Hot Water posted:bob2 posted:Compare the wheelbase of the 5 axle casting with the wheelbase of even one Challenger engine, let alone an 80" drivered Northern. The tender was not the limiting factor.
Your statement is true for the FEF-3 #844, but NOT for #3985, as the tender is definitely the "limiting factor" on the real 4-6-6-4 "Big Challengers".
My Challenger tenders can go around far sharper curves than their locomotives can.
Models are a whole different story than real locomotives!
When they moved the Big Boy out of Vermont in the early 80's to Steamtown's new location in Scranton the issue wasn't the locomotive but the rigid tender as they had to be carefull moving her around, that a wheel wouldn't jump a rail or spread the rails. So I was told.
