Pennsy USRA Mike...?

Lionel has since offered that model a couple of times as well if I'm not mistaken. Tooling looks identical at a glance.

PRR was assigned these engines during WWI.  Here is a pic of #9631

http://www.rrpicturearchives.n...ture.aspx?id=5062836

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USRA_Light_Mikado

Well, there you go; thanks! 

Mark in Oregon

Yes K-Line modeled the Pennsy USRA Mikes.  The Pennsy was forced by Uncle Sam to get these and had 33 of them leased .  But shortly after WWI they were returned.  BUT, in the early 1920's five came to the Pennsy when the Grand Rapids & Indiana was absorbed.  Their numbers 108-112 became Pennsy L2s numbered 9627-9631.  L2s #9628 lasted into 1947 if I recall correctly.

Here is a pic of my K-Line Pennsy L2s #9628.

Ron

The 5 PRR class L2s Mikados spent their careers working out of Cincinnati.  The problem with the K-Line/Lionel model of the locomotive is the generator location.  The model has it in the original USRA location on top of the boiler, just in front of the cab.  On the L2s, Pennsy moved the generator to the standard PRR location on top of the smokebox between the headlight and the stack.  See JEREMY's photo of the prototype vs. PRRRONBH's photo of the model.

Bob posted:

The 5 PRR class L2s Mikados spent their careers working out of Cincinnati.  The problem with the K-Line/Lionel model of the locomotive is the generator location.  The model has it in the original USRA location on top of the boiler, just in front of the cab.  On the L2s, Pennsy moved the generator to the standard PRR location on top of the smokebox between the headlight and the stack.  See JEREMY's photo of the prototype vs. PRRRONBH's photo of the model.

Bob I am sure you are well aware that the mass providers/producers of O-Gauge are not going to invest $200/250K for one small detail on a remotely desired model.  I for one am very happy that K-Line offered it numbered 9628 the longest lasting survivor into my lifetime.

Ron 

Weaver Model. Pennsy L1s

That was the beauty of the old hand built brass imports, and the ones currently done by Sunset among others.    They can make detail changes pretty cheaply because the tooling is cheap.     Of course the models are more expensive, but more accurate.

prrjim posted:

That was the beauty of the old hand built brass imports, and the ones currently done by Sunset among others.    They can make detail changes pretty cheaply because the tooling is cheap.     Of course the models are more expensive, but more accurate.

Very true.  But I wonder just how many orders Sunset would get for a Pennsy L2s!?

And there is a simple fix.  Buy some brass generator castings, cut off the one in front of the cab, then drill a hole for the stud on the casting.

Ron

PRRronbh posted:

Bob posted:

The 5 PRR class L2s Mikados spent their careers working out of Cincinnati.  The problem with the K-Line/Lionel model of the locomotive is the generator location.  The model has it in the original USRA location on top of the boiler, just in front of the cab.  On the L2s, Pennsy moved the generator to the standard PRR location on top of the smokebox between the headlight and the stack.  See JEREMY's photo of the prototype vs. PRRRONBH's photo of the model.

Bob I am sure you are well aware that the mass providers/producers of O-Gauge are not going to invest $200/250K for one small detail on a remotely desired model.  I for one am very happy that K-Line offered it numbered 9628 the longest lasting survivor into my lifetime.

Ron 

K-Line did move the headlight from the center of the boiler (USRA) to the top of the boiler (PRR) for this model.  This move gave the model the distinctive PRR look.

PRRronbh posted:

Yes K-Line modeled the Pennsy USRA Mikes.  The Pennsy was forced by Uncle Sam to get these and had 33 of them leased .  But shortly after WWI they were returned.  BUT, in the early 1920's five came to the Pennsy when the Grand Rapids & Indiana was absorbed.  Their numbers 108-112 became Pennsy L2s numbered 9627-9631.  L2s #9628 lasted into 1947 if I recall correctly.

Here is a pic of my K-Line Pennsy L2s #9628.

Ron

Ron

Those both look very nice. 

Question: the loco in the background has the Belpaire firebox, the one in front does not.  Would that make them of a different class..."L1" and "L2", perhaps?

Mark in Oregon

Strummer posted:

PRRronbh posted:

Yes K-Line modeled the Pennsy USRA Mikes.  The Pennsy was forced by Uncle Sam to get these and had 33 of them leased .  But shortly after WWI they were returned.  BUT, in the early 1920's five came to the Pennsy when the Grand Rapids & Indiana was absorbed.  Their numbers 108-112 became Pennsy L2s numbered 9627-9631.  L2s #9628 lasted into 1947 if I recall correctly.

Here is a pic of my K-Line Pennsy L2s #9628.

Ron

Ron

Those both look very nice. 

Question: the loco in the background has the Belpaire firebox, the one in front does not.  Would that make them of a different class..."L1" and "L2", perhaps?

Mark in Oregon

Mark, the loco in back is a Pennsy class C1 (0-8-0) by Weaver.

This would be my two L1s's in foreground with one of my K4s"s in background by MTH.

These pics were just when the three were delivered from "Jimmy."

Ron

Mark,

Yes, the one in the background appears to be an L1s.

Buzz

Here is Frisco 4018, now displayed in Birmingham, AL.  Former PRR engine #20030 sold in 1923.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...a_Railroad_class_L2s

Well, ya' can learn something new on this forum everyday!  I knew of the Pennsy's USRA heavy 2-10-2's, which they ultimately rebuilt with Belpaire fireboxes, but not the USRA light mikes. Since these were based in Cincinnati, did they work out of Clare Yard, which was the junction with Norfolk & Western's Portsmouth-Cincinnati ("peavine") line?