Seaboard Air Line Mikados

The first 2-8-2 type locomotives on the Seaboard Air Lines arrived in 1914. There were 19 delivered from the American Locomotive Company. They were designated as Class Q and assigned road numbers 300-318. Class Q locomotives were hand-fired and came with a Vanderbilt tender. In 1918, ten more "Mikado-Light" locomotives were allocated by the USRA to the SAL. They were designated as Class Q-1 and given road numbers 390-399, but were renumbered 490-499 in 1925 to make room for more ALCO-built 2-8-2s. In 1922, ALCO delivered 15 of what would be designated as Class Q-2 locomotives. These Mikados" were very similar to the Q-1 and were assigned road numbers 319-333.

The next group of 2-8-2s arrived in 1923. This group of 23 locomotives was assigned road numbers 334-356 and designated as Class Q-3. They were equipped with a Delta trailing truck booster which raised the tractive effort to 65,200 pounds. In the following three years the SAL took delivery of 94 more Class Q-3s. ALCO built 20 (road numbers 377-396) and 74 were built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works (road numbers 357-376 and 397-450.

There was one more Class Q-3 on the SAL. In August 1930 number 441's boiler exploded and the locomotive was severely damaged. A new boiler was built and the locomotive was rebuilt in the Portsmouth Shops in 1931. The SAL renumbered the rebuilt locomotive 451.

The Seaboard Air Line Q3 Mikados were unique in several ways. They used vaderbilt tenders (as did the Union Pacific). The Q3s also had compound air compressors mounted on the front of the smoke box above the headlight, making for a very unique look.

Eight more "Mikados" were added to the roster in 1942. The SAL acquired ALCO-built ex Wabash numbers 2414-2415 and Baldwin-built ex Wabash numbers 2424, 2427, 2434, 2436, 2439 and 2440.

There are no surviving Seaboard Air Line Railroad 2-8-2 "Mikado" type locomotives.

Class	Qty.	Road Numbers	Year Built	Builder	Notes
Q	19	300-318	1914	ALCO
Q-1	10	490-499	1918	ALCO	These locomotives were allocated from USRA.
Q-2	15	319-333	1922	ALCO
Q-3	23	334-356	1923	ALCO	Class Q-3s were equipped with Franklin trailer boosters.
Q-3	20	357-376	1924	Baldwin	Class Q-3s were equipped with Franklin trailer boosters.
Q-3	20	377-396	1925	ALCO	Class Q-3s were equipped with Franklin trailer boosters.
Q-3	54	397-450	1925-1926	Baldwin	Class Q-3s were equipped with Franklin trailer boosters.
Q-3	1	451	1931	SAL	Number 441 was destroyed by a boiler explosion in 1930 and it was rebuilt by SAL using a new boiler from Baldwin and then renumbered 451.
Q-4	2	480-481	1912	ALCO	Acquired from the Wabash in July1942 (Ex Wabash numbers 2414 & 2415).
Q-4	6	482-487	1912	Baldwin	Acquired from the Wabash in July1942 (Ex Wabash numbers 2424, 2427, 2434, 2436, 2439 & 2440).

Specifications
Class	Q	Q	Q-2	Q-2	Q-3
Road Numbers	301, 304, 306 & 317	300, 302, 303, 305, 307 - 318	325, 330, 332 & 333	319 - 324, 326 - 329 & 331	334 - 451
Wheel Arrangement:	2-8-2	2-8-2	2-8-2	2-8-2	2-8-2
Length:	82'-9"	82'-9"	82'-9"	82'-9"	85'-3 3/8"
Drivers:	63" dia.	63" dia	63" dia	63" dia	63" dia
Weight on Drivers:	208,300 lbs.	208,300 lbs.	209,000 lbs.	209,000 lbs.	211,000 lbs.
Total Locomotive Weight:	282,000 lbs.	282,000 lbs.	283,000 lbs.	283,000 lbs.	300,000 lbs.
Locomotive & Tender Weight:	465,000 lbs.	465,000 lbs.	466,000 lbs.	466,000 lbs.	483,000 lbs.
Grate Area:
Cylinders (dia. x stroke):	(2) 27" x 30"	(2) 26" x 30"	(2) 27" x 30"	(2) 27" x 30"	(2) 26" x 30"
Boiler Pressure:	185 psi	200 psi	185 psi	185 psi	200 psi
Tractive Effort:	54,600 lbs.	54,700 lbs.	54,600 lbs.	54,600 lbs.	54,700 lbs.
Tender Capacity:
Coal:	17 tons	17 tons	17 tons	17 tons	17 tons
Water:	9,000 gals.	9,000 gals.	9,000 gals.	9,000 gals.	9,000 gals

Seaboard Air Line Mikados

Photos

Reference