MTH 30-1641-1 O-27 PRR Imperial 2-8-2 L-1 Steam Locomotive w/PS3 #203 – Your Source for Gaming Essentials* Trains

Description

This is MTH 30-1641-1 O-27 Imperial 2-8-2 L-1 w/PS3, PRR #203. 2-8-2 Imperial L-1 Mikado steam engine with Proto-Sound 3.0, Pennsylvania (green). Cab number: 203. Built between 1914 and 1919, the Pennsylvania Railroad’s fleet of L1s Mikados hauled freight through two world wars and served until the end of steam in 1957. Designed by the railroad’s own mechanical engineers in tandem with the passenger-service K4s Pacifics, the Mikes replaced 2-8-0 Consolidations as Pennsy’s main line freight power.

The Mikado followed the Pennsy’s practice of testing a locomotive design thoroughly and then building a standardized engine in large numbers. The L1s class – 574 strong – and the 425 class K4s Pacifics shared an identical boiler and many other common parts, giving shop crews nearly 1000 locos that were largely the same. While the s in L1s stood for superheater, the Mikados had few other modern appliances when built. The Walschaert valve gear was reversed by a heavy screw mechanism and the large firebox was hand shoveled.

By the early 1930’s the Interstate Commerce Commission had mandated the use of power reverse gear. The addition of this mechanism to the engineer’s side of the engine pushed the air tank to the front of the boiler, giving the L1s the characteristic face it wore in later years. Many, but not all, Mikados eventually received coal stokers to feed the firebox, adding about 1000 horses to their original potential of about 2700 horsepower. Over level or moderately hilly terrain, an L1s could handle a 70 – 80 car freight train. In one instance, a Mike hauled two GG1’s with their two passenger consists through a 10-mile stretch after the overhead wire became disabled.

Just as the Mikados displaced lesser 2-8-0’s, however, they were themselves bumped from mainline service by the advent of Decapods and other larger power. The Mikado fleet spent many of its later years going in and out of mothballs as the Pennsy’s freight business ebbed and flowed. When every piece of available power was needed during World War II, Mikados that were still hand-fired had two firemen shoveling coal. Many of the dependable Mikes worked in branch line, helper, and even railfan service until the end of steam on the Pennsylvania Railroad.

Its key features are:
Die-cast boiler and chassis
Die-cast tender body
Real coal load in tender
Die-cast locomotive and tender trucks
Engineer and fireman figures
Metal handrails and bell
Metal whistle
Metal wheels and axles
Remote controlled Proto-Coupler
Prototypical Rule 17 lighting
Constant voltage headlight
Operating firebox glow
Tender backup light
LED-illuminated engine class lights
Separately added metal grab irons
Legible builder’s plates
Cab interior light
Painted cab backhead gauges
Precision flywheel-equipped motor
Synchronized puffing ProtoSmoke system
Locomotive speed control in scale MPH increments
Wireless drawbar
Onboard DCC receiver
Proto-Sound 3.0 with The Digital Command System featuring: Freight yard Proto-Effects
Unit measures: 20 x 2 1/2 x 3 1/2
Operates on O-31 curves

Steam DCC features:
Headlight/Tail light
Bell
Whistle
Start-up/Shut-down
Passenger station/Freight yard sounds
All other lights (on/off)
Master volume
Front coupler
Rear coupler
Forward signal
Reverse signal
Grade crossing
Smoke on/off
Smoke volume
Idle sequence 3
Idle sequence 2
Idle sequence 1
Extended start-up
Extended shut-down
One shot Doppler
Coupler slack
Coupler close
Single horn blast
Engine sounds
Brake sounds
Cab chatter
Feature reset
Labor chuff
Drift chuff

Condition: Factory New (C-9)
Operational Status: Functional
Original Box: Yes (P-9)

Manufacturer: MTH
Model Number: 30-1641-1
Road Name: Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR)
MSRP: $449.95

Scale/Era: O Modern
Model Type: Steam Loco

The Trainz SKU for this item is P12098556.

Trainz Product Id: 12098556