Cass 6 Tender Frame
Nelson Riedel, Nelson@NelsonsLocomotive.com
7/02/2004, last updated 04/08/2006

The above photo of Cass 6 was taken in the spring of 2003 ---- after the boiler replacement but before the overhaul was completed.    The tender tank is 153" long, 114" wide and  65" high.   The tank is of welded construction and is probably a replacement for the original tank that was probably riveted together.

Sills & Couplers: An unusual link & pin coupling is used between the main locomotive frame and the tender frame.  This photo shows the  locomotive end of the coupling.  The link droops slightly to match up with the hole in the tender part of the coupling.   The link can move from side-to-side to accommodate curves in the track.  The link can also rotate along the front-to-back axis to accommodate a tender that is leaning to one side and a main frame that is leaning to the other side.
This shows the tender end of the mainframe - tender coupling arrangement.  A pin goes through the holes in the sides of the pocket casting and through the hole in the link that is positioned in the pocket.   The curved top and bottom of the pocket allow the tender to be on a different track slope than the main locomotive frame.   Note the chain that loops under the drive shaft --- to catch it in case a universal breaks or the slip joint comes out.
The rear sill and coupler are identical to the sill and coupler at the front of the locomotive and are very similar to that of the shays.

The photo above shows the underside of a Heisler Tender Fame.    This frame is much shorter and slightly narrower than the Cass 6 tender frame.   Excepting this difference in size, the frame is nearly identical to that of Cass 6.    

Tender Frame Side:  The tender frame sides are 138" long castings that have a bowed lower edge as seen in photo above.   Photo at right  shows the underside of the frame side  casting.  The casting is 28.5" wide at the ends.  The inside edge of the frame side bolts to the outer edge of the frame bolster. .
The sills form the frame front and rear cross pieces. The frame sides bolt to the sills.  This shows how the side bolts to the 10"X 14" front sill.
This shows the rear of the frame side and the 10" X 13" rear sill.  The sills are 114" long and extend 2" beyond the frame sides.  There are 1" thick boards between the frame and the water  tank.   The tank steel base extends to the full width of the sill.   The drawing below shows the details of the frame sides.

Tender Frame Bolster: This photo shows the connection between the tender fame bolster casting and the tender frame side casting.  The truck roller is visible in the lower lower part of the photograph. I assume the tender frame bolster is identical to the main frame rear bolster (for the middle truck).  The pipe in the upper right was a puzzle.  Turns out that it runs to an oil cup above the rear sill.   The oil lubricates the interface between the frame and truck bolsters..

This drawing of the bolster is identical to mainframe rear bolster.

Frame Rear Center Casting: This  photo shows the connection between the frame bolster and the front end of the rear center casting.
This shows how the rear  center frame casting connects to the rear sill.  The bolts pass through the sill, the 6" thick spacer block and then through the rear coupler pocket.  The valve is the tank drain.
The frame rear center casting drawing.

The drawing above shows how  the tender frame parts fit together.  All the Cass 6 Tender Frame drawings are in a single file that can be downloaded from the Drawings page.