I don’t usually don’t do N scale (bad eyes) but my LHS is going out of business and I managed to score an N scale Kato Mikado (undecorated). The price was good and I just couldn’t pass is up. Runs great, looks great and just might inspire me to get back into N scale again. My question is this–I know the engine is a heavy mike but was wondering if anyone knows what prototype this thing most closely resembles. In HO I model PRR, NYC, B&O, C&O, MONON with a little N&W just for fun. Would like to stay with an eastern road since the model is a coal burner. Anyone got any ideas? RickM
It is a USRA design but I have been under the impression that it was a light Mike.
I believe there was little if any difference in the appearance between the light and heavy USRA model, and if there was any, I’d hardly think the difference would be visible on an N-scale model.
Mark (into HO-scale and will probably regret any comment made about N-scale products)
FWIW, the DCC conversion of that loco is one of the most difficult out there.
David B
There are lots of excellent web based resources out there where you can look up prototype photos and compare it with them. I believe the B&O rostered a bunch of Mikados, but I don’t know if the arrangement of the domes, placement of bells, whistles and other details are right.
A good place to start is George Ellwood’s Fallen Flags Railroad Photos site. There’s literally thousands of images there, including a growing number of steam images, from just about every U.S. railroad you can imagine.
Check it out, and as David mentions, if you plan to convert the Mike to DCC, it’s not for the faint of heart.
Lee
Slightly OT, but does anyone know how long the N-scale Walthers USRA 0-8-0 is (with tender)?
Tried looking at the Walthers site but couldn’t find the specs.
Mainly wondering if it’ll fit on an (n-scale) atlas 7 1/2" turntable.
Cheers!
–Mark
There was one easily-spotted difference - the heavy mike had a much larger boiler, and therefore lower domes than the light. The 2" difference in piston stroke wouldn’t be noticeable, but the 10" difference in boiler diameter is a mite obvious.
As for Eastern roads (Defined as roads east of the Appalachians:)
- Light mike - B&O, C&O L&HR, MEC, NYC, PRR, RUT, also SAL and SOU.
- Heavy mike - CNJ, Erie, also A&WP and SOU
I found it interesting that the major coal roads, including the PRR, got light mikes and not heavies. The iron ore carriers (P&LE, PMcK&Y, P&WV) all received heavy mikes. 'Tis a pozzlement - or maybe just proof that the USRA was better at producing good designs than it was at allocating them.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - in twice-N scale, 1:80)
That’s uninformed/mislead bureaucrats for you! I suppose they figured iron ore was heavier than coal for a given space, but they seemed to have forgotten about the affects of topography on railroads. Given current affairs, I expect more of the same kinds of decisions affecting our lives more directly.
Mark
I was wrong. Per Wikipedia, the USRA heavies “…used the same running gear as the USRA Light Mikado but were built to a higher axle load, larger cylinders and a much larger boiler for more power and steam-generating ability.”
I now agree the difference in boiler diameter and its affect on domes would be apparent even with an N-scale model.
Mark
At such a good deal want to pick some things up for me? Any N scale will do. Prefferably send them with UPS, I know the other big names are around here but I never see them. That and a big UPS distribution center is just down the road from me.
…or uninformed / mislead model railroaders mixing politics into their modelling !! [:)]
A check of my hot smokin’ Walthers N-Scale Catalog reveals that Kato’s Mike is labeled as a USRA Heavy Mikado; a further check reveals that the Model Power Mike is labeled as a USRA Light Mikado.
. . . . . . . . . . and at this point answering Monkey’s querry about the USRA 0-8-0: the prototype locomotive was 61’ long–35’ engine, 26’ tender; if you can’t fit that on a 100’ turntable then you’ve got way too much space separating the engine and tender.
Hi thanks to all for your input. I based my original description of the Kato Mike as a heavy mike only because thats what its box stated. I’m aware that the running gear is basically the same for the Light/Heavy mikes. The axle loadings are of course different and the placement of domes, sandboxes etc shouldn’t vary too much since even the copies were built to the same plan. placement of headlights, generators and other appliances will definitly vary depending on what mods were made during an engines rebuild or overhaul and of course depending on the owners preferences. I do have some older reference books which might help with identifying the prototype (Pennsy power 1 & 2, B&O power, NYC Early Steam). I suspect Kato may have modeled their engine as a pretty stoclk USRA mike. If I should run across something more positive I’ll post it here and let everyone know what I find. As far as USRA mikes go, it seems everyone had some and when you mix in a road’s own designs you really run into a real bag of snakes which can bite you pretty hard. RickM
Plus over the years the railroads added things like feedwater heaters etc. as they were developed, so it can sometimes be hard looking at picture of a c.1950 engine to work out that under all those pipes and gizmos is an original USRA engine!!
As it happens right now I’m reading “Uncle Sam’s Locomotives” by Eugene L. Huddleston, it has a lot of usefull info on the USRA engines and the USRA in general.
Mark, the Walthers 0-8-0’s are ~5 1/2" with tender. I have a couple of them. Should be no problem on the turntable… They’re a nice looking model.
Enjoy…
Bob O.
Thanks!
Got one on the way in the mail! Looking forward to it.
Wish there were more small steamers in N.
(Like a good 0-6-0T, or a good 4-4-0 or 4-4-2)
(or, if anyone knows of some, lemmie know!)
Of course, it’d be lovely if Atlas reran their two-truck shay.
Sigh.
–Mark
I have a couple of Athearn old style 2-8-0’s too. D&RGW had a lot of them. I’ve seen an article on installing DCC in them that I hope to try soon. Who knows. By the time I get to it, the DCC controllers may be so small I don’t have to do ANY tender modification. [:)]
Now I just need to finish the layout, so I can run them!
Bob O.
Except for the fact the USRA was made up presidents and chairmen-of-the-board of a couple dozen US railroads, plus representatives of about six different locomotive builders. I doubt the PRR representatives didn’t know what they were doing in allocating engines to their own railway !!
That’s good, at least they weren’t ignoramuses, but it wouldn’t make them experts on railroads they weren’t familiar with, and it introduced a conflict of interest as they would be tempted to favor their own interests over others.
Mark