Fort Smith & Western 2-8-2 "Mikado" Locomotives in the USA

Class 23 (Locobase 14582)

Data from DeGolyer, Volume 55, p. 197 and Volume 65, pp. 118+. Works numbers were 43784 in July 1916, 43865-43866 in August; 46113, 46158 in August 1917; 53829 in October 1920

Several southwestern US railroads bought this small Mikado design in the teens. The FS&W locomotives had a few differences from the others, such as the use of Southern valve gear and more arch tube area (28.5 sq ft/2.65 sq m) to contribute to direct heating surface area, but were otherwise duplicates. They too used thirteen-inch (331 mm) piston valves, had the same power dimensions, boiler, and grate. Rail weights on the FS&W were recorded as 75 lb/yard (37.5 kg/metre).

28 had a larger tender to hold 7,000 US gallons (26,485 litres) of water; it weighed 130,000 lb (58,967 kg) loaded. A Locomotive Stoker Company "Ryan Johnson Latest Improved Plunger Type" coal pusher helped out the fireman.

When the FS&W was abandoned in 1939, all six were sold in September and October to locomotive rebuilder/reseller Georgia Car & Locomotive. GC&L found a buyer in February 1940 in the Columbus & Greenville of Waverly, Miss., which renumbered them 502, 501, 506, 504, 503, and 505 respectively. After operating throughout World War Two, four were scrapped in 1947, 501 and 506 in February, 502 in April., 504 in May. 505 went next in August 1948. 503 carried on until it was scrapped in January 1950.