This thread is a continuation of the discussion regarding plastic 300 Atlantics with plastic tenders based on my replies to comments to Old Smokey 47’s posting on converting coupler styles. As previously noted, I have a plastic 300 Atlantic with plastic tender. It is part of the 521T set I received for Christmas in 1952, when I was 2 years old. The set was cataloged only that year. (Doyle pg. 223 and Gilbert catalog 1952 at, http://www.myflyertrains.org/AF_Catalogs/Gilbert Catalogs.htm.) This set has been in my possession ever since. Here's the set.
Until I read comments from flyernut and AmFlyer I had thought that plastic 300s came with either metal or plastic tenders and that plastic tenders were not unusual. I am far from an expert on these things. The date stamp in the boiler is smudged and the month stamp is largely missing. The year stamp appears to be 1952. I thought the month stamp was missing but on further examination I can make out remnants of the feet from an N, so date stamp is Nov 1952. This is best image of the date stamp my camera could manage.
In checking references, Doyle is not clear on whether or not plastic 300s came with plastic tenders. Doyle, page 19 lists a "Type VI" 300 as late 1952 with plastic boiler but does not list tender information for it. Greenberg's 2nd edition, page 73 paragraph (F) lists a 1953 plastic boiler 300 with plastic Atlantic-type tender body. I have part of an article by Tom Hamler printed in S Gaugian that reports 6 variations of 300 Atlantics with 1952 versions typically found with plastic tenders. Unfortunately I do not have a complete copy of the issue so can't include a proper citation. Here's the locomotive and tender.
Over the years, the locomotive tender have received their fair share of repairs, including replacement screws, repaired mounting posts, new tender to locomotive wires, new armature and field coil. But, locomotive shell and tender are original.
Hope you find this interesting and any thoughts, questions, or further discussion on this would be welcome.
Thanks,
PHM

Until I read comments from flyernut and AmFlyer I had thought that plastic 300s came with either metal or plastic tenders and that plastic tenders were not unusual. I am far from an expert on these things. The date stamp in the boiler is smudged and the month stamp is largely missing. The year stamp appears to be 1952. I thought the month stamp was missing but on further examination I can make out remnants of the feet from an N, so date stamp is Nov 1952. This is best image of the date stamp my camera could manage.

In checking references, Doyle is not clear on whether or not plastic 300s came with plastic tenders. Doyle, page 19 lists a "Type VI" 300 as late 1952 with plastic boiler but does not list tender information for it. Greenberg's 2nd edition, page 73 paragraph (F) lists a 1953 plastic boiler 300 with plastic Atlantic-type tender body. I have part of an article by Tom Hamler printed in S Gaugian that reports 6 variations of 300 Atlantics with 1952 versions typically found with plastic tenders. Unfortunately I do not have a complete copy of the issue so can't include a proper citation. Here's the locomotive and tender.

Over the years, the locomotive tender have received their fair share of repairs, including replacement screws, repaired mounting posts, new tender to locomotive wires, new armature and field coil. But, locomotive shell and tender are original.
Hope you find this interesting and any thoughts, questions, or further discussion on this would be welcome.
Thanks,
PHM