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How do I know it's a Mike (Mikado)

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How do I know it's a Mike (Mikado)
Posted by yankee flyer on Monday, March 25, 2013 4:17 PM

Hi Guys

When a steam engine is called a "MIKE" is it only the batch that was built for export?

A 2-8-2 or what?  How do I tell?

Thanks  Smile

Lee

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Posted by NP2626 on Monday, March 25, 2013 4:19 PM

It has a wheel araingement of 2-8-2.  That's two in the lead truck, 8 drivers and 2 in the trailing truck.  This wheel arrangement is called a Mikado or Mike.

NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"

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Posted by maxman on Monday, March 25, 2013 4:21 PM

It's a 2-8-2.  Probably more than you want to know can be found here: http://www.steamlocomotive.com/mikado/

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Posted by tstage on Monday, March 25, 2013 4:28 PM

Lee,

The term "Mike" (short for "Mikado") refers to any 2-8-2 steam locomotive.

Tom

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Posted by NP2626 on Monday, March 25, 2013 4:38 PM

Mick-AhDoh

NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"

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Posted by tstage on Monday, March 25, 2013 4:41 PM

Actually, it's Mi-CAH-doe....as in Gilbert & Sullivan's "The Mikado"...

Tom

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Posted by Burlington Northern #24 on Monday, March 25, 2013 5:01 PM

ok that makes much more sense, I've seen the term thrown around so many times I was getting confused. 

SP&S modeler, 1960's give or take a decade or two for some equipment.

 http://www.youtube.com/user/SGTDUPREY?feature=guide 

Gary DuPrey

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Posted by yankee flyer on Monday, March 25, 2013 5:57 PM

Thanks to all that answered. I wasn't sure if I had it right.

And  a good day to all from the great white Midwest.    Whistling

Lee

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Posted by NP2626 on Monday, March 25, 2013 8:07 PM

tstage

Actually, it's Mi-CAH-doe....as in Gilbert & Sullivan's "The Mikado"...

Tom

You say Mi-CAH-doe, I say Mick-AHdoh.  Wait a minute, is there and echo in here? 

NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"

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Posted by tstage on Monday, March 25, 2013 8:10 PM

"Let's call the whole thing off..." Smile, Wink & Grin

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Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Monday, March 25, 2013 8:23 PM

Mikado, 2-8-2, second most popular mainline wheel arrangement in North America, about 14,000 produced. The number one produced mainline Loco in North America was the 2-8-0 at about 33,000 copies.

During WWII there was some effort made to rename them "MacArthur" - it stuck on a few roads, but the nick name "Mike" seems to have dominated in later years from many accounts.

Largest ones owned my the NYC and Great Northern, some built as late as 1944 - very modern versions built by LIMA for the DT&I - these locos very similar to the "famous" LIMA Berkshire, just a little smaller.

Roads like the B&O had large fleets of Mikes, about 750 of them, and had great success with them, and in the case of the B&O, they had few other rigid wheel arrangements larger in size. By comparison, the B&O only had 156 2-10-2's and 44 4-8-2's - and they never owned a Berkshire or a Northern.

Dispite this immense popularity on the prototype, there are decidedly few models available other than brass.

Sheldon  

    

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Posted by BATMAN on Tuesday, March 26, 2013 1:16 AM

Here's a few pic's. I think Canadian Pacific had 335 of them. But I stand to be corrected on that.

http://www.trainweb.org/oldtimetrains/photos/cpr_steam/P2.htm

Offering a little help in the Rocky Mountains.

 ">

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Posted by tomikawaTT on Tuesday, March 26, 2013 1:40 AM

The name Mikado was conferred on Baldwin's first 2-8-2 order, probably by some American influenced by the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta of the same name.  They were shipped to the Imperial Government Railways in 1897 and were sufficiently successful that their follow-ons, the D50, D51 and D52 classes, totaled more than 2,000 units.  Late in life some of each class were given four wheel trailing trucks (the single trailing axle carried as much weight as a drive axle!) and had their spring rates modified to make them easier on the track,  49 D52 class 2-8-2s had their boilers jacked up and lowered onto 4-6-4 frames to create the beautiful, powerful C62 class, Japan's fastest and most powerful passenger power.

