I bought a Lionel tender where someone removed the coal load and it looks like they made it an open area that I guess looks like what an empty tender would look like. I'd like to use it as part of my wreck train, but what would it be used for? The water tank portion used for non-potable water? A fuel tender for the crane? I can't think of anything the open coal bunker area would be used for. I'm thinking it will look like this:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/...m-72157662763347822/
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Sam, you pretty much answered your own question except for conversion of the tender into a steam generator car. These cars contained an oil-fired boiler and were used to supply steam heating to passenger trains when the locomotives were not equipped for steam generating or needed back-up. The pic shows a Milwaukee Road steam generator car made from a tender.
Most of the rotary snow plows had a steam generator and a fuel car and water car.
A fuel oil car would seem appropriate for a wreck train. Extra fuel for whatever they were operating.
Here is another example of a steam generator car. One of the few remaining examples of NYC steam.
Pete
NKP 765's A-tank (auxiliary tender) was an L&N "Big Emma" Berkshire tender. Prior to our acquisition this tender had been in wreck train service as a waste oil tank.
When we got the tender, we had to "boil" it clean. We did this by filling the tank about 3/4 full of water, then injecting live steam from the 765 into it via a 4-inch steam line. After several hours the water began to boil and bubble out the top hatches. Whatever had been in there was very caustic! As the boiling water ran down the sides of the tank, it stripped the paint! We boiled her clean for hours, until the water draining out was clear.
That A-tank will be in service behind the 765 again this year.
I've seen one at least modified for a snow flanger.
One of many next projects a NP heater car
Most ex steam tenders were used as a fuel tender for the crane- mainly the steam cranes.
In the early 1980s I can remember seeing a string of L&N mow crew cars ( like troop sleepers) coupled with an old L&N steam engine tender. This was at Englewood,Tn.The tender was stamped MOW but the old gold L&N and road number was still plainly visible.
A steam-operated wrecking crane would need a reliable boiler water supply and of course fuel. I reckon a steam locomotive's tender would be the ideal supply to piggyback off, but as the steamers disappeared, the wreckers would have needed more water than diesel locomotives could carry. My $0.02 or less. Not my pic here, wish it was. 
Moonman posted:Most of the rotary snow plows had a steam generator and a fuel car and water car.
A fuel oil car would seem appropriate for a wreck train. Extra fuel for whatever they were operating.
On a steam rotary snow plow, the tender serves the same function as with a locomotive: supply water and fuel to the only "steam generator" onboard: the boiler in the rotary.
Rusty
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