So, here they are, my brand new Broadway Limited Hudson’s.
So here is the story for my railroad…
In the early 50’s Kiva Valley was really starting to boom with business but didnt quite have funds to stretch for the new deisel power coming out. So, instead of going into dept, they bit the bullet, went cheap, and picked up a couple of Hudson’s from the NYC for just above scrap prices as New York was retiring them all. Granted, running old coal steam wasnt what the owners and management wanted, but the intial "out of of pocket " costs made up for it.
Taken in late 1952 for their first run. One month after this picture was taken, “New York Central” was replaced with the Kiva Vally Railway markings. For 2 months they ran with their old names, hence the nickname, “New York Girls”
They were used by KVR daily revenue runs well into the late 50’s as road switchers working the local industry. By then, their investment had paid off, and the company was ready to pay for more powerful and modern deisels.
The two Hudson’s are still on the roster today, even though their last assignment occured when they were brought out of thier short retirement and out back into service1961 when they were needed to fill in for a short roster due to derailment that kept 2 desiels out of service for almost 3 months.
5275 was rebuilt on 1974, and 5295 had her workings compelely redone in 1998. Both of the “Girls” are still used in excusrion service during the tourist season between Sept and May of each year. 5295 will sometimes still make small revenue runs once or twice year. Mostly to the encouragement of local tourism officals and hotels who cater to the railfans acorss the world.
Well, there is the fun stuff, now for the serious stuff. These Hudsons are the ones that TrainWorld has for 129.99. I heard about the dea
Great idea for an excuse to have a steamer or two, I’m generally a diesel man only, but a nice light Mikado for me would be a good idea.Alway like to hear your goings on. Still love that paint scheme.[8D]
I used a similar scenario to put a couple of the Hudson’s on my New York, Binghamton, and Western. It’s a little easier for me since my layout is set in the late transitions period. Wartime traffic had given the NYBW the ca***o begin dieselization but a post war down turn caused financial struggles and so as a temporary measure, the NYBW picked up surplus steam power from the NYC and Pennsy. Originally when I bought these BLI locos I had intended to reletter them for the NYBW but the factory paint job was so good I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I have several undecorated steamers that will get NYBW lettering when I get around to it.
With my diesel fleet, I am going a different route. I had intended to repaint these a navy blue so when I ordered two AB sets of P1K F3s and two Athearn RS3s, I wasn’t concerned with the roadnames I ordered. By coincidence, the Erie F3s and the D&RGW RS3s both arrived with black and gold paint schemes. Then I got the idea to adopt black and gold as the colors for my diesel fleet and just create my own decal to put over the factory roadname. That way I could keep the factory paint scheme and numbers. I figured that would look a lot better than anything I could paint on my own. I feel a little like a cattle rustler rebranding the cattle but it works for me.
My Hudson is well broken-in, and is still a whirrer in reverse. Everything else about it is so gratifying that I just live with it.
I suggest using Dexron II transmission fluid as a lubricant. It won’t harm any paint, and has superior anti-sheer capability. I have used it on three new locos since November, and they have all done marvelously.
I love all the stories we dream up up justify certain equipment on our layout. I do it, too.
I love all types of engines, but putting a big powerful SD-90MAC or something on my steam/first generation diesel layout will take a time warp from Star Trek or something.
Nice hudson! That’s great they pull excursions during the summer. My CGW is going to run excursions during the summer as well. Last week the 2-8-0 was tested on it’s first excursion and there will be more excursions when I get more passenger cars. I might get a hudson, but it’d be IHC because I can’t affoard BLI.
I hear ya on the price. I have to admit, I really didnt wantto spend the money on two new steam engines as most of the time I run modern, or 2006. But at 130.00 bucks with sound… well, it was worth starvin’ for a few days.
Well, thats a bummer about the reverse… guess I will just have to hit the whistle the whole time it is goign backwards
Dexron II eh? What do you use to lube with that? The drive gears, the drive rod assemble ( I honestly have no idea what you call that mass of moveing beauty), or both?
I’ve had my Hudson since Christmas. What a great little loco. It fits right into my transition era BRVRR which is more and more a division of the NYC.
It had a few squeaks right out of the box, but a little judicious lubrication took care of that. My example runs very quietly in both directions with the sound off. No growls or thumps. I am very pleased with it thus far.
Big John–neat locos, and a GREAT story to explain them!! I love it when we use our historical imagination to explain things on our model railroads that might initially raise eyebrows (such as my ‘borrowing’ some Pennsy and C&O steam for my Rio Grande mainline–it’s WWII, and I’ve got a power shortage, LOL!). Keep hunting for Kadees to fit the pilots, though–maybe one of the newer, smaller ‘scale’ Kadees might work. I STILL can’t figure out why BLI doesn’t supply a working front coupler for either their Hudsons or USRA Heavy Mikes.
Anyway, congratulations–that’s a handsome pair of little beasties you’ve got there.
Tom [tup][tup]
John, I lubed every pivot on the valve gear and the pivots on the side rods and main rods. I also lubed the axle bushings, and did the axles on the tender, too.
Find a soft towel and roll it up into a cradle, or use a suitable piece of packing foam, and invert the locomotive onto it. Find a good sized darning needle and cut half of the eye off with rail nippers, and cut off the point. That will leave a rounded yoke on the business end. Dip the yoke into the bit of Dexron and apply it to all the bearings/pivots. Just one well-placed touch of the needle per axle bearing/pivot if you can manage it. Less is more with these things.
You should not have to lube the innards for a year or more, depending on use.
Congrats on the new addition to the roster. My BLI is from the first run, with EMF and sintered iron drivers. She’ll out haul a Spectrum Heavy 4-8-2.
Hows the power on these split-frame version units? Them nickle silver wheels slippery?
