I was at the NYC museum in Elkhart, Indiana. I think the Lionel Conrail tender is based on the auxiliary tender behind the Mohawk in Elkhart. Here’s a picture I took of the coal bunker of that tender. During the Chessie steam special, what was this area used for? Coal? Water or oil in back?
It was likely used for tool storage. This is the case for the coal bunkers with many auxiliary tenders today, including the Vanderbilt tender with 2100 which I am involved with. The water space was kept a water space, of course.