With all the different NYC J3A Hudsons Lionel is making, is it too much of a stretch to make a B&A Hudson? I understand B&A didn't have J3A, I think they had J2A, but heck, even if it was a J3A Hudson in B&A I'd likely pre-order one as exactness to prototype is not imperative.
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I sure thought about it, however, when the MTH version came out, they sure took a long time to sell.
MTH's Premier B&A Hudson with PS3.0 is a nice model...after I heard the sound clip of its horrendous sounding whistle and the PITA involved to swap a sound file I backed-off buying one.
I think part of the reason for the MTH version not selling well is the questionable green and grey paint scheme. I don't know if this is prototypical as theres usually some question regarding this. (Experts please chime in)
The MTH NYC Lines models were sharp, many of the B&A locos ended up under the NYC "Lines' lettering.
The B&A had the J2 which was really a J1e.
Unlike a J1e. Lionels J3a has the Worthington feedwater detail in the smokebox ahead of the stack.
IMO a B&A loco with the Worthington detail would be a bigger error than the current class lights.
If there wasn't a J3A lettered for the B&A and Lionel cataloged it would be just another offering for forum members to make of fun of Lionel for making an inaccurate model. It wouldn't look like a fun colorful fantasy scheme it would just look like Lionel slapped on another road name for more sales. Just my 2 cents.
RickO posted:I think part of the reason for the MTH version not selling well is the questionable green and grey paint scheme. I don't know if this is prototypical as theres usually some question regarding this. (Experts please chime in)
The MTH NYC Lines models were sharp, many of the B&A locos ended up under the NYC "Lines' lettering.
The B&A had the J2 which was really a J1e.
Unlike a J1e. Lionels J3a has the Worthington feedwater detail in the smokebox ahead of the stack.
IMO a B&A loco with the Worthington detail would be a bigger error than the current class lights.
B&A hudsons were J2 with smaller drivers, shorter tenders and square sand domes. Yes at least one was painted Green with grey smoke box. I have the first run MTH J2 in B&A. MTH did a second run with PS3, with most B&A fans sitting on the sidelines due to it not being 100% correct
If a correct engine was made by who ever I would buy. As delivered tender with the modified sand dome. Would it sell who knows. Us B&A fans would buy.
"B&A hudsons were J2 with smaller drivers, shorter tenders and square sand domes."
Yes; but the square domes were added later; the B&A profile is hilly, while the NYC proper is a "water level route" and/or mostly goes through flatter Midwestern areas - at least where the Hudsons typically ran. The original J1-type sand domes were found to be lacking in sand capacity because of that. After the J2's were transferred to the NYC after the B&A dieselized, many/all had the square B&A domes replaced with J3-style domes - smaller, but still larger than the original J1 type..
The J2a's had 75" or 76" drivers (I've seen both numbers - I should check my "Know Thy Hudsons" book...) for greater tractive effort over the Berkshire Hills, as opposed to the J1 (and J3) 79" drivers. Many J2's got used in commuter service toward the end, and the smaller drivers would help with acceleration between stations, I imagine.
Also, all the NYC-proper Hudsons were built by Alco, but the last 10 of the B&A J2's were built by Lima.
The B&A had shorter runs than the NYC and could make do with smaller, 8-wheel tenders; also, I have read that the Prez of the B&A subsidiary once remarked (roughly) "that it takes money to haul coal and water up and down hills", when asked about his Hudsons' "little" tenders.
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Little things, but I would like to have a 3RO Lima-built J2 with the big square "Berkshire" dome.
Sand dome conversion wasn’t long after delivery of the second group of hudsons. As delivered with 75” drivers and by 1945 had been converted to 76.
Yes I would be interested in a Boston and Albany Hudson with the smaller drivers and good sounds! A flatlander from the Chicago area, I took my first rail trip to Boston last June '18 and discovered the awesome history of this line. Built in the late 1830s and early 1840s, some consider this section of the B&A through the Berkshires, originally the Western Railroad of Massachusetts, America's first mountain railroad. There are several remote original stone arch bridges still standing with hiking trails established just so tourists can view them up close. Riding Amtrak I learned none of this, I had to find all this out after I got back home and did research. Surprising to me, some Niagaras, when bumped by diesels, spent their last years in service on this line.
Rick
I'm considering a Lionel New York Central Hudson but would rather have a B&A version, even if it isn't exactly correct. My MTH B&A "J2" (with PS2) is the nicest Hudson I have. I've decided not to order a Sunset B&A H10. Just too costly.
MELGAR
This ought to be a trivial conversion. First, check the driver diameter - pretty sure Lionel uses 80", but MTH has been known to use smaller drivers to accommodate those huge flanges. Then capture a tender that more closely resembles the B&A, and sell me your big tender. Finally, find some decals and you are off and running. No need to wait.
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