By 1916, the 2-8-2 “Mikado” type locomotive was replacing the “Consolidated” type throughout the country and the New York, Chicago & St. Louis was in need of new motive power and it follow the trend. “Gus” Ayers, who was an ex New York Central motive power engineer had come to the Nickel Plate in 1916 as Motive Power Superintendent and he used his prior experience and confidence in the NYC to create the specification for the new 2-8-2 for the NKP.

In 1917, the NKP ordered 35 “Mikados” similar to the NYC Class H-5 2-8-2. Ten were ordered from the Lima Locomotive Works and 25 were ordered from the American Locomotive Company. These 35 locomotives were delivered in 1917 and the Lima-built 10 were designated as class H-5a and given road numbers 500-509 and the ALCO-built 25 were designated as Class H-5b and assigned road numbers 510-534. They had 63” drivers, 25” x 32” cylinders, a 180 psi boiler pressure and exerted 48,570 pounds of tractive effort.

The USRA assigned ten 2-8-2s to the NKP and they were delivered in October 1918. These ALCO-built locomotives were designated as Class H-6a and given road numbers 601-610. They had 63” drivers, 26” x 30” cylinders, a 200 psi boiler pressure and exerted 54,700 pounds of tractive effort.

They were equipped with Walschaerts valve gear, Ragfonnet reverse, a mechanical fire door and a single cross-compound pump. The tender could hold 10,000 gallons of water and it could carry 16 tons of coal.

The performance of these USRA was so outstanding that the NKP ordered 61 more 2-8-2s of the same basic design from Lima with deliveries between 1920 and 1924. They were designated as Class H-6b (road numbers 611-615) delivered in 1920, Class H-6c (only road number 616) delivered in 1921, Class H-6d (road numbers 617-631) delivered in 1922, Class H-6e (road numbers 632-661) delivered between 1923-1924 and Class H-6f (road numbers 662-671) delivered in 1924.

A final group of “Mikados” came to the NKP in 1923, when the Lake Erie & Western was acquired by the Nickel Plate. Fifteen USRA allocated 2-8-2s built by Lima in 1918 were added to the roster as Class H-6o and assigned road numbers 662-671. They had 63” drivers, 26” x 30”, a 200 psi boiler pressure and they exerted 54,700 pounds of tractive effort.

There are three surviving NKP 2-8-2 “Mikado” type locomotives. Number 624 is on display at the Civic Center in Hammond, IN, number 639 is on display at Miller Park in Bloomington, IL and number 587, which is operational at the Indiana Transportation Museum in Noblesville, IN. Nickel Plate No. 587 has been used in excursion service on the old Nickel Plate line from Indianapolis to Castleton, Fishers, Noblesville, and on to Tipton.