America entered World War I in April 1917. In December of that year the U.S. Railway Administration was formed to provide a means for the federal government to administer the country’s railways after they were nationalized for the war effort.
The USRA attempted unique experiments in locomotive and freight car production and developed plans for 12 basic locomotive designs (and a series of freight cars). A total of 1,900 USRA locomotives were built, the first being delivered, ironically, just four months before the war ended in November 1918. The designs were generally effective, in fact several railroads tweaked the designs and built their own USRA “one-offs.”
Our O gauge sample from MTH is lettered for the Pittsburgh & West Virginia. That short line was part of the “Alphabet Route,” which also included the Nickel Plate Road, the Reading Lines, the Western Maryland, and the Wheeling & Lake Erie. This conglomeration competed for business with the Baltimore & Ohio, the New York Central, and other major east-west systems. In 1964, the Norfolk & Western took out a 99-year lease on the P&WV.
Out of the box
Don’t use the traditional railroad slang term for a small steam switcher and call this model a teakettle. It looks far more impressive than that. The basic design – like the real thing – appears functional and not glamorous.
This Premier line entry has the same level of detail that you would expect to see on one of MTH’s monster articulated steamers.
The cab is up to snuff, with a detailed backhead, firebox glow, crew figures, and a cab light. There is also a feature present that I don’t recall seeing on anything but high-end brass models by 3rd Rail – a deck plate that lowers to fill the gap between the locomotive and the lip of the tender.
The locomotive features firebox glow, which is easy to forget about if you run trains in only well-illuminated rooms. This really adds some pizzazz, especially if you run in dimly lit rooms or are a “night runner.”
This locomotive features the new MTH wireless drawbar (see our critique of it in the September 2007 Reviews column), which connects the locomotive with the tender-mounted electronics.
The improvement this makes in a model’s appearance can’t be overstated. The connection was made easily, and it remained firmly in place throughout operations and testing. The steamer has coil couplers on both the pilot and the tender, making this little locomotive an ideal choice for switching chores – just as the USRA intended!
The running gear is pleasantly complex, with only one distraction. After noticing the slots for a Phillips screwdriver in the heads of some of the screws, I couldn’t help but wonder if some other method of affixing the gear – say, a screw with a hex head – might disturb the “magic” a wee bit less.
The model’s paint was clean and crisp and free of overspray. The demarcation between the smokebox gray and the rest of the boiler was sharp. Application of the P&WV logo, letters, and numbers was good.
On the test track
This locomotive operates on O-31 and wider-diameter curves. The length of the locomotive and tender is approximately 16½ inches (about 66 feet in O scale). The engine has no power pickups, but the tender mounts two of them, roughly 4½ inches apart.
Performance was great in all speed ranges from low to high (yes, I know that an 0-6-0 wouldn’t be pulling an express train). And the ProtoSound 2.0 system delivered deep, robust sounds and enough smoke to make you cough!
Our low-speed average was 3.5 scale mph, and our high-speed average was 34.6 scale mph. As for the drawbar pull, it measured 1 pound 8 ounces.
Observing the running gear at low speed is dynamite, almost like watching a clock’s complex mechanism function. This steamer is a beauty, and the coil couplers make switching a breeze.
MTH’s USRA 0-6-0 is a highly detailed, impressive locomotive. I recommend it for anyone looking to add steam to their O gauge layouts.
Price: $599.95 (no. 20-3269-1)
Features: O-31 operation, can-style motor, die-cast metal construction, wireless drawbar, ProtoSound 2.0, two operating coil couplers
Pros: Wireless drawbar and deck plate are plusses for realism; highly detailed; very smooth low-speed motor operation
Cons: High price point for a small locomotive
Made in the People’s Republic of China for MTH Electric Trains
After having purchased the SUPERB MTH Pennsy A5 a few months back, I think that I'll add one of these to my yard switcher fleet. I'll make a change (fire box shape) to make it fit in with my all steam 1920/46 era PRR (Ashtabula, Ohio) fleet. As for the comment regarding the purchase price…..this isn't a poor man's hobby. The price is just fine.
Dave Belknap
Palm Springs, CA
I'd have to agree with Bob about the cost. It seems about $100 too high. I've not seen the train in person and it looks great, but there has to be a limit on what people can pay. It should be an affordable hobby.