New York Central
The New York Central is where the Hudson locomotive was designed and tested.It's development was due to the increase in passenger business on the NYC.In the mid 1920s longer trains were required and the existing motive powercould not handle more than 12 cars. There was a need for a passengerlocomotive which had the capability of pulling 16 to 18 cars. In 1926, thenew chief mechanical engineer, Paul Kiefer, designed a 4-6-4 locomotive thathad greater starting tractive effort and the ability not only of pullinglonger trains but also of maintain higher speeds.
So successful was this new design that 275 Hudsons were built for the NYCsystem including its wholly owned subsidiaries. Of the 275 Hudsons, 30 wereused on the Michigan Central, 30 went to the CCC&StL, 20 went to theBoston & Albany and 195 were used on the NYC. Only 10 were built by theLima Locomotive Works. The balance were built by the American LocomotiveCompany.
The first Hudson arrived on 2/14/27 and the last in 1938. The NYC numberedthem in consecutive order starting at 5200 and even renumbered the ones onits subsidiaries so that there was an unbroken string of numbers that reached5474. All 275 NYC Hudsons had boosters.
Of the 275 Hudsons in the fleet, 13 were streamlined. Number 5344 was theworld's first streamlined locomotive having had its shroud installed in 1934.The "bathtub" shroud was designed by the Case School of Science in Cleveland,OH. In 1935 it was assigned to the 20th Century Limited between Toledo and Chicago and remained in this service for some time. During July, 1939, this locomotive was re-shrouded to look like the 20th Century J3s. After an October, 1945 grade crossing accident with a sand truck in East Chicago, all the streamlining was removed. Another "claim to fame" of this locomotive is that it was the prototype for the Lionel O-gauge model.
Numbers 5426 and 5429, both Class J-3s were streamlined with a stainlesssteel cowling to match the "Empire State Express" train. This cowlingwas removed in 1950.
Ten of the Class J-3 Hudsons numbers 5445 through 5454 were built streamlinedin 1938. The design was created by Henry Dreyfuss and styled to match the newcars of the New York - Chicago "Twentieth Century Limited" which wasAmerica's most famous luxury train. After 1945, the stainless steel shroudswere removed.
From the very first Hudson, number 5200, there were many design improvements.The Class J-1s had five different design levels. Class J-2 had three. Thefinal Class of Hudsons (J-3) were vastly different from the previous classesand were constantly being improved. The NYC was the pioneer of the 4-6-4wheel arrangement and ultimately used nearly 56% of all the Hudsons everproduced. Many consider the Hudson to have been the most beautiful steamlocomotive ever built. Unfortunately, the NYC did not save even one forposterity.
In 1948 two J-1 NYC Hudsons (5311 and 5313) were sold to the Toronto,Hamilton & Buffalo where they became 501 and 502. In 1954, when the TH&Bdieselized, both Hudsons were scrapped. Howerver, 5313's tender was retainedand outfitted with a steam generator for use on TH&B passenger trains.Tender 5313 survives to this day at Steamtown. It is the largest extantsingle piece of a NYC Hudson.
Boston & Albany
The Boston & Albany purchased twenty Hudsons, ten from the AmericanLocomotive Company and ten from the Lima Locomotive Works.
These locomotives were bought in three orders: one in 1928 for fiveClass J-2a (road numbers 600 through 604) from ALCO, a second in 1930,for five Class J-2b (road numbers 605 through 609) also from ALCO and athird in 1931, for ten Class J-2c (road numbers 610 through 619) fromLima.
These 4-6-4s were very similar to all the other NYC system Hudsons andthey had 25 x 28 cylinders, 75" drivers, a 240 psi boiler pressure (laterreduced to 225 psi) and exerted 47,600 lbs of tractive effort.
On the NYC System roster, these 20 locomotives carried numbers 5455through 5474.
Michigan Central
The Michigan Central Railroad purchased 30 Hudsons from the AmericanLocomotive Company in three orders. Ten Class J-1bs in 1927 (road numbers8200 through 8209), five Class J-1cs in 1929 (road numbers 8210 through 8214)and 15 Class J-1ds in 1930 (road numbers 8215 through 8229). Later, the NYCrenumbered them 5345 through 5374.
Big Four
The CCC&StL Railroad purchased a total of 30 Hudsons from the AmericanLocomotive Works in two orders. The first 20 Class J-1ds in 1929 (roadnumbers 6600 through 6619) and last 10 Class J-1es in 1931 (road numbers 6620through 6629). Later, the NYC renumbered them 5375 through 5404.
