The PRR had been assigned 38 USRA "Mikado-light 2-8-2s and it rejected 33 of them. In 1919, the USRA re-assigned these cast-off PRR "Mikados" to the MoPac and SLSF. The MoPac received 10 (numbers 1316-1325) and the SLSF received 23 (4000-4007 & 4017-4031). The additional 10 came from the Indiana Harbor Belt Line (numbers 4008-4016 & 4032). After years of resisting the 2-8-2 wheel arrangement the St. Louis-San Francisco had 33 of them. All 33 of these locomotives were later equipped with a trailing truck booster, which increased the tractive effort to 62,900 pounds.

The next group of 2-8-2s to arrive were "Mikado-Heavy" type built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1923. This group was assigned road numbers 4100-4134. Two years later another group, numbers 4135-4149 came from Baldwin. These 50 locomotives were coal burners. In 1926, fifteen similar locomotives arrived from Baldwin and were given road numbers 4150-4164. These 15 locomotives were similar to the other "Heavies" except they were oil burners.

In 1928, the SLSF ordered 20 new locomotives that were heavier than any ever used by the Frisco. This group was delivered by Baldwin in 1930 and assigned road numbers 4200-4219. These locomotives weighed 375,790 lbs, 36 tons more than the USRA "Mikado-Light" of 1919 and 16 tons more the heavy "Mikados" built by Baldwin in 1923-1926. The competitive Missouri Pacific at about the time installed twenty-five" Super-Power" 2-8-4s with much more steam producing capacity. (The MoPac ultimately converted these locomotives to 4-8-4s.) While the 2-8-4 was notoriously hard on track, and of notably poor adhesion, still the Limas must have been more successful on the up and down routes faced by railroads operating south from St. Louis.

During 1943 through 1946 the West Springfield shops converted seven of the SLSF's 2-8-0 Consolidated type locomotives into 2-8-2s. These new "Mikado" locomotives were given road numbers 1350-1356.

There are five surviving SL-SF 2-8-2 "Mikado" type locomotives. Two of the USRA allocated locomotives have been saved and are on display. Number 4003, built in 1919 by ALCO, is at the Trolley Museum, 100 S. 4th St. in Fort Smith, AR and number 4018, built in 1919 by ALCO, is at the State Fairgrounds Park at the intersection of US 11 & St 5/7 in Birmingham, AL. Also three of the "Mikado" locomotives built by and for the SL-SF have been saved. Number 1351 is on display in Collierville, TN, number 1352 is being restored at the I&M engine house in Taylorville, IL and number 1355 is on display on Gregory St. in Pensacola, FL.