Operations and Alterations - After years of effort, we run the engine!
2022 Update: Make a new boiler for the locomotive. Several seasons have gone by and the engine is solidly performing great, steaming well, with no major…
2002 Some machining required! The cast iron spoked drive wheels are in front with the pilot (front) and trailing wheels behind it. Painted red in machinist…
2002 Here are some of the 150+ castings that need to be machined, assembled and painted to complete the locomotive. Most of the castings are aluminum, the rest…
Assembly
'Section A' -- Assembling of the locomotive started July 2009, roughly finished 2014 with more details added each year.
Painting
Painting, it's a milestone event for any part. Parts have been Prepared, Primered and Painted.
Section 1 - Frame
Frame construction Oct 2004 - Aug 2007
Section 2 - Spring Rigging
Spring rigging construction
Section 3 - Drive Wheels
The saga of the main drive wheels. Started July 2005, finished December 2007 with a break in the middle to find, move and then restore a bigger lathe to machine…
Section 4 - Cylinders
The cylinder saddle as machined by master machinist Bill W. Summer 2003
Section 5 - Cylinder group 2
The cylinder parts - covers, piping, jacketing. July 2006-Jan 2007, June 2009-August 2009, finished September 2009
Section 6 - Pilot and Pilot Deck
The Pilot (front of engine) and Front Truck. Sheetmetal work on the pilot deck and ladder fabrication.
Section 7 - Trailing Truck
The Delta Trailing Truck. May 2005 - Aug 2007
Section 8 - Motion Structure
Guide Yoke, Link Support, Connecting Rods,Water pump. August 2007-Jan 2008
Section 9 - Locomotive Brakes
Locomotive Brakes. Brake cylinder, brake hangers, brake shoes, connecting links and beams. Jan - Feb 2008 The Brake gear was welded in August. I have received…
Section 10 - Drive Rods
Drive Rods. Main, Side and Intermediate rods. Jan-June 2008
Section 11 - Valve Gear
Valve Gear. Lots of little levers: Link Trunion, tumbling shaft lever, eccentric crank, eccentric rod, radius rod, combination lever, union link, lifting link.…
Section 12 - Smokebox
The 'face' of a locomotive. Smokebox front, smokestack, headlight bracket, hinges, bell. February - June 2009.
Section 13 - Boiler
2022 November - New boiler assembly ready for the welder. 2022 January - We begin the process of fabricating a new boiler to replace the first one which failed…
Section 14 - Boiler Accessories
Boiler Accessories. Steam dome cover, sand dome.
Section 15 - Cab
The Cab. Check out the beautiful laser cut parts my friend Tim M. hooked me up with! June 2008
Section 16 - Cab Accessories
Cab Accessories. Should be called the plumbing section! 2018 - Lighting and electrical finalized. 2014 - We make a steam vacuum ejector for the train brakes,…
Section 17 - Tender Trucks
Shop made three axle tender trucks. I picked up a set of 3-axle commonwealth trucks in November 2008 which I will use instead of the supplied USRA Bettendorfs.…
Section 18 - Tender
Lessons in steel tank coatings. 2015 Added the "doghouse" - the brakeman's shack to the tender deck, a unique Frisco detail, and backup light. 2014 - Finished…
Section 19 - Misc
Miscellaneous stuff that doesn't have a particular home. Like the Lubricator. And hand rails. And a Bell, and whistle, and lettering, and couplers,…
The Frisco 4166 Heavy Mikado and her trainset September 2018. This oil-fired engine has proven to be strong puller and is enjoyable to run. The engine is a…
Building a Live Steam Locomotive - the Mikado Project
Working just four hours a week starting in 2003, master machinist Bill W. came over to my home workshop and together we built this locomotive finishing major construction in 2012. This site started as a build log, now with the locomotive functionally complete and running, is more photo gallery of activities. After major construction, activities turn to the details -- adding in cosmetic items such as air tanks, cab roof, lighting, etc. September 2021 - Boiler failure! Discovered during fire-up, a pin hole in the engineers sidesheet above the mudring ended operations and the start of teardown / firebox replacement. August 2014 - With the locomotive not in the shop for the summer, it is very hard to work on it. We have shifted to Summer running and Winter shop work, making updates to this site even more sporadic. October 2013 - The successful fall running season is over with the annual "Boiler Blowdown" last run. Time to put the loco back in the shop for the winter, and to finish the tender for next spring. September 2013 - work shifts from the tender back to the engine & jacketing in preparation for the fall train meets. June 2013 - we continue to work on the Tender and Tender Trucks. September 2012 First fire-up! The engine has made it out of the basement, a fire light and steam was raised! See folder "Operations" for details. Construction photos of a 1.6" scale, 7.5" gage live steam USRA Heavy Mikado locomotive, wheel arrangement 2-8-2. Under construction in my basement under the expert tutelage of Bill W., retired master machinist. I have chosen the home road for this locomotive, it is a Frisco 4100-series engine, number 4166 (a 'ghost' engine, the 4100 series stopped after 4164).