Can anyone direct me to where I can locate on line photos of the passenger cars that were pulled by the Commodore Vanderbilt in the 1930's? Thanks.
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The CV pulled the 20th Century Limited. Here is some info.
http://www.kinglyheirs.com/Palmer/20thCentury.html
And here is some information on the Hickory Creek, one of the surviving observation cars.
http://www.luxuryrailvacation.com/
http://www.kinglyheirs.com/Palmer/20thCentury.html
And here is some information on the Hickory Creek, one of the surviving observation cars.
http://www.luxuryrailvacation.com/
The 4-6-4 named "Commodore Vanderbilt" was streamlined in the mid-1930s with a rounded shroud that looked somewhat like an overturned bathtub. It was the only Hudson so streamlined, I think.
NYC also equipped a 4-8-2 with the same shroud and installed oil firing for the "Rexall Train" and its US-wide tour. The 'overturned bathtub' streamlining was revised and put on two 4-6-2s for "The Mercury," which ran in Ohio.
The CV loco may have been intended to introduce the "Commodore Vanderbilt" train, which ran as a follow-up for The 20th Century Ltd. B&O did likewise when streamlining a 4-6-2 for its revised "Royal Blue" between Jersey City and Washington DC. The train name was prominent on the side skirting of that loco.
The 1938 streamlined 20th Century Limited was complimented with a specially streamlined set of 4-6-4's with the 'bullet' nose, allowing for the complete run to be handled by those locomotives. A variation of that same streamlining treatment was applied to 4-6-4s assigned to handle the new "Empire State Exprress" with suits of Budd-built cars inuagurated on "The Day of Infamy", Dec. 7 1941.
All that said, the actual assignment of power for a train depended on what locomotive was ready at the time it was needed. So the CV loco after a while, could just as well have been put on other NYC trains as well.
The CV was re-streamlined in 1938 for the new 20th Centuty limited. The streamlined B&O "Royal Blue" 4-6-2 was the only other US railroad steam loco that was re-streamlined. It got a new shroud for service on B&Os new "Cincinnatian."
Ed Bommer
NYC also equipped a 4-8-2 with the same shroud and installed oil firing for the "Rexall Train" and its US-wide tour. The 'overturned bathtub' streamlining was revised and put on two 4-6-2s for "The Mercury," which ran in Ohio.
The CV loco may have been intended to introduce the "Commodore Vanderbilt" train, which ran as a follow-up for The 20th Century Ltd. B&O did likewise when streamlining a 4-6-2 for its revised "Royal Blue" between Jersey City and Washington DC. The train name was prominent on the side skirting of that loco.
The 1938 streamlined 20th Century Limited was complimented with a specially streamlined set of 4-6-4's with the 'bullet' nose, allowing for the complete run to be handled by those locomotives. A variation of that same streamlining treatment was applied to 4-6-4s assigned to handle the new "Empire State Exprress" with suits of Budd-built cars inuagurated on "The Day of Infamy", Dec. 7 1941.
All that said, the actual assignment of power for a train depended on what locomotive was ready at the time it was needed. So the CV loco after a while, could just as well have been put on other NYC trains as well.
The CV was re-streamlined in 1938 for the new 20th Centuty limited. The streamlined B&O "Royal Blue" 4-6-2 was the only other US railroad steam loco that was re-streamlined. It got a new shroud for service on B&Os new "Cincinnatian."
Ed Bommer
I believe the Commodore Vanderbilt was 5344, which later had that streamlining removed and was re-streamlined in the 1938 Dreyfuss scheme.
I have understood that by the time the Central got done tinkering with 5344, it was the virtual equivalent of a J3. Of all the Hudsons, she is THE one that deserved saving.
quote:Originally posted by wjstix:
I believe the Commodore Vanderbilt was 5344, which later had that streamlining removed and was re-streamlined in the 1938 Dreyfuss scheme.
And B&O's P-7 4-6-2 number 5304 was streamlined for "Royal Blue" service in 1937 and re-streamlined for "Cincinnatian" service in 1946. The 5403 was de-shrouded after a grade-cossing accident in 1942. The sheet metal went to the War effort.
Odd, the similarity of these loco numbers.
Ed Bommer
