Kato Heavy Mikado. Your thoughts please.

[powersteamguy1790]

Bobster:

If you look at my tutorial, you'll see there is plenty of weight under the shell. You need a traction tire driver.

Have fun with it and stay cool.....

[mmagliaro]

As everybody has told you, there isn't really anywhere inside the shell to add weight.  I have increased the weight by removing the white-metal weight that Kato puts in there, and replacing that with a carefully-shaped plate made of tungsten.  Tungsten is ungodly hard, so the only way to do it is to start with a 1/16" thick plate of it
(which you can get in the form of "snap-off" weights from Pinewood Derby parts suppliers online.  It is possible to work it with a Dremel and a cut-off disk, painstakingly grinding away at the edges until you curve it down to about the same shape as the Kato weight.  If you go through all this trouble, you can replace the stock weight (which weighs either 10g or 12g, I've seen both), with something that weighs about 20g.  So it's a 10g increase.  It's a good jump, but it is a LOT of work.  You'll get a lot more (and a lot EASIER) pulling improvement by just going with the traction tire driver.

As for the drivers and their pickup--- sometimes these 1st-run engines run fine just relying mostly on the tender pickup.  Sometimes they are finicky.  So if you don't have any stalling or other pickup problems, I wouldn't mess with it.  You may find that after you put the traction tire driver in, you get more pickup issues.  You are giving up one wheel of pickup (where the rubber tire is), and the rubber-tire driver ever-so-slightly relieves pressure on the driver in front of it (like it does on any traction-tired loco), so whatever pickup that one is providing is a little reduced.  But if you have no problems, don't worry about any of this.

The "fix" to the 1st-gen drivers was to use a product called Nickel-Print by MG Chemicals.  it is $15/jar (not cheap).  And even better solution would be to use their Silver Print (but that's more like $45/jar!)   
Alternatively, I have found a new product that seems to work really well.
http://www.electroninks.com/circuit-scribe-conductive-ink-pen

The circuit scribe pen is $20, and contains silver ink.  I have found that you can get it flowing by writing on a piece of paper a little, and then you can dab the point into the needed areas on the backside of the Kato driver to get a little puddle of the silver ink to flow right in where you need it.   It conducts much better than the nickel, and even a small trace of it can withstand a full 2-amp short right through it (the ink won't burn off). 
(I tested it    )    It's a lot easier to apply than the thick, gooey, Nickel Print, So these days, I'm using this instead of the Nickel Print.

[brokemoto]

So is this steamer only prototypical for P&LE or did other roads operate heavy Mikados in a similar configuration?

On the New York Central System, only Pittsburgh and Lake Erie had these.  No other subsidiary of New York Central nor even the New York Central and Hudson River had these.   Rarely did they venture off P&LE rails.

Other roads did have these, either originals or copies:  CNJ, Q, CMStP&P, Erie, GN come to mind for originals, although likely there are others.  Copies:  CNJ, again, MoPac, NYC&StL, SOU come to mind, but likely others had copies, as well.

[peteski]

While the entire 1st run had no traction tires, some of the subsequent runs (which had redesigned wheels) also came without traction tire drivers. 

So, unless you visually verified that you in fact have the 1st run drivers, you might have the loco with the redesigned drivers which have reliable power pickup.

[mmagliaro]

The OP's tender is lettered for New York Central, and those were only released in the first run.
So this is a first-run unit. 

That means... by the way, that you may have problems with the pilot and trailing truck wheels clattering on the ties if you are running Atlas code 55 track.  The flanges were a little big in that first run.  They corrected it later.
Here is a thread that discusses the flange problem.
https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=37656.0

[Bobster]

Greetings all,

Thanks to all for the continued advice.   Got the Mikado to the inspection lab today.  All wheels are solid- no rubber driver tires  .   They are also slightly dirtier than I expected.  No surprise with the better light.  Any thing special about cleaning the Mikado wheels I need to know?  Unless it pulls the prototypical consist with clean wheels it will be getting the number 4 driver replaced.   

