Guys, just because Lionel insulated the handrails and used them as antennas, doesn't mean that you have to do that.
A classic way to make an antenna is to insulate the tender body from the tender chassis and use the body as an antenna.
If the tender body has a plastic coal load, you can put a wire or stained glass foil under the coal load and use that as an antenna.
If the coal load is in a metal tray like some MTH steamers, you can isolate the metal tray from the tender body with thin plastic and use the tray as an antenna.
You could also run a thin, insulated wire out to the bell, pretend it is the bell pull cord, and use that as an antenna.
You could insulate the boiler front and use that as the antenna.
Use your imagination. Think outside the box.
