The USRA Light Mikado was a USRA standard class of steam locomotive designed under the control of the United States Railroad Administration, the nationalized railroad system in the United States during World War I. This was the standard light freight locomotive of the USRA types, and was of 2-8-2 wheel arrangement in the Whyte notation, or 1′D1′ in UIC classification.

USRA Light Mikado
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
BuilderALCO, Baldwin, Lima
Build date1918-1929
Total produced614 originals plus 641 copies
Specifications
Configuration:
 • Whyte2-8-2
 • UIC1′D1′ h2
Gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Leading dia.33 in (0.838 m)
Driver dia.63 in (1.600 m)
Trailing dia.43 in (1.092 m)
Wheelbaselocomotive: 36 ft 1 in (11.00 m)
+ tender: 71 ft 4+12 in (21.76 m)
Adhesive weight220,000 lb (99,800 kg)[1]
Loco weight292,000 lb (132,000 kilograms; 132 metric tons)
Tender weight185,400 lb (84,100 kilograms; 84.1 metric tons)
Total weight477,400 lb (216,500 kilograms; 216.5 metric tons)
Fuel typeCoal
Fuel capacity16 t (16 long tons; 18 short tons)
Water cap.10,000 US gal (38,000 L; 8,300 imp gal)
Boiler pressure200 psi (1.38 MPa)
CylindersTwo
Cylinder size26 in × 30 in (660 mm × 762 mm)
Valve gearWalschaerts
Performance figures
Maximum speed59 miles per hour (95 km/h)
Tractive effort54,724 lbf (243.42 kN)
Career
Preserved6 original and 3 copies preserved
General arrangement drawing.
A USRA Light Mikado type locomotive donated to the National Museum of Transportation by the Chicago and Illinois Midland Railway

A total of 614 locomotives were built under the auspices of the USRA,[1] with a further 641 copies built after the end of the USRA's control. The first, for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, was completed in July 1918 and given #4500. The locomotives were considered well designed and modern, and were popular and successful. Large numbers remained in service until replaced by diesel locomotives. It was also called the McAdoo Mikado after William Gibbs McAdoo, head of the USRA.

Built

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With later copies, over 50 railroads used the type, including the following:

Table of original USRA allocation[2]
Railroad Quantity Class Road numbers Notes
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
100
Q-3
4500–4599
[3] Built 1918 by Baldwin.

Scrapped 1959. 4500 preserved.

Chicago and Alton Railroad
10
L-4
875–884
Built 1918 by ALCO. To Alton Railroad 4385–4394, class Q-8.[4] Scrapped 1941-1952
Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad
15
N-2
1925–1939
[5] Built 1918 by ALCO-Schenectady.

Scrapped 1942-1955.

Chicago Great Western Railway
10
L-3
750–759
[6] Built 1918 by Baldwin. Scrapped 1944-1951.
Chicago, Indianapolis and Louisville Railroad ("Monon")
5
J-2
550–554
[7] Built 1918 by ALCO-Schenectady.

Scrapped 1947-1949

Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad
9 (+11 from T&P)
K-55
2300–2308, 2309–2319
[8] Built 1919 by Baldwin And ALCO. Scrapped 1942-1945 and scrapped 1947-1951
Grand Trunk Railway
15
M-3
440–454
Built 1918 by ALCO to Canadian National Railway 3700–3714, class S-3-a.[9] Scrapped 1958-1959.
Grand Trunk Western Railroad
25
M-3
455–479
Built 1918 by ALCO to Canadian National Railway 3715–3739, class S-3-a.[9] Scrapped 1959-1960.

4070/3734 preserved

Lehigh and Hudson River Railway
4
80
80–83
[10] Built 1918 by Baldwin.

Scrapped 1942-1948.

Louisville and Nashville Railroad
18
J-3
1500–1517
[11] Built 1919 by Lima.

Scrapped 1951-1954.

Maine Central Railroad
6
621–626
[12] Built 1919 by ALCO. Scrapped 1953.
Missouri Pacific Railroad
15 (+10 from PRR)
MK-63
1301–1315, 1316–1325
[13] Built 1926 by ALCO-Brooks.

Scrapped 1947-1950

Monongahela Railway
10
L1
170-179
Built 1919 by ALCO-Schenectady.

