I have pre-ordered Lionel's Heavy Mikado 2-8-2 CB&Q (Burlington Route) #5509. I understand that these will be "built to order" (i.e., no extra production units beyond dealer orders).
The illustration looks very good in the catalog with the exception of the cab roof (black in the photo). The CB&Q painted the cab roofs red on their steamers (same red shade that Lionel shows on their Pennsylvania B6sb steamers in same catalog).
Four Ways West Publishing's "Burlington Route Color Pictorial Volume 1" (Al Holck) has a photo of CB&Q #5506 & #5509 on page 29. The red cab roof is very clear in the photo of #5506. Although the cab roof appears black in the photo of #5509, this is due to soot & grime. Although both photos (from 1957 & 1955) show the prototypes with oil bunkers in their tenders, both locomotives were built as coal burners 1in 1919 and converted to oil fuel by the early 1940s for use on Lines West in CO & WY. I personally prefer the coal burner version, as depicted by Lionel.
Lionel's model is otherwise spot-on with the following:
- Silver gray smoke box & fire boxes
- Centered headlight
- Gold lettering
- Red, Black, & gold BR herald
- Coal load in tender ("as built" version)
- No Elesco feed water heater is accurate for #5509
- PLEASE REVISE CAB ROOF TO RED (instead of black)
Anyone else ordering this model ?
Thanks in advance.
