Dreyfuss lighting

Model Railroader Prototype information for the modeler
1

Hello all,

Does anyone know for a fact if the Dreyfuss hudson had lights over the driving wheels to show them off at night in real life? i would appreciate if someone could give me a source to check on this question.

Thanks

2

Hi,

I am pretty certain that none of the 10 Century streamlined Hudsons or either of the “Budd” style Empire State Express Hudsons had any kind of lighting over the drivers. I’ve studied many photos and have never seen any evidence of conduits or light fixtures even after the streamlining was systematically removed as the Hudsons aged and endured wartime service. Al Stauffer’s book “Thoroughbreds” shows some streamlined hudsons looking pretty ratty after just a few years’ service.

Now there were two K5 Pacifics Nos. 4915 and 4917 that were streamlined for service on the Mercury, they literally looked like upside-down bathtubs. I have seen reference to lighting below the running boards on these two locomotives to illuminate the polished disk drivers of these Pacifics.

I’ll see if I can dig up a little more history on the K5s.