Pennsylvania O Gauge RailKing 4-8-2 Imperial M-1a Mountain Steam Engine w/Proto-Sound 3.0
Overview
The Mountain represents the apex of Pennsy steam power in the golden age of railroading. It was the last in a line of highly successful, home-designed, Belpaire-boilered Pennsy steamers that included the E6 Atlantic, the H series Consolidations, the K4 Pacific, and the I1 Decapod. (A Belpaire boiler is identified by the squared-off hump at the rear, above the firebox.) While the Pennsy's late experiments with modern streamlined steamers were visually exciting, they failed at their intended purpose - stopping the diesel onslaught. The M1's in fact outlasted all the experimental engines, soldiering on for three decades to the very end of steam.
The first M1 was built in 1923 in the PRR's Juniata shops and, in typical conservative Pennsy fashion, underwent years of testing and refinement before the railroad committed to the design. But once the die was cast, the Pennsy - the self-proclaimed Standard Railroad of the World - did things in a big way, as usual. Two hundred M1's were built in 1926 and a hundred M1a's, with slight upgrades from the original engines, were turned out in 1930 by Baldwin, Lima, and the Pennsy's own shops.
While the first Mountains were delivered pulling normal-sized tenders, with the 1930 delivery the huge "coast-to-coast" tenders became the norm. Although their large coal and water capacity lessened the need for fuel stops, they were also equipped with scoops for taking on water on the fly, from pans between the rails. With their big 72-inch drivers, the Mountains were designed to be dual-service passenger and fast freight engines. Despite their name, they ruled the relatively level divisions of the Pennsy - except the electrified lines - where they could hustle 17- or 18-car passenger trains or hundred-car freights. Within a few years of their introduction, the Mountains found their niche as the Pennsy's preferred freight engine in most non-electrified territory.
A true representative of the golden age of steam power, the Mountain returns to the RailKing line in 2019 lettered for the Pennsylvania and several other roads that rostered similar 4-8-2 locomotives. Both engine and tender are constructed of die-cast metal and adorned with detail. Complete with the industry-leading speed control, smoke output, and range of accurate sounds that characterize all MTH Proto-Sound 3.0 locomotives, our Mountain is designed to rival the pulling power, dependability, and longevity of the Pennsy original. Imperial features that set this model apart include legible builders plates, crew figures, cab interior light, painted backhead gauges, and a real coal load in the tender.
Did you know?
Mountain number 6755, built in the Pennsy's Altoona shops in 1930, was preserved by the railroad and resides today at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg, PA.
Features
- Intricately Detailed, Die-Cast Boiler and Chassis
- Die-Cast Metal Chassis
- Authentic Paint Scheme
- Real Tender Coal Load
- Die-Cast Locomotive Trucks
- Handpainted Engineer and Fireman Figures
- Painted Cab Backhead Gauges
- Legible Builders Plates
- Metal Handrails, Whiste and Bell
- Tender Truck Chains
- Metal Wheels and Axles
- Remote-Controlled Proto-Coupler
- Prototypical Rule 17 Lighting
- Operating LED Marker Lights
- Powerful Precision Flywheel-Equipped Motor
- Synchronized Puffing ProtoSmoke System
- Locomotive Speed Control In Scale MPH Increments
- Wireless Drawbar
- Onboard DCC/DCS Decoder
- Proto-Sound 3.0 With The Digital Command System Featuring Passenger Station Proto-Effects
- Unit Measures: 25" x 2 1/2" x 4"
- Operates On O-31 Curves Steam DCC Features
- F0 Head/Tail light
- F1 Bell
- F2 Horn
- F3 Start-up/Shut-down
- F4 PFA
- F5 Lights (except head/tail)
- F6 Master Volume
- F7 Front Coupler
- F8 Rear Coupler
- F9 Forward Signal
- F10 Reverse Signal
- F11 Grade Crossing
- F12 Smoke On/Off
- F13 Smoke Volume
- F14 Idle Sequence 3
- F15 Idle Sequence 2
- F16 Idle Sequence 1
- F17 Extended Start-up
- F18 Extended Shut-down
- F19 Labor Chuff
- F20 Drift Chuff
- F21 One Shot Doppler
- F22 Coupler Slack
- F23 Coupler Close
- F24 Single Horn Blast
- F25 Engine Sounds
- F26 Brake Sounds
- F27 Cab Chatter
- F28 Feature Reset