Advice on the heavy mikado

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pollockmarine
Posts: 40
Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2011 11:51 pm
Location: New zealand, Wellington

Advice on the heavy mikado

Post by pollockmarine »

Hi Guys been a few years since I was active on here but looking for some advice and help. I have been looking at building either a Hudson, Northen or a Mikado original I settled on the Mikado as the pricing seemed decent and given I am in NZ shipping is the biggest factor. I read some of the late posts on the Mikado and now have a few questions regarding supply of parts and castings and if the feed back from 2013 still stands. Also would like to know if anyone would have a GA drawing of the Mikado for study purposes and to see if it is feasible. Also is railroad supply still the only place suppling castings for this loco and do you have to buy each kit as previously stated.

Kind regards
Brendan
Pontiacguy1
Posts: 1566
Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2012 10:15 am
Location: Tennessee, USA

Re: Advice on the heavy mikado

Post by Pontiacguy1 »

Hudsons and Northerns, you would need to contact Mike at Little Engines. He is on the boards here and can answer any questions that you have. I believe that RRSC still has the USRA 2-8-2, and will sell you castings and plans. A friend of mine just bought a set of castings for the USRA 2-8-2 from somewhere, so they are still available.

Any of these will definitely be a big project and will take a long time to build. If this is your first build, I would personally recommend something smaller and simpler. Some argue to build what you want, some (like me) say you have a better chance of success if you build something smaller that takes less time for your first locomotive. If you have a lot of machining and fab experience, then disregard this and do whatever you want.

I know of two people who have built that USRA heavy Mike and they are both really good performers. The boiler on one was built entirely out of 3/8" steel plate, and it is HEAVY! I could barely move it at all, had to roll it around in the shop like a barrel.
pollockmarine
Posts: 40
Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2011 11:51 pm
Location: New zealand, Wellington

Re: Advice on the heavy mikado

Post by pollockmarine »

Thanks for the fast reply, machining and Fab aren't a concern started a 3'1/2 jubilee and a Doris but no offence the Europe style loco doesn't interest me and 3'1/2 is just too small for my liking I would consider a 4.75 Northen or Hudson but yet to find a place to buy castings hence my reasoning behind 7'1/4 Mikado my biggest concern was after reading previous threads on the Mikado was that you had to buy each sequence of the kit to be able to complete.
765nkp
Posts: 776
Joined: Sun May 06, 2007 9:24 pm
Location: st louis, mo

Re: Advice on the heavy mikado

Post by 765nkp »

Wayne Godshall is selling the castings for the Mikado now. He has parts in stock and ready to ship. He is alot better to deal with than the previous owner, great service! Look up Godshall Custom Machining on the web.
Tim
rrnut-2
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Joined: Mon Jul 18, 2011 7:40 pm
Location: Bennington, NH

Re: Advice on the heavy mikado

Post by rrnut-2 »

Railroad Supply has the castings and prints for the USRA Mikado. Call Mike after 6pm Eastern Time.
Also, RRSC does have a web site, and there is a pdf catalog that you can download. "Mikadoguy" is Mike's oldest son and has been doing a lot of the
website, catalog, contact him on this board.

Jim B
Cary Stewart
Posts: 542
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2011 5:54 pm

Re: Advice on the heavy mikado

Post by Cary Stewart »

Unless their policy has changed the section by section build approach is to make it easier for the money starved. I suspect that like Burbank RRSC if you want the whole kit at the same time they can accommodate you. For a shipment to NZ this may be a way to same money. However, RRSC may not have every part on the shelf when you place your order so there may be some time lapse before the whole kit could be shipped. They have been for several months been re doing many of the patterns with upgrades for the USRA Heavy Mike. Making a phone call from NZ might be fun to match up with time zones. RRSC is in the north east part of the USA, in New Hampshire. Check on line.
Cary
pollockmarine
Posts: 40
Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2011 11:51 pm
Location: New zealand, Wellington

Re: Advice on the heavy mikado

Post by pollockmarine »

After browsing the build thread and seeing how people have built other mikados I have hope and given the advice from this group I think its possible given there are many suppliers of castings for this project.
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NP317
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Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2014 2:57 pm
Location: Northern Oregon, USA

Re: Advice on the heavy mikado

Post by NP317 »

pollockmarine wrote: Thu Jun 14, 2018 9:52 pm After browsing the build thread and seeing how people have built other mikados I have hope and given the advice from this group I think its possible given there are many suppliers of castings for this project.
Casting from different suppliers might not be compatible, due to years of separate development of specific Mikados offered.
There is a history here about the Heavy Mikados. Not a happy history...
~RN
optigman
Posts: 124
Joined: Wed Jul 15, 2015 11:17 pm

Re: Advice on the heavy mikado

Post by optigman »

I would also like to mention another spectacular live steam model that might interest you if you are looking at mid to large live steam locomotives. The model can be detailed just like the prototype or just left plain. Either way it is a spectacularly designed model and in the same approx size as Mikados, Northerns, and Hudsons. It is none other than Jim Kreiders Nickle Plate Berkshire. The finished locomotives are also flawless runners. :D
Howard Gorin
Posts: 348
Joined: Tue Jan 07, 2003 2:56 am
Location: Waltham, MA

Re: Advice on the heavy mikado

Post by Howard Gorin »

There is nothing on the market better the Jim Kreiders Berkshire.
I wanted to let somebody else mention the Berkshire first.
Best castings, best drawings, best support.
Jim, do not let this praise go to your head!
pollockmarine
Posts: 40
Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2011 11:51 pm
Location: New zealand, Wellington

Re: Advice on the heavy mikado

Post by pollockmarine »

Yeah I know Jim is a top bloke and has helped me prior with my coloumbia 1" project would love to find some Northen castings and drawings in 3/4" or 1" but the Mikado did grab me but have mixed reviews given train mountain is on I'll wait for vendors to come back to me before I set my project in action
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