Scrapped 1941-1949

Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway
10
L2-55
650–659
[14] Built 1918 by ALCO-Schenectady.

All scrapped in 1951.

New York Central Railroad
95
H-6a
5100–5194
Built 1918-1919 by ALCO and Lima.

Renumbered 1800–1894, less 11 to PM.[15] Scrapped 1944-1955.

New York Central subsidiary Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway
25
H-6a
6089–6113
Built 1918 by Baldwin. Renumbered 1700–1724.[15] Scrapped 1944-1952.
New York Central subsidiary Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad
24
H-6a
400–423
[15] Built 1918 by ALCO. 10 to SLSF, others to PM.

Scrapped 1949-1950

New York Central subsidiary Lake Erie and Western Railroad
15
H-6o
5540–5554
Built 1918 by Baldwin.

To Nickel Plate Road 586–600.[15][16] Scrapped 1947-1957. 587 preserved.

New York Central subsidiary Michigan Central Railroad
20
H-6a
7970–7989
Built 1918 by ALCO. Renumbered 1770–1789.[15] Scrapped 1947-1956
New York Central subsidiary Toledo and Ohio Central Railroad
15
H-6a
9732–9746
Built 1918 by ALCO. Renumbered 1732–1736.[15] Scrapped 1945-1955
New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railway ("Nickel Plate Road")
10
H-6a
601–610
[16] Built 1918 by ALCO.

Scrapped 1940-1950

Pennsylvania Railroad
(33)
20006-20038
Built 1919 by ALCO. Refused;[17] 10 to MP,[13] 23 to SLSF.

Scrapped 1948-1949

Pennsylvania Railroad subsidiary Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad
5
108-112
Built 1919 renumbered PRR 9627-9631.[17] Scrapped 1949-1953
Pere Marquette Railway
(30)
K-8
1011–1040
Built 1919-1920 by ALCO and Lima.

Acquired secondhand from IHB (14), NYC (11) and WAB (5).[18] To C&O 2350–2379 Scrapped 1952

Pittsburgh and West Virginia Railway
3
H6
1000-1002
Built 1918 by Baldwin. Scrapped 1949-1951
Rutland Railway
6
H-6a
32–37
[19] Built 1918 by ALCO-Schenectady.

Scrapped 1951-1952

Seaboard Air Line Railroad
10
Q-1
390–399
[20] Built 1918 by ALCO. Renumbered 490-499 in 1925. Scrapped 1954-1957.
St. Louis – San Francisco Railway
(23 from PRR, 10 from IHB)
4000
4000–4032
[21] Built 1919 by ALCO. Scrapped 1950-1951.

4003 and 4018 preserved.

Southern Railway
25
Ms-1
4750–4774
[22] 4765–4775.

To subsidiary Cincinnati, New Orleans and Texas Pacific Railway. Renumbered 6285–6294 in 1920

Texas and Pacific Railway
(11)
H-1
550–560
Refused; to Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific.[23]
Texas and Pacific Railway
11
H-2
800–810
Built by Baldwin in 1919
Union Pacific Railroad
20
MK-Spl
2295–2314
[24] Renumbered 2480–2499 in 1920.
Union Pacific subsidiary Oregon Short Line Railroad
20
?
2535-2554
Built 1918 by Baldwin. Scrapped 1945-1953
Wabash Railroad
20
K-2
2201–2220
Built 1918 by ALCO. 5 to PM, replaced by 5 from WP[25] Scrapped 1950-1955: Wabash
Western Pacific Railroad
5
MK-55
321–325
Built 1919 by Baldwin . Sold to Wabash in 1920.[26] Scrapped 1949-1956
Totals 625

