My weakness......NYC Dreyfuss.....

Dave, I think a forum member has a Mercury FS. 

Pete

AMCDave:

     Coincidentally, I have the Williams NYC Dreyfuss (Cab # 5446) and have been working on improving it recently. First, the drive rods were slipping and I corrected that. Next, I will be replacing the headlight with an LED from Evans Designs. 

     Mine came with the wrong NYC plaque on the front. It is the white with black and red print. I ordered (and received) a blue with silver plaque from MTH that is correct for this engine.

     I also intend to make a "coal load" since the tender did not come with one. I'll probably use Brennan's real anthracite for this.

     Lastly, I began looking into a smoke unit, but have not decided on one yet.

     If you are going to change the color of the drive wheels, let me know which paint you used.

     Good luck with your project!

John Knapp

Erie, not Eerie

It looks nice.  As you say, not super levels of detail, but that is almost a vitue here, I think.  the lines of the Dreyfuss are so pure and elegant, it actually benefits from the simplicity of details - that emphasizes the design.  The second photo of it is just mesmerizing.  

Lovely.

Dave,

The Dreyfuss Hudson is a beautiful engine. I collect Pennsy but I have stopped and considered purchasing one of these beauties. But then I'd have to buy the passenger set too. Haven't sprung yet but I do admire that engine. Maybe if the right deal came along???

I have this loco (of course!); my first Dreyfuss, bought it at an LCCA convention in the

early 90's. Many people deride these early, pre-Samhongsa Williams

brass locos, and they are flawed and a little flimsy, but you're not 10 years old, either.

Me, I like 'em just fine - and the non-streamlined version, too. They are what they are,

and when gotten at a good price are great fun with which to fiddle..

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Known (by me) things to watch for or note:

Delicate Baker valve gear hanger; had to fix one of mine.

Eccentric rod does not "eccentric" very much.

Needs pumps (or view block) on the pilot deck behind the pilot "sheathing" - it's

a real see-through.

Pilot wheels too small.

Tender rides high.

Front-end throttle detail missing.

Main rod mounted on "outside" of crosshead.

The pilot shaping is actually better than that on the Weaver (Samhongsa) version.

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The Williams Masterpiece ("Smithsonian" without the name, pretty much) version is nicer, of course - and mine has NO trouble on 0-72.

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Just as an FYI, here's a photo or two of one of these early Williams Dreyfuss that I got

online from a closing museum in British Columbia (really!). It has no motor and was in the process of being 2-railed. Note the new drivers. The tender I already had (I knew that I would need it one day...). Both were stripped to the brass when I got them. 

I'm with you 110%

I was a Western Big Power fan for years (have a lot of UP); but got bit by the NYC bug about a year ago.  I have the reverse issue: I actually picked up a 3rd Rail Mercury set a few weeks back, but I'm hankering for a Dreyfuss.

It so epitomizes the early 20th Century that nothing further needs to be said when a Dreyfuss Hudson is in the photo.

well at least it's not another boxcar project......

Me too..... Click for a bigger picture....

Just looking through the 2015 Lionel Signature catalog and ran across the NYC Empire State Hudson. That's a nice looking loco too. I'm thinking the Empire State looks a little better than the Dreyfuss.

I'd like to see the Empire State and the Dreyfuss side-by-side.

Empire to me is a regular Dreyfuss with some trim.....cool trim....

I have a MTH RK Empire.......doubt I'll find a scale Empire soon.....but keep lookin! 

THX

John,

I went looking for a parts number for the Dreyfuss front plaque but came up empty. 
Is it something I can order???

When I detail mine I will post with details. Thanks

AMCDave:

     I looked for the Dreyfuss that MTH made and used that model number to find the part on their web site.

     I'll have to do a little research and get back to you.

