Lionel Legacy J3a Hudson 5418 on my layout (now modded, 3RSed, weathered and Tubed)

Bob Bubeck posted:

Norm Charbonneau posted

 I am not sure what frame it's using as the original had provisions for a mechanical puffer-style smoke unit. I'd imagine it's been reworked for the modern lash-free driveline and smoke units.

In any case, here's a video of it on my layout pulling my GGD collection:

Friendly FYI: The chassis/frame utilized for the Century Club II Empire State shrouded J3a (2005-6) was designed to accommodate the lash-free drive line and fan-type smoke unit to which you alluded.

Awesome pictures and videos of your J3a in action!! 

Bob

Beautiful!  video is amazing.

  Do these have the water scoop steam effect?

Norm Charbonneau posted:

RickM46 posted:

Norm, first rate!!  I was blown away at 2:09 in your last video!!  Never knew that my loco's were capable of such performance!  Out of curiosity, when loading the smoke unit, how many drops were you adding at a time?  Thanks!

Thx Rick, I used about 10 drops at a time, hitting it again just as it petered out. Maybe I should use more but I'm about to slide the smoke switch to 'off' anyway and clean it up.

Thanks Norm!!  I usually add 1 drop per minute of run time and do it after 10 minutes - 10 drops - purely a guess on my part.  Anything less, and I think you are just wetting the funnel and resistor and not the batting.  Got a good idea of smoke fills from 'laidoffsick' and his videos:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRcpFRtA6IY; and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1asUWbJtfok

SandJam posted:

Bob Bubeck posted:

Norm Charbonneau posted

 I am not sure what frame it's using as the original had provisions for a mechanical puffer-style smoke unit. I'd imagine it's been reworked for the modern lash-free driveline and smoke units.

In any case, here's a video of it on my layout pulling my GGD collection:

Friendly FYI: The chassis/frame utilized for the Century Club II Empire State shrouded J3a (2005-6) was designed to accommodate the lash-free drive line and fan-type smoke unit to which you alluded.

Awesome pictures and videos of your J3a in action!! 

Bob

Beautiful!  video is amazing.

  Do these have the water scoop steam effect?

Sean, the twelve wheel tenders do not have the water scoop “spray” affect.........only the PT tenders have this.....Pat

The water scoop smoke ooze feature is gross, gimme a break. Guys keep lighting it off while they run their engines at 2mph too.

My almost complete disdain for smoke units can be seen if you look closely at 0:20 in the video I posted.

Norm Charbonneau posted:

The water scoop smoke ooze feature is gross, gimme a break. Guys keep lighting it off while they run their engines at 2mph too.

My almost complete disdain for smoke units can be seen if you look closely at 0:20 in the video I posted.

Quite right Norm!.....IF and Only IF they scooped water that slow, I doubt it’d even come out the vent escapes. If it did, it surely be complete liquid form....I never understood hitting that feature at a slow rate of speed.......but I guess they just think it’s cool looking........Pat

harmonyards posted:

Norm Charbonneau posted:

The water scoop smoke ooze feature is gross, gimme a break. Guys keep lighting it off while they run their engines at 2mph too.

My almost complete disdain for smoke units can be seen if you look closely at 0:20 in the video I posted.

Quite right Norm!.....IF and Only IF they scooped water that slow, I doubt it’d even come out the vent escapes. If it did, it surely be complete liquid form....I never understood hitting that feature at a slow rate of speed.......but I guess they just think it’s cool looking........Pat

two reasons I activate at whatever speed I want:

1. I think it's fun
2. To cause apoplexy among others

I set up a Kadee 805 using the supplied adapter and hardware. It rides a tad low. The gap in the beam may not be the prettiest either but it won’t bother me too much. I may try to grind the adapter down a bit to raise the coupler height. Let’s see how much it bugs me. 

Try the pilot truck from the ESE Hudson looks better 

That does look better! What is the diameter of those pilot wheels? I may order it.