Copies

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Table of USRA copies
Railroad Quantity Class Road numbers Notes
Akron, Canton and Youngstown Railroad
7
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
74
Canadian National Railway (Grand Trunk (Western))
18
3740-3757
[27]
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
3
Chicago and Alton Railroad
5
L-4a
885–889
to Alton Railroad 4395–4399, class Q-8a[4]
Chicago and Illinois Midland Railway
9
Detroit and Toledo Shore Line Railroad
11
Florida East Coast Railway
15
701
701–715
[28]
Kansas, Oklahoma and Gulf Railway
1
Louisville and Nashville Railroad
75
J-3
1518–1592
[11]
Midland Valley Railroad
16
Missouri Pacific subsidiary International-Great Northern Railroad
10
MK-63
1101–1110
[13]
Mobile and Ohio Railroad
37
450
450–486
[29]
Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México
56
Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway
12
L2A-55
660–671
[14]
New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railway ("Nickel Plate Road")
61
H-6b–H-6f
611–671
[16]
Oklahoma City-Ada-Atoka Railway
68
Pere Marquette Railway
10
K-5
1041–1050
to C&O 1060–1069[18]
Seaboard Air Line Railroad
118
Q-3
334–451
[20]
Southern Railway subsidiary Alabama Great Southern Railroad
10
Ms-1
6612–6621
[22]
West Point Route (Atlanta and West Point Rail Road)
3
F
425–427
[30]
West Point Route (Georgia Railroad)
7
F
320–326
[30]
West Point Route (Western Railway of Alabama)
4
F
375–378
[30]
Total 641

Preservation

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Nine USRA Light Mikados both originals and copies are preserved.

No. Builder Year built Post-USRA owner Location Image Disposition
4003 American Locomotive Company 1919 St. Louis-San Francisco Railroad Fort Smith Trolley Museum
 
On Static Display
4018 Lima Locomotive Works 1919 St. Louis-San Francisco Railroad Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark
 
On Static Display
587 Baldwin Locomotive Works 1918 New York, Chicago, and St. Louis Railroad Ravenna, Kentucky
 
Stored, awaiting restoration
624 Lima Locomotive Works 1922 New York, Chicago, and St. Louis Railroad Hammond, Indiana   On Static Display
639 Lima Locomotive Works 1923 New York, Chicago, and St. Louis Railroad Miller Park (Bloomington, Illinois)
 
On Static Display
4500 Baldwin Locomotive Works 1918 Baltimore and Ohio Railroad B&O Railroad Museum
 
On Static Display
4070 American Locomotive Company 1918 Grand Trunk Railway Cleveland, Ohio
 
Undergoing Restoration
2537 American Locomotive Company 1918 Union Pacific Railroad Walla Walla, Washington On Static Display
551 Lima Locomotive Works 1928 Chicago & Illinois Midland Railroad St. Louis Transportation Museum
 
On Static Display

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Drury p.409
  2. ^ "USRA Locomotives". Steamlocomotive.com. Retrieved 2009-02-25.
  3. ^ Drury pp.39–40, 47
  4. ^ a b Drury pp.436, 438
  5. ^ Drury pp.440–442
  6. ^ Drury pp.107, 110
  7. ^ Drury pp.112–113
  8. ^ Drury pp.125, 129
  9. ^ a b Edson & Corley p.168
  10. ^ Drury pp.213–214
  11. ^ a b Drury pp.227, 230
  12. ^ Drury pp.233, 235
  13. ^ a b c Drury pp.248, 254
  14. ^ a b Drury pp.258, 260
  15. ^ a b c d e f Drury pp.268, 278
  16. ^ a b c Drury pp.281, 286–287
  17. ^ a b Drury pp.322, 328
  18. ^ a b Drury pp.80, 88
  19. ^ Drury pp.338–339
  20. ^ a b Drury pp.349, 353
  21. ^ Drury pp.342, 345
  22. ^ a b Drury pp.369, 372–373
  23. ^ Drury pp.387, 390
  24. ^ Drury pp.397, 402
  25. ^ Drury pp.420, 422
  26. ^ Drury pp.430–431
  27. ^ Clegg, Anthony & Corley, Ray (1969). Canadian National Steam Power. Trains & Trolleys: Montreal. pp. 91–95.
  28. ^ Drury p.185
  29. ^ Drury p.256
  30. ^ a b c Drury pp.30–31

Bibliography

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  • Drury, George H. (1993), Guide to North American Steam Locomotives, Waukesha, Wisconsin: Kalmbach Publishing Company, ISBN 0-89024-206-2, LCCN 93041472
  • Edson, William D.; Corley, Raymond F. "Locomotives of the Grand Trunk Railway". Railroad History (147). Boston, MA: The Railway and Locomotive Historical Society, Inc. ISSN 0090-7847.