The Chesapeake & Ohio Railway began operating Mikados in December 1911, when it took delivery of the class K-1 from Alco-Richmond.   Ten years later, the C&O purchased another 150 technologically superior 2-8-2's - the K-2's, the K-3's, and the K-3a's.  All the K-2s and K-3s were built by Alco-Richmond.  The primary thing differentiating the K-2s and K-3s was the booster.   The K-2s had a booster, and although considered a "light Mikado", they could extert 10% more tractive effort than the booster-less K-3s.  The C&O used its Mikados for almost any job, and they were considered the mainstay of C&O power for twenty years.  They could be found on manifest freights, local freights, coal trains, work trains, and occasionally passenger trains.  They were the dominant power on C&O's James River Line and also the Chicago Line in Indiana.

Our model is of the K-2 locomotive as it appeared in the 1940's.  They are quickly recognized by their large Elesco feedwater heaters and "flying air pumps" hanging from the smokebox door.  All K-2's were delivered with 12,000 gallon / 15-ton capacity Vanderbilt tenders.  The railway quickly realized they would need larger tenders, and most of the K-2s eventually ran with the 16,000 gallon / 20-ton capacity "16-VC" tender.   We are offering models with both tenders, and have selected appropriate road numbers based on tender assignments.  

All of the models have hand-crafted brass boilers, cabs, and tender bodies, and die cast locomotive and tender chassis.   Each model comes with our Paragon4 Sound/DC/DCC sound system with synchronized puffing smoke and integral GoPack capacitors. 

Broadway Limited Imports is proud to introduce Paragon4: The new benchmark for premium HO sound-equipped locomotives. These DC and DCC-Sound equipped locomotives feature the ALL-NEW Paragon4 sound and control system. Each Paragon4 locomotive comes with BLI's own integral DCC Decoder factory installed.  Paragon4 locomotives offer Dual Mode DC and DCC operation with superb back EMF motor control, improved DC motor control, built-in capacitor pack for more reliable electrical pick-up, industry best on-board sound with Rolling Thunder functionality, Pro Lighting Mode for prototypical light control, Switcher model for precise low speed control, recordable DCC operation for automated playback, and the same excellent detail level as Broadway Limited's Paragon3 Series models. 

Paragon4 Sound & Control System Features:

• Operates in DC & DCC with improved DC speed control (use DCMaster for DC Sound)

• Built-In capacitor pack to navigate imperfect track

• Capacitor Pack automatically disabled on program track for full compatibility with JMRI Decoder Pro

• Pro Lighting Mode offers individual control of all lights on model

• Switcher Mode for precise low speed control.

• Record & Play Operation - Records and plays back sounds and movements once or repeatedly for automatic operation

• High Resolution Audio

• Quillable Whistle for various whistle lengths and patterns

• Choice of 3 selectable Horns

• Alternate Whistle / Horn where applicable for locomotive with air horn and steam whistle - both the main whistle and alternate can be easily played

• Adjustable bell ringing interval for faster or slower bell

• Numerous user-mappable functions with available keys

• Johnson Bar Sound at Direction Change

• Multiple realistic passenger and crew sounds play on command

• Grade Crossing Automatic Signal

• Automatic Forward / Reverse Signal - When activated, stopping triggers and stop whistle toot.  When moving forward from a stopped position, toots twice.  When moving in reverse. toots three times.

• Chuff sound intensity varies with load

• Individually adjustable sound volumes for each effect

• EZ Reset Button for quick return to factory default settings

**Specifications on this page subject to change.