Projects by Glacier Park Models

The S.P. had a total of 164 'MK' class Mikados. Though a few of this number were later assimilated during the acquisition of other roads, all of the original order were delivered between the years of 1911 and 1923. These early "Mikes". as they were called, carried 180 pounds of boiler pressure and were rated at 45,240 lbs of tractive effort.
One especially distincitve feature of the early MK2 - MK4 class locos was they were all equipped with the then "Standard for the S.P." - 57 inch drivers. This meant that they could run at the same driver speeds as the lighter consolidations, and later articulated consolidations. (AC's) It also meant they were designed at the outset as freight engines, doomed to live in the shadow of their more glamorous articulated cousins, and the flashy, high drivered Pacific's, Mountains and GS Class Northerns.
So because the large format film cameras and their film were an expense relatively few could afford back in the day, and "those old trains" would be around "forever", only a few photos exist today of these workhorses of the rails.
The engines which we have chosen to model, numbers 3218 and 3227, were among the 41 locomotives built to these same specifications. Both were out-shopped by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1913.