Is the bar connecting all 4 drivers connected to the 4th wheel?  Or is it really as simple as loosen the 2 screws and slide the old wheel out, grab the new driver, orient, and slide the new driver in?  A picture is worth a thousand words when it comes to adding weight.  I have lead.  I may be able to buy heavier metal.  I'll see if I need to later.   

Researching is part of the fun.  It seems that the P&LE engines stayed on PA and Ohio.  If mine stays NYCS it will be one that escaped temporarily to NYC or P&E tracks one or two states farther to the West.   On the other hand I could see what the CB&Q's Mikados looked like. 

gotta run more later,
Bobster

My 48"x30" test layout is a mix of Bachmann  and Atlas nickel silver.  The smallest radius is 11 inches.  The door layout is not ready for running but since I have some older cars it was planned without code 55.  It will have 11 and 18 inch radius curves.

[RBrodzinsky]

If you are going to stay DC, adding weight to the tender will also be a big help, ensuring better electrical contact there. Yes, nothing tricky on driver #4, it is geared but not connected to the drive rods. Neither is #2.

[Bobster]

Sorry gang about the 5:55 PM post,

Unexpected, to me, vet visit.  Our dog has an ear infection that is taking a while to get over.  Wife said let's go before they close-late hours on Mondays.  Then on the way back, "Just a second I need a couple groceries".   Dog and I stayed in the car while she ran in.   

Now back to the Mikado. Too late tonight to clean and try it on the test layout.  I will aim for Tuesday PM.  Thank you for the advice on the wheels.  How much weight do you recommend for the tender?  Also looks like a good place for a MT 1015 coupler since I have them on hand.

John I like that pulling test.

Thank you again to all,
Bobster

[brokemoto]

It seems that the P&LE engines stayed on PA and Ohio.  If mine stays NYCS it will be one that escaped temporarily to NYC or P&E tracks one or two states farther to the West.   On the other hand I could see what the CB&Q's Mikados looked like. 

P&LE diesels did stray onto other parts of the NYCS.  In the steam era, it was mostly passenger power that strayed from the P&LE.  It was mostly passenger power from other parts of the NYCS that strayed onto the P&LE.  In fact, NYC Hudsons were not uncommon on P&LE passenger trains.

It was rare that steam freight power strayed from the P&LE onto the rest of the NYCS, or that freight steam power from the rest of the NYCS strayed onto the P&LE.   One notable exception was the A-2a s.  NYCS was power short on the Big Four in 1956 (much of the Baldwin diesel power was there, as well.  Those things kept breaking down, as well, so that did not help, either), so it appropriated the P&LE A-2a s to help relieve that shortage.  As they had been sitting, neglected at McKee's Rocks  for some time, they did not perform well.   At that point, they were only eight years old.

[mmagliaro]

....

 How much weight do you recommend for the tender?


....

A lot 
Seriously, I try to put a big ol' slug in there when I can.  They sell these larger egg-shaped lead fishing weights in the sporting goods stores that are 13g.  One, or even two, of those would be a good idea.  The Mikado tender pickup system works well, but it is greatly helped by weight. 

Don't bother trying to replace the stock engine boiler weight with lead.  I went down that road, even so far as making a mold of the original weight in cement and pouring it with molten lead so that I would get a weight that would take up every bit of space that the original did, and I could only squeeze a couple of extra grams in that way.  If you want to get more weight inside the engine, tungsten is the way.

[powersteamguy1790]

Steam locomotive tenders are often very light in terms of weight. To get better tracking of the tender, take a 7 gram A-Line lead weight and cement it to the underframe of the tender equidistant between the two tender trucks. Now use some CA cement to glue the A-Line weight in position.

Make sure there is enough clearance between the two tender trucks.
When the A-Line Weight is cemented in position and the CA cement is dry, take some Polly Scale Grimy Black Paint or Polly Scale Brunswick Green Paint and paint the A-Line 7 gram weight. Now you've turned the A-Line Weight into a tool box and have also added 7 grams of weight to give the tender better tracking.