The part number is 6308000950 not sure of diameter it is a little bigger than what’s on there and works fine — it’s $22 

 Norm, you can try mounting the coupler to the Lionel adaptor minus the couplers lid. You will have to file down the boxes mounting bosses flush. This should get you closer to the right height. I have filled in the rear of some of my tenders with brass stock to frame the coupler better and eliminate that big empty look needed for the coil coupler.

I may try that Dave. I built up beams on a few tenders, maybe I’ll do this one if it bugs me enough. If I don’t use the lid, I will definitely have to fill in the beam. 

Here is the PSC tender beam on a 3rd Rail tender with airhoses and cut bar added.

Rather than cut the existing bar off of the Lionel tender you might be able cut the top off the PSC beam and splice it on.

Pete,

Member of the void the warranty club.

In leu of buying the entire ESE pilot truck, I buy these axle sets, (actually, I have bunch leftover from the semi-scale days) .........these wheels are just a hair, and I do mean a hair bigger than the ESE pilot wheels....however, they are the exact same size as the MTH Dreyfus and ESE front pilot wheels.....no problems installing these onto J3 (28072) ......a little tiny bit of brake shoe clean up is all that’s required.....Pat

Norm Charbonneau posted:

The water scoop smoke ooze feature is gross, gimme a break. Guys keep lighting it off while they run their engines at 2mph too.

My almost complete disdain for smoke units can be seen if you look closely at 0:20 in the video I posted.

It was just a question, why is everyone so nasty on this forum lately?

They are toys, not real engines.  Maybe the guys are just having fun.

SandJam posted:

Norm Charbonneau posted:

The water scoop smoke ooze feature is gross, gimme a break. Guys keep lighting it off while they run their engines at 2mph too.

My almost complete disdain for smoke units can be seen if you look closely at 0:20 in the video I posted.

It was just a question, why is everyone so nasty on this forum lately?

They are toys, not real engines.  Maybe the guys are just having fun.

Don’t get your drawers all bunched up.....nobody directed anything directly at you .....I believe I answered your question earlier.......Pat

So far I ordered the ESE Hudson pilot truck from Lionel and the 4419/4420 NYC headlight and bracket from PSC. Not sure when I'll see these parts. I really wish I could order the plain boiler from the 50th Anniversary Hudson. To tell the truth, I'm not even sure how much the incorrect headlight and smaller pilot wheels bug me. I may get back to tweaking the height of the Kadee mount in any case. I also ordered hardware to mount Kadees to all the GGD coaches and head end cars shown in the vids. The express reefer is already converted.

The undersized pilot wheels really detract from the overall effect of the locomotive as this excellent model of Ron H's clearly illustrates. I don't think he will mind me posting it over here from another thread that has run out. This a Williams 'Masterpiece Series' Hudson from some years ago if memory serves me correctly.

It's sitting on Ron's 'custom' 3 rail track as well, just look at that rail profile.

Has Lionel ever made a full-scale pilot truck?  Am thinking we had one available for the 1990 700E as an option and it looked really nice. Can't remember if it was from Lionel or aftermarket...

I'll have to throw in with the anti - PT tender group - from a visual standpoint it just appears too large and overpowers the locomotive. Fine with the Niagara but not the Hudson even though it was prototypical in some cases. The 12 wheel unit looks 'just right'  :-)

c.sam posted:

Has Lionel ever made a full-scale pilot truck?  Am thinking we had one available for the 1990 700E as an option and it looked really nice. Can't remember if it was from Lionel or aftermarket..

I posted a picture of the scale pilot truck for the 1990 1-700E Hudson in this thread.

Norm Charbonneau posted:

My almost complete disdain for smoke units can be seen if you look closely at 0:20 in the video I posted.

I guess that got by me...?

Mark in Oregon

question for norm--in one of your j3a videos there is a brown P&LE box car withe the NYC cigar band number 5993 in the background--could you be so kind as to tell me the manufacturer? Thanks

20centuryhudson posted:

question for norm--in one of your j3a videos there is a brown P&LE box car withe the NYC cigar band number 5993 in the background--could you be so kind as to tell me the manufacturer? Thanks

This is an old Weaver car. 

Mark, if you look closely you can see a big drop of smoke fluid get ejected from the stack. Normally it would landed on an adjacent engine or piece of rolling stock but this one looks to have fallen into the ballast.

