Been debating unloading my UP LGB Mikado for a Santa Fe F7 or buying an Aristo Vandy tender and re-lettering it for the GN…Unlikely I know but does anyone know if the scale/size of the LGB Mikado would look ok with the Aristo tender or are they too far apart? I do not know anyone who owns both an LGB and Aristo Mikado but perhaps someone does and can speak to the size comparison of the two?
Thanks.
Mark, I did one for a club member. I’ll see if he has a pic and get it from him.
Might take a day or so.
Thanks John!
I would like to see this as well, please share.
Thanks John!
Well I waited too long and lost out on the Vandy tender.
Bummer!
Mark,
Go to Train World they are having a close out sale on Aristo-Craft Vandy tenders.
Chuck
Thanks Chuck…They are sold out. I like TW but they can be a bit slow updating their ads. The .pdfs are great but often the discounts are “sold out” by the time I see them. Ya snooze ya lose! 
Found one! ebay and on the way. Thanks for the picture John, I know it will look great in Great Northern colors!
Hey, that DOES look good. Great GN fans, we are, us.
t & ig & The Cascade Tunnel Boys
I changed the top of the oil bunker for some reason. It’s been so long, I forgot why.
Maybe to lower the top profile somewhat. The oil bunker lifts off to access the battery.
John, Is it possible you changed the bunker from coal to oil? I think they came with a coal load but I could be mistaken or they had both? Either way, thanks for the pic. Big problem for me is do I letter it for the GN or the DM&IR?
That’s it! I knew I did something to it. He wanted an SP “oil burner” Mike.
(It’s a bitch gittin old…)
I remember altering the draw bar to fit the LGB as well. I had to fab up something.
Mark,
I have both the LGB mikado and the aristo mikado, as well as a 6 axle vandy tender with my mallet. Both mikados have worked well for me over the years, and I am glad to have both in my roundhouse. What would you like to know? Size wise, the LGB dwarfs the Aristo, but that’s OK because real mikados came in a variety of sizes, too. I use the aristo mike for freight and switching duty, and the LGB for passenger trains.
Mark,
The picture was exactly what i was looking for…Wanted to know if the Vandy tender was a good fit for the LGB Mikado. I think it looks pretty good. My intent is to letter the Vandy for the Great Northern and use it for freight freeing up my LGB F7’s for passenger only. I managed to get one pretty reasonable, alas it only has the 4-wheel trucks.
If anyone is looking for a Vandy there are two on ebay now…One is a BIN at a reasonable price (TW is out of stock…No more $75.00 tenders!).
The coal Vandy will look a little lower. (And prolly better).
When I added the oil bunk, it made the tender a little higher in the front.
Even the ones from TW were only 4 wheel trucks…the one I got came damaged (something internally rattles) but otheriwse looks fine. It will get turned into a snowplow…eventually.
Chas
Chas,
I’ve seen some Vandy/plow conversions…Really neat. Thought about that myself.
Ok, I replaced the Aristo tender draw-bar with a slightly modified Lionel ‘hook and loop’…Works just like the original LGB tender. Instant road-name change!
I like the Vandy WAY better than the original LGB…It fits perfect!
