Lionel Mikado Jr's

I have the Union Pacific version, I wish it was a TMCC loco, but that is my only complaint about them. They are the nicest detailed 027 locomotive that I have seen. mine is the smoothest running Non-Legacy Lionel locomotive that I have. If the garage door opener ever fails, these will just about handle that duty, they pull like a 20 mule team. They DON'T have a 200 smph top speed, Lionel finally seems to have geared them more realistically, than most Traditional sized locomotives, and it seems to have paid off in the slow speed performance and pulling power.

 

I kind of like them a little bit,

 

Doug

Doug, thanks for the reply, especially the pulling power comment. Nice to know I'm not the only night owl lurking here.  Any other comments, I'd like to hear them.

I have the Pennsy Mikado jr with TMCC and Railsounds 5. Sounds and runs great. Only issues are the smoke comes out near the steam chest along with the stack and I have replaced the smoke resister twice but not a big deal. Good runner and puller.

I love my NYC Mikado Jr. Here it is running on the inner loop with a milk train on my 10 Wheeler video.

 

 

Peter

Excellent little engine!  I use mine to pull freight while my LionMaster Hudson pulls Baby-Madison cars.  They match nicely size-wise.  I added ERRCo Cruise to mine, so she can negotiate anything at slow speeds.  I also added a detail-package to the front end:

 

That's a coupler lift-bar from a Lionel 0-6-0T, and a Kadee S-Scale coupler.

 

Jon

I have the Pennsy version as well. I agree with all the other comments - a very nicely detailed engine, looks right but small enough to happly run on the average sized layout. I wish Lionel made more models like this - affordable but with enough detail to "look right" I put a real coal load in mine as soon as it arrived.

 

MIKE

 

I have the PRR version with TMCC that always pulls the freight on my small layout. Had a problem with the tender coupler opening when it felt like it, but...don't faint...a dab of 5-minute Epoxy fixed it. Another nit-pick...given the engine style, the tender should read "Pennsylvania Lines" for the Western PA area of usage. But...I love it, especially the price.

I have the 38644 Texas & Pacific and often have reflected on how it very well may be the best value for the money among the eighty-three locomotives from all eras I have been able to get my grubby little hands on. Purchased at one-third of list price from an LHS maintaining an eBay store.

Peter,

 

What is that other engine pulling the passenger cars?

Trainman,

 

 That's not my video or locomotive, but it appears to be a Lionel 6-11150 Legacy Ten Wheeler, from the 2008 Lionel Volume 1 catalog.

 

Doug

I have the NYC version as well. Great engine. Perfect size to run with the USRA 0-8-0 starter set engine. I wish Lionel would continue making these smaller size engine with scale like detailing.

I pre-ordered a LionChief Pacific, but the Mike looks to be better value with better detail.  I will likely pre-order a Mike as well.  -Ken

Pennsylvania TMCC. Nice for my freight trains. But because of the pilot it does not always like backing through o-27 switches. I really like the looks but
my tmcc Berkshire jr is a better runner but only railsounds 4.0.
Both get into my small yards which is designed for my 0-4-0's

I have the Lionel #6-28684 UP Mikado Jr.  It has the puffing smoke unit and Railsounds.  I use it to pull my Polar Express cars around the Christmas tree.  No TMCC, but it is a great looking and running engine.  Matt

Jerry,

 

A few months ago I bought a Williams brass USRA 2-8-2 on E-Bay for less than $200 delivered.  Here's what they look like out of the box:

 

 

I modified mine to look more like a Seaboard Air Line Q3:

 

 

I could have left it alone as SAL had 10 or so of the USRA engines (their class Q1), but I've always liked the Q3 class better.

 

If you can find one you can add in a command control system with sound for another $200 and have a beautiful, scale brass engine, or leave it conventional.

Jon, where did you get the front-end detail-package? Is it very involved or difficult to add? Who is it available from?

I have the PRR 9631 with TMCC and it is probably my favorite steam locomotive. Boxcar Bill added ERR Cruise commander and its operation is flawless. I like its looks, sounds, and pulling power.  Here's a video of it pulling 23 cars over the H*** Gate Bridge back in 2012 at a National Capital Trackers show in Dale City, VA. This was before adding the ERR Cruise. For some reason, it also smokes much better today, although not like a fan-driven unit.

 

Here's the 9631 PRR Jr. Mikado after ERR Cruise Commander added, and look also at how the smoke is today. It seems to smoke best at slower speeds. Why, the locomotive can even easily be controlled by a 3-year old! (LOL)

 

I have the red christmas one and it is one of my fav engines to run, holidays or not

I feel that the Lionel little Mike, considering its relatively low price and high quality, would make a nice candidate for a judicious "bashing" into a small branchline/older Mike. A larger cab, taller stack and domes, bigger headlight...

 

-----------------

Bob Delbridge -

 

Nice job; love those Williams/Samhongsa locos. I like the looks of the SAL Mikes.

 

I have one (OK, more than one) of the Williams brass USRA Mikes - former UP also, as I recall - that I "GM&O-ed" with an Elesco FWH and associated piping, visor on headlight, etc. With ERR Cruise Commander it runs exquisitely.

 

Speaking of the SAL, someone needs to do their 2-6-6-4.  

Thanks D500!

 

More than one, WOW!  I wish I had gotten into O a little sooner (when these 1st came out).

 

I agree about the 2-6-6-4, but doubt I'd ever get one, too big for my RR.  These later went to the B&O as KB-1 and KB-1a 7700-7709.

 

I've wondered if the "Jr" models like the 2-8-2 share the same boiler with, say a 4-6-2?

Thanks everybody for your replies to my original post. You've confirmed that Lionel did a good job on the Mikado Jr., so I think I'm gonna get one. Enjoyed all the videos too. This is the kind of support that's kept me on this forum ever since Rich and the OGR crew first set it up. 

Good luck with the one you get, Jerry.

Just bought one myself from zwbob here on the forum last week. It's being shiped today a\nd I'm looking forward to running it and hopefully experiencing all the great features and experiences commented about it in this thread.