We did what!?!

What we have here is a very interesting project. Chris is (will be) modeling the Valley and Air Lines on the New Haven. The Air Line local was frequently hauled by J-1 class #3022. Sometime c1947 the tender (which originally came from an I-4 class) was converted to a clear vision tender. At least two other J-1s and one J-2 also received clear vision tenders.

When I picked up my Custom Brass I-4, Chris needed an I-4 tender. I need a J-1 tender for my I-4. So the idea was that we'd just swap. However, since I need a couple of J-1s anyway, I really don't need his tender.
In any event, it was just about a year ago when I got the I-4 and we started looking for a tender for 3022. I told him to chop up the tender that came with my I-4. Chris wasn't sure about cutting up a brass tender. So we hunted around and, long story short, found that there wasn't really a suitable model available.
So last month I picked up one of the Precision Scale I-4 tenders. I now have a very nicely detailed I-4 tender for a future J-1 (the Custom Brass one needed quite a bit of upgrading anyway).
So Chris finally started cutting up this tender. Before Photo Library night Chris cut through one side of the coal bunker, although it was still attached to the front and back.  I wasn't there that week, but it was in the same state last night. So Dick and I gave him some encouragement. That is to say, we started cutting up the tender ourselves. By the time I left last night, the coal bunker was gone, and Chris had done some impressive dremel and pliers work on it to get the Proto 2000 coal bunker on in a rough fit. With this photo he just sent, it appears that he's completed that part of the project.
The goal is to complete as much of 3022 before the NHRHTA Reunion in November. I think he's well on his way. And he's now entered a very small group of modelers - brass bashers.
Wait, I just remembered something - I need two I-4 tenders!