Virginian Mikados

The Virginian Railway was formed when the Deepwater Railway combined with the Tidewater Railway in 1909. At that time, the new railroad had locomotives with a 2-8-2 wheel arrangement including a pair built for the Deepwater Railway by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1905. These two locomotives were numbers 30 & 31 on the Deepwater and became Virginian numbers 400 & 401. The Tidewater Railway had four 2-8-2 locomotives similar to those on the Deepwater, which were delivered from Baldwin in 1907. These became Virginia numbers 402-405. Shortly after forming the new railroad the mechanical engineering department devised a classification system for its locomotives. The classification system used the first letter of the name given to wheel arrangement followed by letter for the group or series of the locomotive. These first Mikado type locomotives were thus designated as Class MA.

In 1909, the Virginian began to receive new 2-8-2 locomotives from the Baldwin Locomotive Works. These locomotives were, what many believe to be, the first true examples of the 2-8-2 wheel arrangement. They had a deep firebox, supported by the trailing truck and a large superheated boiler. There were 42 in this group that was designated as Class MB and had road numbers 420-461 assigned.

The last new "Mikados" bought by the Virginian were delivered by Baldwin in 1912. This group was designated as Class MC and carried road numbers 462-479.

In 1938, the Princeton Shops undertook a major overhaul of one of the Class MC locomotives. Number 472 received new Baldwin supplied 57" diameter disk drivers and light weight side rods. Between 1938 and 1941 a total of five Class MCs received the same new parts. These locomotives were rebuilt to pull "time freight" trains number 71, 72, 73 and 74, with the fifth locomotive reserved as a spare. This group was designated as Class MCA and numbers 480-484 were assigned. These rebuilt locomotives were 1,300 lbs. lighter than the MC class.

One more 2-8-2 came to the Virginian when an experimental 2-8-8-8-4, number 700, was retuned to Baldwin in 1921. The locomotive was broken apart and Baldwin retuned a new 2-8-8-0, which became number 610, and a 2-8-2, which became number 410 and was the only locomotive in Class MD. This locomotive had 56" drivers, 26" x 32" cylinders, a 200 psi boiler pressure and a 65,700 pound tractive effort.

Class	Qty.	Road Numbers	Year Built	Builder	Notes
MA	6	400 - 405	1905 - 1907	Baldwin
MB	42	420 - 461	1909 - 1910	Baldwin
MC	18	462 - 479	1912	Baldwin
MCA	5	480 - 484	1938 - 1941	Virginian	1
MD	1	410	1921	Baldwin	2

NOTES:

Specifications
	MA	MB	MC	MCA
Wheel Arrangement:	2-8-2	2-8-2	2-8-2	2-8-2
Length:		74' - 7 1/4"
Drivers:	51" dia	56" dia	56" dia	57" dia
Weight on Drivers:	174,400	218,500 lbs.	252,100 lbs.	250,800 lbs.
Total Locomotive Weight:		260,950 lbs.	300,100 lbs.	298,600 lbs.
Locomotive & Tender Weight:		542,950 lbs.	629,400 lbs.	624,800 lbs.
Grate Area:		51 sq. ft.
Cylinders (dia. x stroke):	(2) 22" x 28"	(2) 24" x 32"	(2) 26" x 32"	(2) 26" x 32"
Boiler Pressure:	200 psi	200 psi	200 psi	200 psi
Tractive Effort:	45,200 lbs	56,000 lbs.	65,700 lbs.	64,500 lbs.
Tender Capacity:
Water:	7,000 gals. *	9,500 gals.	12,000 gals.	11,500 gals.
Coal:	12 tons *	17 tons	15 tons	16 tons

* Numbers 401 & 402 tenders had capacity for 10 tons of coal and 6,000 gals. of water.

Photos

Reference

Much thanks Richard Duley who has helped to provide a great deal of the information found on this page.