# Look what I just found



## Aceman21 (Nov 22, 2015)

So I was going through some of my train stuff when I came across this old loco. It's a rivarossi 2-8-2 heavy mikado great northern.








Does anyone have any info on this loco ? Is it any good or not ? I don't even remember buying this lol


----------



## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Excellent!! :smilie_daumenpos:


----------



## 3.8TransAM (Jan 13, 2016)

Looks like a late version of the motor in the cab style.

Not to long after those they went to motors in the boiler.


----------



## Aceman21 (Nov 22, 2015)

Anyone have some info on this ?


----------



## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Don't know if this will help or not:

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/RIVAROSSI-HO-SCALE-5411-GREAT-NORTHERN-3385-2-8-2-MIKADO-STEAM-LOCOMOTIVE-/331879739601?hash=item4d4592f0d1:g:1IEAAOSwqBJXXWre

Looks like the boxes are different.....maybe a different production run.....?


----------



## Br 98.75 (Dec 26, 2013)

Steam Locomotive with tender No. 3385 of the US railroad company "Great Northern". 2-8-2 wheel arrangement "Heavy Mikado". With Walschaerts distribution system.

The prototype nr 3385, to Which Refers to this model, has to "Vanderbilt" steel tubular structured tender, and the bogies are three axled.

The front headlamp is working, and the colors are green and black with silver lettering.


Directly from Rivarossi memory
"Length of the model cm. 33.



Produced by Rivarossi in 1983

In the livery of Great Northern

queues	year	description (in italian)
1538	1983	Steam locomotive Mikado 2-8-2 3385 Heavy with tender type Vanderbilt Great Northern
5089/10	1983	Steam locomotive Mikado 2-8-2 3385 Heavy with tender type Vanderbilt Great Northern"


----------



## Br 98.75 (Dec 26, 2013)

https://translate.googleusercontent...os.htm&usg=ALkJrhjUivLUL00qKlJYD6WHuSjhr6iouA


the full website


----------



## Aceman21 (Nov 22, 2015)

Wow, had no idea it was that old. It looks brand new still. I wonder what I should do with it.


----------



## Smokinapankake (Sep 8, 2011)

Looks to me like you should run it!


----------



## Aceman21 (Nov 22, 2015)

Smokinapankake said:


> Looks to me like you should run it!




I'd like to, then I'd have to convert it to DCC


----------



## /6 matt (Jul 7, 2015)

Don't listen to those guys, it's a terrible model. One of the worst made. You should send it to me for proper disposal


----------



## Aceman21 (Nov 22, 2015)

/6 matt said:


> Don't listen to those guys, it's a terrible model. One of the worst made. You should send it to me for proper disposal




Hahahaha.


----------



## daveh219 (Sep 16, 2012)

Good luck on finding a dcc decoder...RUN IT...


----------



## Aceman21 (Nov 22, 2015)

Any suggestions on what I should pull with it. ?


----------



## radfan (Mar 7, 2010)

I would suggest you give it a test run and service before you install a DCC chip, if it runs smooth and without heavy current then it will be ready for conversion to DCC.


----------



## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

That's a good suggestion @radfan. The decoder will need to be hardwired but that shouldn't be a problem.


----------



## ggnlars (Aug 6, 2013)

Based on my tests, this should have a stall current around 2 amps. You should be able to use a recent decoder. Rivarossi motors were isolated from the frame, so the conversion should be easy. You will likely put the decoder in the tender and will want to provide additional pick ups on the boiler and the tender. 
Heavy Mikes were use mostly for freight. However with a VB tender, it could also be a passenger unit. So you could use it either way. The Rivarossi units of this time tended to be light and marginal pullers. I believe they used traction tires to make up for some of that. 
Good luck with it,
Larry
www.llxlocomotives.com


----------



## Empire Builder 76 (Feb 11, 2016)

Aceman21 said:


> So I was going through some of my train stuff when I came across this old loco. It's a rivarossi 2-8-2 heavy mikado great northern.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I bought the same model and road name with a 1983 date of manufacture off e-Bay last year. Basically unused and new out of the box. There may be some paperwork with it, so if you have any specific questions it may answer, let me know and I'll check into it.


----------



## Aceman21 (Nov 22, 2015)

Empire Builder 76 said:


> I bought the same model and road name with a 1983 date of manufacture off e-Bay last year. Basically unused and new out of the box. There may be some paperwork with it, so if you have any specific questions it may answer, let me know and I'll check into it.




Do you think I could get a copy of the paper work ? I emailed rivarossi a while ago but nobody has returned the email yet


----------

