Western Pacific Mikado

[CFournier]

I'm modeling a WP Mikado, starting with an Athearn Genesis 2-8-2, and I need a good picture of a WP prototype Mikado. I saw that some of those had what I think is an Elesco feedwater heater over the smoke box. Does anyone have a good picture of a prototype? Thank you.

[orsonroy]

Will these pics do?

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/wp/wp-s331afm.jpg
http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?00019951+OP-19951
http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?00019952+OP-19952
http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?00019953+OP-19953
http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?00019954+OP-19954
http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?00019955+OP-19955
http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?00019956+OP-19956
http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?00019957+OP-19957
http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?00019958+OP-19958
http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?00019959+OP-19959
http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?00019960+OP-19960
http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?00019961+OP-19961
http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?00019963+OP-19963
http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?00019964+OP-19964
http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?00019968+OP-19968
http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?00019969+OP-19969

(OK, only a few are of the WP's USRA light mikes, but what the heck)

Always check the Denver Public Library's Western History website for things like this. They've got the entire Otto Perry negative collection online. There are at least 266 WP images alone!

Hope this helps!

[CFournier]

Thank you a thousand times!!!
I've been looking for pictures on the internet for a while but found only one picture of WP 331 so far. The pics you sent will be very usefull to me!
Christian.

[CFournier]

It's me again,
How do tell a light Mikado from a heavy Mikado????
Is the boiler bigger???
Christian.

[orsonroy]

The USRA mikes came in a heavy and a light. Basically, the boiler on the heavy was bigger. Here's a comparison between a NKP USRA light and heavy as an example:

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/nkp/nkp-s587jd.jpg
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/nkp/nkp-s687n.jpg

(pay no attention to the tenders: the NKP liked to build extra large tenders for their engines!) As you can see between the two engines, the easiest visual difference of the two USRA engines is the sandbox, which seems larger and more sunken into the boiler on the USRA heavy.

The WP engines look to be either USRA engines, or pre-USRA engines that are actually smaller in design (shorter overall, smaller drivers). You'd have to check the specs to see if the engines were lighter and had less boiler pressure, and were thus "lighter" than the USRA engines.

Glad to have been some help! That's what these forums are supposed to be all about! And don't forget to spend some time digging through that Denver Library website; I saw several classes of WP engines well represented there!

[twhite]

CFournier--you said you were using a Genesis USRA 2-8-2 as a basis for the WP Mike. The Genesis is a light USRA, and the WP only had five, their first series 321-325, obtained from Baldwin in 1918. They didn't like them, only ran them for a little while, then sold them to the Wabash. Those are the only light USRA 2-8-2's that ever ran on WP. The rest of their Mikes were based upon the heavy USRA design and were built by Alco. #331 came to the WP from Alco in 1926. If you want to duplicate #331, as it sounds, the Genesis is really not the loco to use as a basis. You'd be better off with the BLI heavy 2-8-2 as a starting point, then add an Elesco feed-water heater from Cal-Scale. And even then, you'll have to change the trailing truck to a Delta. God, I sound like one of those 'rivet counters' don't I? Sorry, don't mean to. If you want to use the Genesis, then numbering your Mike in the 300-305 series would work pretty well, even though your Mike would be a Light, instead of a Heavy. But the 300-305 were WP's first Mikes, delivered in 1918, and are USRA copies. Just add an Elesco fwh on the top of the boiler between the stack and the bell, and you'll be pretty accurate.
Tom

[CFournier]

Hi Tom,
I checked my pictures and found out that WP Mike # 306 looks more like the Genesis Canadian National Mikado I bought, with the bell ahead of the Elesco and the domes on the first and third segment of the boiler, (not counting the smoke box). WP # 303 and 305 where different in configuration.
Christian

[jwar]

Perhaps a book called Western pacific Locomotives and Cars by patrick C. Dorin, By TLC publishing. It has several pictures of Mikes. The Western Pacific Historical Soc. had great pictures of all the steam and diesel. But as of a few days ago there not on line with a change of format pages. Its a great site if it ever gets back on line.