the idea of doing something with them, but now no one wants 'em, and they're practically giving C-16 cabs away. (Ask me how I know...) I'd just take a saw to the tenders and be happy. Truth be told, you'd probably have better luck selling them as kitbashed storage tanks, etc. than you would as actual tenders. 

Later, 

K 

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions (and hopefully there will be more).

Actually I am not too concerned with resale value. My hesitation regarding permanent changes has more to do with my lack of ability (and no desire to develop) craftsmanship in kit-bashing.

The tenders are exactly what LGB intended them to be. I bought them for the purpose of adding factory sound to LGB 2-4-0's that did not come with factory sound. Rather than use the new tenders and put decals on them it looks best to put the old factory painted tops on the new tender bottoms with the sound in them. That will leave the new unmarked tops on the old bottoms that I had put LGB 4135 type sound units into. It also converts the tenders to DCC ready. Additionally many of the older tenders did not come with weights so that is a further upgrade.

Considering the weights, extra tender bodies, extra trucks with small LGB metal wheels, lights, wiring harnesses etc., just the spare parts makes it a good deal.

Two options I am leaning toward are to have duplicate tenders with one set up with a cheap decoder and (chuff only) sound unit with the other having the new DCC ready sound system and to convert some to water tenders somewhat like some railroads did when water was not readily available.

I'm still trying to come up with a removable flat top (for battery access) that would more realistically simulate either an oil burner or water (only) tender. 

The conversions are somewhat challenging in that having started on 3 tenders so far I've already found 3 different wiring configurations between the locos and tenders.

Regards,

Jerry


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## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

Would some kind soul care to post a pic of a tender bashed into a storage tank?

Thanks,

Les


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

And I wondered who kept outbidding me on those tenders







Seriously tho, I could use one or two without sound......


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Posted By Mik on 23 Jul 2009 09:56 AM 
And I wondered who kept outbidding me on those tenders







Seriously tho, I could use one or two without sound...... 

Hi Mik,

I sent a reply to your email.

Regards,

Jerry


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## Madman (Jan 5, 2008)

Jerry,

How is the fast chuff rate on your tenders? I posted a topic about a 69232 sound tender, where I took out the sound equipment and installed it in a gondola. The chuff rate is really slow. Silvergate says they are not re-programable.


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Posted By Madman on 23 Jul 2009 08:29 PM 
Jerry,

How is the fast chuff rate on your tenders? I posted a topic about a 69232 sound tender, where I took out the sound equipment and installed it in a gondola. The chuff rate is really slow. Silvergate says they are not re-programable. 


Hi Dan, 
I have found that the chuff rate seems to be dependent on the circuit board in the loco. I suspect these sound units were primarily designed for use with locos that have the decoder ready circuit board.

As an example my PRR chuff rate is extremely slow, the ATSF are somewhat faster and the DRGW are much better. Strangely some seem to chuff faster in reverse.

I would expect (from my results) that the sound unit would prove to be too slow without a decoder ready circuit board in the loco.

For what it is worth I have also found that the older LGB sound boards in 4135 type sound cars also seemed to have a different chuff rate between different boards (even of the same model and series (such as 4135-15-1).

Also the wiring harnesses seem to be mis-wired for most of my locos but that is probably not a problem for you.

Regards,

Jerry


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## Madman (Jan 5, 2008)

Thanks Jerry, That was very helpful information.


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## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By East Broad Top on 22 Jul 2009 11:22 AM 
A hat, or a brooch, or a pterodactyl... 

Later, 

K 

LOL! That was about thirty years back, no?


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## DougArcher (Jan 2, 2008)

How many LGB Tenders? I could use 2 or 3 if your interested in selling them....


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

I removed the body and just used scrap wood to make this from my 69232. 

http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/danpierce/69232flatcar.JPG


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## DougArcher (Jan 2, 2008)

Converted to link

http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/danpierce/69232flatcar.JPG


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Posted By DougArcher on 25 Jul 2009 01:57 AM 
How many LGB Tenders? I could use 2 or 3 if your interested in selling them.... 

