Dear HO Customers,
Broadway Limited Imports has just announced the release of the
following steam engines running on the New York Central and Union
Pacific roads, every engine comes in four different road
numbers. (Sorry, we do not have any model pictures yet)
History:
The 4-8-2 was most popular on the North American continent, where
Pacifics were becoming over-burdened as passenger trains grew in
length and weight. The first North American 4-8-2 locomotives were
built by ALCO for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad in 1911. ALCO
combined the traction of the eight-drivered 2-8-2 "Mikado" with the
excellent tracking qualities of the Pacific's four-wheel leading
truck. Although the C&O intended their new Mountains for
passenger service, the type proved ideal for the new, faster
freight service the railroads were introducing. Many 4-8-2s were
built for dual service.
Mountain type locomotives were built for 41 American railroads;
approximately 2200 were built. The largest users were the New York
Central Railroad with 435 of what they named the Mohawk type (the
Water Level Route had no need for "Mountains", after all!); the
Pennsylvania Railroad with 224 class M1 and M1a locomotives, used
mostly for fast freight service; the Florida East Coast with 90
passenger locomotives; the New Haven with 70; and the Southern
Railway with 58.
50 L-4 locomotives were produced by the Lima Locomotive Works in
1943. None of them had booster engines, although they were built to
take them should they be ever needed in a dash;they weren't. The
L-4s were truly dual purpose locomotives, and worked the heaviest
freight and passenger trains during the war. The L-3 and L-4
classes had huge tenders riding on two six-wheel trucks that were
almost as long as the locomotives hauling them, and were mostly
coal space, a capacity for 43 tons of the stuff; water was taken en
route using the tender scoop from track pans and thus the
locomotives did not need to have that great an on-board water
capacity.
Many L-4 locomotives were fitted with smoke deflectors later
on.
Photo Courtesy of Division Point. (Please note BLI has not yet
released an accurate image of a L4a type 4-8-2, we will do so as
soon as the image is available)
Photo Courtesy of Division Point. (Please note BLI has not yet
released an accurate image of a L4a type 4-8-2, we will do so as
soon as the image is available)
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