Ron Martin built this mighty 7.25” gauge Mikado, and displayed it at a recent Bristol Model Engineering Exhibition. The model represents a class H10 of the New York Central Railway one of 1350 Mikado locomotives used on that railway.
Some 302 were class H10 Mikados, which can be considered the precursor to the ‘Lima Super-Power’ design. Essentially, this class was a modified and improved earlier class having only average performance. Construction was during 1922-24. They were built by both Lima and ALCO.
Many years ago TRAINS magazine included a survey of all Mikados contemporary with the H10 and discovered a secret: Lima had given the H10 double the superheating surface of other classes. A few years later, Andre Chapelon did something similar in France to great acclaim.
There are no surviving NYC 2-8-2 Mikado type locomotives.
The model loco is 7ft long and the tender 5’ 7”. Width is 16.5” and height 24”.
The loco weighs 900lb and the tender 600lb. The tender carries 25 gallons of water and 28lb of coal.
Cylinders are 3” dia and 4” stroke, with piston valves operated by Walschaerts valve gear. Driving wheels are 8.625” dia and sealed roller bearings are used throughout the engine and tender. Air and vacuum brakes are employed.
Boiler is 11.625” dia with a working pressure of 125psi and has four radiant superheating elements.