Hi Doug,

I did not have any plans to sell them but I now have more than I would ever have any use for. I have a total of 10 surplus 2-4-0 tenders. 9 are black undecorated 69232 and one is from a green Southern Railway 2-4-0. I bought most of them for the sound units to put into my 2-4-0's that did not come with factory sound plus a few to put with tank locos (like Lionel 0-4-0's) with no room for sound units or speakers.

I'm not a kit-basher both due to lack of skill and to lack of enjoyment from doing it so I know I'll never do anything with most of them.

I'm putting the old tops (with the railroad markings) onto the new bottoms so any I sell would have new tops with older lower units (frames), trucks and wheels. None have been used much so there is not much wear on anything.

I got a good deal so I don't mind passing on a good deal to fellow MLSers.

If anyone wants any of these tenders (minus the sound board, speaker, light bulb, wiring, decals, weight, connectors or other electronics) I would sell them for $35 plus my cost of USPS shipping. If you want to kit-bash them and don't need the trucks and wheels I'll sell them minus trucks and wheels for $25 each plus shipping.

I'm not actively trying to sell them (I'd probably get a lot more on eBay) so I won't be listing them in the classifieds. 

If anyone is interested send me an email (one has already been sold).

Regards,

Jerry


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Posted By Madman on 24 Jul 2009 07:35 PM 
Thanks Jerry, That was very helpful information. 

Hi Dan,

As I have replaced several of the LGB 4135 boards I had put into some of my 2-4-0 tenders with the 69232 sound units I now have a few extra 4135 boards (older ones without a volume control). 

If it would help I would swap one of them with you for your 69232 board (we would have to swap the wiring harnesses as well as the 69232 uses more wires and has plug in jacks). We could either swap speakers or speaker wiring harnesses (different jacks again).

Actually I think the 4135 type boards were better (I actually like the sound better than the 69232 even though I assume the 69232 are digital). The 4135 boards are definitely louder but have no bell or whistle.

I'm not exactly sure why I replaced all the sound boards with the 69232 ones other than it made the 2-4-0's standardized and gave all of the sound units MTS capability.

The 4135 boards are also not adjustable and the chuff tends to vary a bit from board to board but their chuff rates are definitely a lot faster than the 69232 boards.

If this will help drop me an email and we can work out the details.

Regards,

Jerry


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## Madman (Jan 5, 2008)

Posted By Jerry McColgan on 01 Aug 2009 08:18 AM 
Posted By Madman on 24 Jul 2009 07:35 PM 
Thanks Jerry, That was very helpful information. 

Hi Dan,

As I have replaced several of the LGB 4135 boards I had put into some of my 2-4-0 tenders with the 69232 sound units I now have a few extra 4135 boards (older ones without a volume control). 

If it would help I would swap one of them with you for your 69232 board (we would have to swap the wiring harnesses as well as the 69232 uses more wires and has plug in jacks). We could either swap speakers or speaker wiring harnesses (different jacks again).

Actually I think the 4135 type boards were better (I actually like the sound better than the 69232 even though I assume the 69232 are digital). The 4135 boards are definitely louder but have no bell or whistle.

I'm not exactly sure why I replaced all the sound boards with the 69232 ones other than it made the 2-4-0's standardized and gave all of the sound units MTS capability.

The 4135 boards are also not adjustable and the chuff tends to vary a bit from board to board but their chuff rates are definitely a lot faster than the 69232 boards.

If this will help drop me an email and we can work out the details.

Regards,

Jerry 


Thanks Jerry, however I put everything back into the tender and sold it to a garden railroader in New Zealand


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Posted By Madman on 05 Aug 2009 07:35 PM 
Thanks Jerry, however I put everything back into the tender and sold it to a garden railroader in New Zealand




Hi Dan,

I'm glad it worked out for you.

Regards,

Jerry


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