Thank you Norm

Love the video! 

Norm, I'm not sure what smoke fluid you are using, but I've had issues with fluid spitting from smoke units.  It does make a mess sometimes on the boiler itself.  Last year, I purchased some Lionel Premium Smoke Fluid and that issue went away.  It has worked well for me.

Thanks for sharing your layout.  Stellar.

I believe I am using the Lionel stuff (label is long gone). In any case, this is always a nice feature:

I think I may keep this a non smoker.

Hi Norm, long time since I caught up with you.  I was out of the hobby for years except for an occasional loop of Christmas track. And now dabbling in prewar tinplate in a very modest way.

Thought I'd say hi. You are still, for my money, the best three-rail modeler out there and one of the best in any scale. I look forward to catching up with your work.

Norm.  Absolutely.  Great solution.  

Norm,  I was so impressed with your video of the #5418 NYC Hudson.  It runs very well.

Sincerely, John Rowlen

20centuryhudson posted:

Try the pilot truck from the ESE Hudson looks better 

 

@20centuryhudson, what is the product number of the ESE that you mention?

Thanks!

Picked up my 5405 (has whitewall tires like it would for a builder photo) today and struggled to carried it up the stairs to the layout room. After lube put it on my small O36 layout and started to run it. Two observations: 1. It was worth the 19 year wait as I could not afford one in 2000 - 2001 - sure smokes a lot - like a MTH engine 2. With the 6 wheel tender trucks has no problem navigating O36 curves - its a true third rail engine. 

I believe the ESE pilot truck number is 6308000050

Norm Charbonneau posted:

Mark, if you look closely you can see a big drop of smoke fluid get ejected from the stack. Normally it would landed on an adjacent engine or piece of rolling stock but this one looks to have fallen into the ballast.

Thanks Norm; it took me a couple of viewings, but I see it now... 

Mark in Oregon

20centuryhudson posted:

I believe the ESE pilot truck number is 6308000050

Thank you.

Will posted:

Hi Norm, long time since I caught up with you.  I was out of the hobby for years except for an occasional loop of Christmas track. And now dabbling in prewar tinplate in a very modest way.

Thought I'd say hi. You are still, for my money, the best three-rail modeler out there and one of the best in any scale. I look forward to catching up with your work.

Hey will, nice to hear from you! Hope all is well! 

Larry Mullen posted:

20centuryhudson posted:

I believe the ESE pilot truck number is 6308000050

Thank you.

I found 680-2529-050. Is it the same? This was for one of the Legacy ESEs. The p/n I mentioned has a ground wire assembly with lugs for the same price. 

SandJam posted:

Bob Bubeck posted:

Norm Charbonneau posted

 I am not sure what frame it's using as the original had provisions for a mechanical puffer-style smoke unit. I'd imagine it's been reworked for the modern lash-free driveline and smoke units.

In any case, here's a video of it on my layout pulling my GGD collection:

Friendly FYI: The chassis/frame utilized for the Century Club II Empire State shrouded J3a (2005-6) was designed to accommodate the lash-free drive line and fan-type smoke unit to which you alluded.

Awesome pictures and videos of your J3a in action!! 

Bob

Beautiful!  video is amazing.

  Do these have the water scoop steam effect?

Outstanding layout, and absolutely beautiful in every category !!  Very impressive'...

SandJam posted:

Norm Charbonneau posted:

The water scoop smoke ooze feature is gross, gimme a break. Guys keep lighting it off while they run their engines at 2mph too.

My almost complete disdain for smoke units can be seen if you look closely at 0:20 in the video I posted.

It was just a question, why is everyone so nasty on this forum lately?

They are toys, not real engines.  Maybe the guys are just having fun.

Hi Sandjam' 😏

You don't understand'.  These are real engines to the true enthusiast , and become alive along with everything layout related.  When a model railroader has invested Thousands of Dollar$, it becomes more real than many can imagine'... So I get your point.  But cannot agree with the toy concept'.. regarding this particular layout'... Please take another look at the videos.  I think you will understand my narrative here'... 👀