You can also add weight inside the tender where ever possible. Loon weights are a good choice as well as soft lead weights.

If you use DCC, you can place a decoder and speaker inside the tender shell. Now you have a tender with a decoder and speaker inside the tender shell and a tool box, I mean 7 grams of weight added to the tender in a very strategic position, between the two tender trucks....

This really works out well...... and solves tracking  problems.

[prr7161]

Researching is part of the fun.  It seems that the P&LE engines stayed on PA and Ohio.  If mine stays NYCS it will be one that escaped temporarily to NYC or P&E tracks one or two states farther to the West.   On the other hand I could see what the CB&Q's Mikados looked like.

For more info, Jack Polaritz wrote the book on the P&LE Mikes (literally):

http://www.amazon.com/Mikados-Pittsburgh-Railroad-freight-locomotives/dp/0971765405

Depending on when you are modeling, there are all sorts of unique details to hang on those locos, like overfire air jets and all-weather cabs.

[brokemoto]

For more info, Jack Polaritz wrote the book on the P&LE Mikes (literally):
Depending on when you are modeling, there are all sorts of unique details to hang on those locos, like overfire air jets and all-weather cabs.

Jack Polaritz's book on both the P&LE mikados as well as the one the wrote on the Berkshires are very good books.

None of the H-9s had the all weather cabs added.  The H-10s, that P&LE purchased used from parent NYC did.  McKee's Rocks added them.  Some of the H-10s that P&LE bought from its parent had been fitted with steam lines and signalling devices by NYC.  There were at least two on which the passenger equipment was non-functional at
purchase.  P&LE put it back into working order on all but one of them.   One or two came with the passenger equipment in working order.

Jack Polaritz is a very good authority on the P&LE.  When it comes to the P&LE, if anyone knows it, it is Jack Polaritz.   If Jack Polaritz does not know it, nobody does. 

[ChristianJDavis1]

Jack Polaritz's book on both the P&LE mikados as well as the one the wrote on the Berkshires are very good books.

None of the H-9s had the all weather cabs added.  The H-10s, that P&LE purchased used from parent NYC did.  McKee's Rocks added them.  Some of the H-10s that P&LE bought from its parent had been fitted with steam lines and signalling devices by NYC.  There were at least two on which the passenger equipment was non-functional at
purchase.  P&LE put it back into working order on all but one of them.   One or two came with the passenger equipment in working order.

Jack Polaritz is a very good authority on the P&LE.  When it comes to the P&LE, if anyone knows it, it is Jack Polaritz.   If Jack Polaritz does not know it, nobody does.

I do not mean to distract from the discussion at hand, but I picked up an NYC H10b, and was wondering what type of service it was employed in. From what I read here, did they operate on both freight and passenger assignments, or am I misreading something.

[brokemoto]

I picked up an NYC H10b, and was wondering what type of service it was employed in. From what I read here, did they operate on both freight and passenger assignments.

NYC equipped some of their H-10s with steam  lines and signalling devices.   This allowed them to be used in both freight and passenger work.  Usually the railroad would assign freight power so equipped to freight work, but, if there were no passenger types available, it could assign one of these to cover the schedule.

P&LE equipped two or three of their H-9s (the USRA heavy 2-8-2, which is the locomotive about which the Original Poster was asking) in a similar fashion.  P&LE supposedly did this to allow the H-9s to pull crew shuttles, but, I suspect that more than one H-9 pulled more than one passenger local, when a ten-wheeler, Pacific or Hudson was not available.

It was not uncommon for railroads to equip freight power with passenger equipment so that it could be pressed into passenger service, when necessary.  Some roads did this more than others.  SP had more than a few locomotives larger than 2-8-2s so equipped.  In fact, SP often used passenger equipped 2-8-2s and 2-10-2s in the mountains in Oregon.

UP had a class of so-called "mountain Mikados", which were, essentially, USRA light 2-8-2 copies, that it purchased specifically to haul local passenger trains in Idaho and Oregon.