Many consider the M1 to be the high-point of thePennsylvania’s steam locomotive designs. Conceivedas larger passenger power to reduce the need fordouble and tripple heading K4’s, the M’s quickly foundtheir way into freight service. A small percentage of theroster was equipped for passenger duties, but theyare best remembered hauling priority freight at speedalong the banks of the Juniata and Susquehanna Rivers.Three years after building the first prototype, the Pennsyordered 200 class M1 4-8-2s from Baldwin and Lima.Another 100 units, classed M1a, followed in 1930 fromthe same builders and from Juniata itself. The primaryspotting difference between the two subclasses canbe seen in the steam delivery pipes which are externalon the M1’s and hidden inside the cylinder saddleson the M1a’s. Both classes were generally operatedsimilarly and as a whole received the same variety ofdetail changes over their careers, including new frontend pilot and headlight arrangements and of course avariety of tenders.Lionel last offered our LEGACY M1a in 2014, but we’venever produced any representatives of the 200 M1s. Thisyear we’re correcting that oversight with our best M yet!Featuring new tooling for the cylinder saddles, this runof M’s also includes multiple tender, pilot and lightingarrangements to better match the individual prototypesover the course of their lives; from the beautiful 1926striping of No. 6855 to the brutish modernized front endand 8-wheel “coast to coast” tender on 6888. This willalso mark the first release of the M’s with WhistleSteam andBluetooth as well as a kinematic drawbar. Don’t miss thisopportunity to add the best of the Pennsy’s best to yourroster!