     John

AMCDave:

     I ordered the NYC plaque back around the holidays and here is what I believe I did:

     I found that MTH made a Dreyfuss model # 20-3045-1. I went to the MTH web site and then to the Parts section. Putting in the Model#20-3045-1 I got a PDF with parts list and exploded diagram of that model. The NYC plaque part is #13 in the diagram and it is listed as Part #FB-1100098 Name Plaque (Blue).

     It looks great on the Williams model.

     Again, good luck with your project.

John Knapp
Erie, not Eerie

Thanks sir......

I stumbled around on the site......but never have had to order MTH parts and just didn't see how. Thanks

If you are looking for albums with this train on it, here's a clear version (even has the nameplate):

Link to pic.

(OT: I won't give an opinion on the album.  This one evolved a bit from what I consider the earlier Classics (from either of the 2 lead singers from late 70's into the mid 90's))

-Dave

AMCDave:

     Instead of using MTH's web site to order, you could probably call them and use the Part Number I mentioned.

John Knapp

Erie, not Eerie

Thanks to your info I ordered it online. 

The website didn't work right until I created an account and signed in. THEN things were not hard. Thanks

I have the same weakness.  A PS-1 RK Dreyfuss was my 1st locomotive coming back to O gauge (My 1st and only to that point was the Marx that my grandpa gave me for Christmas when I was 5.).  And I love it, runs nice and it has seen lots of use and abuse since getting it.  Then thanks to some musing here on the forums last year, I was able to get some parts and now it has the disk drivers that I always wish it had.  Now it's just about perfect.  Only way to get better is if Lionel finally offered Legacy upgrades...

EDIT: Had to add a photo of mine.

She's a beauty, AMCDave.

Every time I look at this engine, it reminds me of the Flash Gordon spaceship. Most of the Forum members may not have been around at the time of Flash, but some may remember. 

Amazing, I knew I had seen that engine design somewhere else.  Flash Gordon and Ming the Merciless.  Vintage 1930s sci fi adventure.  How about the special effects; great spaceship fights complete with smoke and lots of sparks.   A couple of years ago I saw some old film of Flash, Ming and company and boy was is it ever corny but when I was a little boy I loved it. 

PTC, although I did not see them when they came out, one of the cable channels ran a number of Flash Gordon shows a few years ago.  I have to say that I enjoyed watching them - for their time, they were rather imaginative and creative.  It's funny, as OKHIKER stated, one of the things I remember most is how much the spaceships  sparked as they flew (and made sounds like an old alarm clock).  But with their streamlined design and flowing lines, I agree that they are similar to the likes of the Dreyfuss. Thanks for making that analogy.  It's a good one. 

TM Terry -

"like to see the Empire State and Dreyfuss side-by-side".

They are BOTH "Dreyfuss" Hudsons; both designs came from the Henry Dreyfuss design firm.

Properly termed, the "gray" ones are "Century" Hudsons, and the black/silver are "Empire" Hudsons. 

The original J3a Century Hudsons (10) were streamlined at the Alco works when built; the ESE Hudsons (2) were other J3a Hudsons (5426 and 5429) streamlined in 1941

after being in service for a few years.

There was an 11th century Hudson, when the original J1e 5344 Commodore Vanderbilt

Hudson was re-streamlined to Century appearance.

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AMCDave - when you get your ESE one day, note that there are detail differences

on the skyline casing between these 2 locos. The noses have a different curvature,

also.

Sometimes I like the ESE better; sometimes I prefer the Century. All I know is that

when it comes to steam locomotive esthetics, the only competition these 2 have is

each other. And a bit from the Niagara.

Brian, "Gordon's Alive!"  As a kid we had the Flash Gordon movie.

But I saw the black and white series on re-runs in the 1980's on BBC2 TV in the UK.

Dreyfuss Hudson is a really futuristic looking engine. Funnily enough my son Mason (age6) really likes the streamlined engines. He has been mentioning the Dreyfuss and Christmas/Santa already......

Nick

Well Nick, you have been given fair warning.  You have eight months to save up for the loco, Santa.