Mystery Bachmann Mikado

[Anonymous]

OK in the June MR in TrainWorlds ad there is a Bachmann mikado.

I went to Bachmann's website and I can't find anything about it. So I went to TrainWorld's site and again nothing...so i called Trainworld. They have it in stock and various roadnames.

So why isn't there any info on this thing?? Does it really exist? I don't want to order one to look at it! I checked ebay and there is an auction for a japanese mikado (US prototype)...could this be it?

[Anonymous]

Sorry guys, I meant to post the link to that eBay auction.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3193949858&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

[orsonroy]

WES,

Whoever's billing this model as a Japanese engine is an idiot. The box, and all the Bachmann advertising, clearly says it's a CHINESE SY-class engine. This was a one-time, special run Bachmann did this year of a Chinese prorortye that was built into the early 1990s. Two of these engines were imported into the USA for tourist operations, one for the Susquehanna, and one for some tourist line in Missouri (I forget the name off the top of my head).

With a little work, this engine could be redetailed as a 1920-1950s American prototype. The only real problem would be the boxpox drivers. Otherwise, it's a good model of a small prototype (smaller than USRA lights) mikado used on many roads. It looks like a Baldwin ripoff.

From what I've seen posted on other MRR gossip forums, it's a nicely detailed, decent running engine, on a par with all other Bachmann Spectrum models.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Ray, so with Bachmann offering this decorated for the UP and others is totally false?? It does look like a nice loco though. Thanks for the info.

[AltonFan]

Bachmann has long included in its N scale line (I'm not sure about HO) a Reading 2-8-0 to which a trailing truck was added to make a "Mikado". (They also did this with their USRA 0-6-0, from which Bachman derived a 4-6-0 in HO and a 2-6-2 in N.) I would tend to think that Trainworld's ad is referring to one of these.

The Reading 2-8-0 was a large engine and as an anthracite burner, had a wide firebox. Still it doesn't look right with just a trailing truck added. Roger Baker wrote an article in Model Railroader about lengthening the boiler to make a more believable 2-8-2.

[nfmisso]

Dan; you are way off on this one.

Roy; Boone, Iowa, not Missouri.

[orsonroy]

Iowa, Missouri....they're both on the other side of the river to me!

[M636C]

These locomotives were derived from Japanese built light mikados built for the railways in Manchuria and Northern China in the late 1930s. The last of these had Boxpok wheels as built. They were in turn derived from heavier mikados built by Alco for the Japanese owned South Manchurian Railways in 1918. The SY class were built from about 1960 and were mainly used in the Chinese steel industry as heavy switchers.

Even the "heavy" locomotives were much lighter than the contemporary USRA light mikado locomotives, but looked generally similar.

The main problem with the SY is a "Bay window" on the cab side, which projects beyond the lower cab side. While this is correct for the locomotive as supplied to Susquehanna, very few US locomotives had this feature!

Peter

[mmathu]

Here's a set of images of the Bachmann Spectrum HO Scale 2-8-2 Chinese Railways Class SY 2-8-2:

Bachmann Photo Gallery :: SY 2-8-2
http://64.224.99.14/home-usa/gallery/album44

And here's a US prototype 2-8-2 with Boxpok drivers, like the Bachmann model:

GBW #401 builder's photo:
http://www.greenbayroute.com/401build.htm

[AltonFan]

QUOTE: nfmisso sez:
Dan; you are way off on this one.

Well, I hadn't seen the ad in the June 2004 Model Railroader.

Looking at the pix of the SY, ISTM that it could be easily Americanized.

I believe Kato has similar engines, representing Japanese prototypes, in N scale.

[Anonymous]

You can order this loco from the MB Klien web site $ 139.99