In this view, you can see the head of the axe on the bottom-left of the wood rack, and the draw poker hanging from a hook on the top left. The round wooden-planked hatch in the middle of the wood pile is the intake pipe for the tender. The fireman opens both that pipe and the vent pipe before filling the tank. When water starts to pour out of the vent pipe, the tender is full. #8 was originally the port switcher. Rough track and sharp curves in the port necessitated the pilot truck, and switching moves were the impetus for the slope-back tender. Old #8 is small, but she can keep a head of steam well enough to get a load of a dozen loaded cars from Grayhaven Port all the way to Cassaberry Yard.

In a more realistic view, #8 was kitbashed from an old Roundhouse 0-6-0 kit. I kept the boiler, frame, and tender, but modified the front pilot to allow a two-wheel pilot truck to be added. The cab was borrowed from a Bachmann Porter. The tender, originally for an oil-burner, was modified into the currently wood-burning style. I added a pair of close-couple couplers from the old S Helper Service line. Now I just need to find some crew figures.

Thoughts? Comments? Ideas? I'm still working out the design for the spark arrestor.