The one thing that didn't cross the Pacific was the name.  If you refer to a 2-8-2 as a Mikado (or Mike) in Japan you'll get either a stupid look or a, "Are you really that stupid," look.

Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with D50s and D51s, but no Mikados)

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Posted by Burlington Northern #24 on Tuesday, March 26, 2013 2:42 AM

tomikawaTT

The name Mikado was conferred on Baldwin's first 2-8-2 order, probably by some American influenced by the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta of the same name.  They were shipped to the Imperial Government Railways in 1897 and were sufficiently successful that their follow-ons, the D50, D51 and D52 classes, totaled more than 2,000 units.  Late in life some of each class were given four wheel trailing trucks (the single trailing axle carried as much weight as a drive axle!) and had their spring rates modified to make them easier on the track,  49 D52 class 2-8-2s had their boilers jacked up and lowered onto 4-6-4 frames to create the beautiful, powerful C62 class, Japan's fastest and most powerful passenger power.

The one thing that didn't cross the Pacific was the name.  If you refer to a 2-8-2 as a Mikado (or Mike) in Japan you'll get either a stupid look or a, "Are you really that stupid," look.

Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with D50s and D51s, but no Mikados)

didn't it mean emperor? maybe I'm confusing this with something else, I dunno I took one two quarters of chinese unfortunately didn't retain much except a couple phrases, words, and the ability to count to 99 atleast.

SP&S modeler, 1960's give or take a decade or two for some equipment.

 http://www.youtube.com/user/SGTDUPREY?feature=guide 

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Posted by zstripe on Tuesday, March 26, 2013 7:43 AM

Isn't that, Kato's brother,,,,, LOL..

Cheers,

Frank

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Posted by NP2626 on Tuesday, March 26, 2013 8:15 AM

Yes, Mick Kato, a good guy!

NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"

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Posted by tstage on Tuesday, March 26, 2013 9:27 AM

Burlington Northern #24

tomikawaTT

The name Mikado was conferred on Baldwin's first 2-8-2 order, probably by some American influenced by the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta of the same name.  They were shipped to the Imperial Government Railways in 1897 and were sufficiently successful that their follow-ons, the D50, D51 and D52 classes, totaled more than 2,000 units.  Late in life some of each class were given four wheel trailing trucks (the single trailing axle carried as much weight as a drive axle!) and had their spring rates modified to make them easier on the track,  49 D52 class 2-8-2s had their boilers jacked up and lowered onto 4-6-4 frames to create the beautiful, powerful C62 class, Japan's fastest and most powerful passenger power.

The one thing that didn't cross the Pacific was the name.  If you refer to a 2-8-2 as a Mikado (or Mike) in Japan you'll get either a stupid look or a, "Are you really that stupid," look.

Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with D50s and D51s, but no Mikados)

didn't it mean emperor? maybe I'm confusing this with something else, I dunno I took one two quarters of chinese unfortunately didn't retain much except a couple phrases, words, and the ability to count to 99 atleast.

Mandarin or Cantonese won't do you much good over in Japan, Gary.  Maybe that's where the confusion lies? Smile, Wink & Grin

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Posted by wjstix on Tuesday, March 26, 2013 2:46 PM

Yup "mikado" refers to the emperor of Japan.

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Posted by Burlington Northern #24 on Tuesday, March 26, 2013 9:56 PM

figures. Laugh

taiwanese professor teaching mainland mandarin.

that said, I've been eyeing Kato's  Mikes and will probably pick up a GN one and maybe one to paint/ or letter for NP. NP had them right? even if they didn't it'll join my light mountain, as another engine my rendition of the NP owned.

SP&S modeler, 1960's give or take a decade or two for some equipment.

 http://www.youtube.com/user/SGTDUPREY?feature=guide 

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Posted by B&O1952 on Wednesday, March 27, 2013 10:55 AM

My all time favorite "Mike" has always been the rugged little Q-4 Mikado on the B&O. To me, no other type of locomotive better represents the B&O better than the Q-4. They saw nearly every part of the B&O system. During WWII, the B&O renamed them " McArthur type" but fortunately like "Freedom Fries" the name didn't stick. Here are my Q-4 locos, and some nice number and class plates from the prototypes:

-Stan

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