NYC Hudson
Promotional Image of a "Dreyfuss" streamlined New York Central Hudson Locomotive
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| Type and origin | |
|---|---|
| Power type | Steam |
| Builder |
Alco-Schenectady (265); Lima Locomotive Works (10) |
| Build date | 1927–1931 (J-1); 1928–1931 (J-2); 1937–1938 (J-3) |
| Total produced | 275 |
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Configuration | 4-6-4 |
| Gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Career | |
|---|---|
| Operators | New York Central Railroad, Boston and Albany Railroad, Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo Railway |
| Class | J-1, J-2 and J-3 |
| Number in class | 205 (J-1), 20 (J-2), 50 (J-3) |
| Disposition | All Scrapped by the Late 1950's |
The New York Central Hudsons were a series of 4-6-4 "Hudson" type steam locomotives built by the American Locomotive Company and the Lima Locomotive Works from 1927 to 1938 for the New York Central Railroad. Named after the Hudson River, the 4-6-4 wheel arrangement came to be known as the "Hudson" type in the United States as these locomotives were the first examples built and used in North America. Built for high-speed passenger train work, the Hudson locomotives were famously known for hauling the New York Central's crack passenger trains, such as the 20th Century Limited and the Empire State Express. With the onset of diesel locomotives in the mid 20th Century, all Hudson locomotives were retired, with none preserved.
Although the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad (Milwaukee Road) was the first to design such locomotives (naming them Baltics), they were not built until after the NYC's Hudsons. NYC President Patrick E. Crowley named the units Hudsons after the Hudson River, which was in clear view from his office window.
The Hudson came into being because the existing 4-6-2 Pacific power was not able to keep up with the demands of longer, heavier trains and higher speeds. Given NYC's axle load limits, Pacific could not be made any larger; a new locomotive type would be required to carry the larger boilers. Lima Locomotive Works' conception of superpower steam as realised in the 2-8-4 Berkshire type was the predecessor to the Hudson. The 2-8-4's 4-wheel trailing truck permitted a huge firebox to be located after the boiler. The resulting greater steaming rate ensured that such a locomotive would never run out of power at speed, a common failing of older locomotives. Applying the ideas of the freight-minded Berkshire type to the Pacific resulted in a 4-6-4 locomotive.
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Wikipedia