Hi, I'm looking for some assistance on how to disconnect the tender from the engine on a P2000 2-8-8-2.
I am not used to steam locos and need to disconnect the tender to pack it back in its box for shipping. I have disconected the wiring loom plug but can't figure out how to separate the tender.

One post I saw said that they simply pull apart - is this correct?
Thanks from the guy feeling a bit like a dunce........

At the Randall Museum in SF we run an automated train on a back-and-forth route. You can see a video here of that in action. My friend who help me setup this recommended to use a push-pull engine configuration for two reasons: a/ to avoid "shoving back" the lighter coach cars, and b/ to match the prototype. The drawback is that I have 2 DCC engines and I spent more time than I want to admit carefully speed matching them, to avoid putting too much tension on the coach cars in between. It's especially tricky during acceleration or deceleration phases.

I always want to experiment to try alternatives. So my question is whether that push-pull configuration is really needed, and by that I mean do we need two actual DCC engines?  

I posted a photo of a coal tower and a photo of the model of a coal tower I had made and asked for advice on weathering it .  I have tried everything that has been suggested.  Thanks to everyone who pitched it.

Rather than trying the options on the tower itself, I have tried options on sytrene which I have temporarily attached to one surface of the tower.  See photos that follow,

Hey everyone!  

Finally got around to coming up with a track plan for my new layout, the Chicago & Northwestern Marshline Subdivision.  My latest video talks about the history of the Marshline and shows you the track plan I came up with while trying to best use the space I have.

I'd love to hear what you think!  Thanks for watching.