Thanks for sharing Jonathan! Can't wait to see more of the drive system, operation, and how your build turns out. To my eye this looks like a USRA Heavy. Did the CNJ's Mikes (aka MacArthurs) have a "peaked" boiler like this model? (Forgive me if I'm using the wrong terminology. I'm referring to the pronounced slope of the boiler between the sand dome and the steam dome.)
The original 10 CNJ Mikados were by the USRA in 1918 as class M-1. They were built by Alco. CNJ would go on to add another 76 Mikados to the roster between 1920 and 1925 all based on the USRA design with some differences. The additional 76 had the wide Wooten firebox and a feedwater heater not present on the USRA provided ones. Even so, all 86 were eventually reclassified as class M-63.
As a result, this will make a great candidate with a little work to turn into one of those M-1 class locomotives. While these were all scrapped by 1949 with the exception of 4 that went to the Pittsburgh & West Virginia in 1947, I am always willing to bend the time frame of when these operated to fit my 2 rail modeling interests. The last of the CNJ Mikados did not get scrapped until 1955, so at least the class fits into my roughly 1950-1960 timeframe. Granted that is a huge gap based on the changes that occurred on both the CNJ and the PRR during those years!
As to the model, I enjoy these vintage locomotives when I can find them, and the price seems about right. Dennis - I thought that you might be one of the people watching this!
Before bidding I read on this forum some old posts on the Walthers Poly-Drive and how challenging it is to work on. However, what ultimately sold me was that YouTube video of one running.
YouTube Video of Walthers Poly-Drive
