Choo Choo Charlie posted:I finally got around to making a Vanderbilt tender. I used a junk Lionel New Central coal tender, a hard shell mailing tube, the bottom of a hair spray can, a piece of junk metal roofing and some pop sickle sticks. All junk stuff, all free or slight cost for the junk coal tender, and paint and decals I had.
Cut up old coal tender, I cut the angle at the coal pile with a band saw and the bottom cuts with Dremel saw blade and Xacto razor saw.
Coal tender section, frame from sheet metal, and Vanderbilt water tank from mailing tube and hair spay bottom with decking from pop sickle sticks. I added internal wood braces and bottom pop sickle sticks to the mail tube. I had to cut about 1/16 inch from bottom of tube make smaller diameter to fit in between top of coal pile and bottom frame.
Assembled ready for painting with Krylon semi gloss black paint
Pictured with new to me Lionel 3435 engine from old Marx 333 mold
I have enough material to make another Vanderbilt tender but with a longer body better for use with longer 2020 and 2046 engines.
Charlie
Charlie that turned out great!
