According to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, USRA locomotives were "the first successful standardization of American motive power" — and the only standard designs until the diesel era.

The most popular of the USRA designs was the 2-8-2 Mikado, which was heavy main line steam power in the World War I era. USRA Mikados came in a light version with a smaller axle loading for lighter rail and a heavy version for use on heavier rail. Under the USRA, 625 Light Mikes were turned out by the "Big Three" American locomotive builders — Alco, Baldwin, and Lima — representing more than a third of all governmentbuilt engines.

Constructed with dozens of added-on detail parts, the USRA Light Mikado joins the M.T.H. HO lineup for 2008. While other manufacturers have offered fine models of this classic engine, we believe none matches the combination of accurate details, sound quality, slow speed performance, and synchronized puffing smoke featured by our die-cast model.