Good answers to good questions.
If I may add some photos, here are a few of the interior of the 169's smokebox [taken under the watchful eye of Lee Conner...and pre-2012 Super Bowl ***sigh***], and the exterior of the 168's smokebox taken just a few days ago.
169:
168:
On the 169, the tubing does not penetrate the fireman's side of the smoke box; the 168 seems to have plumbing for the blower.
Re: those plastic main rods -- they did help with the unsprung weight, but their durability was about as good as a NASCAR jet dryer getting clobbered by the #42 Chevy! :-)
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/28/2012 07:05PM by Jim Poston.