I have not been able to find (online) the length of a USRA Light Mikado. I am researching an engine terminal on the NKP that had a 70’ manual turntable and I know that in later years the subdivision was using this engine for freight work. My question is: Would this engine fit on this turntable? If not, then they would have likely been turned on a wye a mile or so away. Thanks.
Based on the drawings I have handy, a USRA light Mike and tender was at least 80’ long overall.
And, one picture I have showsa NKP light Mike with a larger replacement tender, likely making it more like 90’ long.
Sheldon
The specifications which I have show the total length with the standard USRA tender to be 81’11.75", with a wheelbase (engine and tender) of 71’4.5"
The Athearn model of this loco scales out at about 83’6" over the couplers, and fits nicely on my 89’ turntable.
Wayne
It wouldn’t be unusual for a railroad to put a slightly smaller than normal tender behind an engine to allow it to fit onto a turntable. Remember too that the key factor is the engine/tender wheelbase - if all the wheels fit on the track, it doesn’t matter if the front of the engine and back of the tender stick out beyond the turntable. That’s why New York Central’s Niagaras had those odd tenders with a large area sticking out beyond the last axle. It kept the wheelbase short enough that NYC could turn them on existing turntables.
From what I have read, the NKP used short tenders on the 2-8-2s from Delphos to Toledo because there was a very tight 19 degree curve just east of Delphos and the engines with the longer tenders could not negotiate the curve. I am still guessing that these engines would not fit on the 70’ turntable from the late 1800’s and therefore, would have been turned on the nearby wye. It seems to me that the USRA Mike is a lot of engine to turn by hand too. Thanks all.