Page 1 of 15

New York Central Streamlined Hudson

Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2015 11:02 pm
by JBodenmann
Hello My Friends
Someone up there likes me as I have the opportunity to finish another wonderful locomotive, a Streamlined New York Central Hudson. This model will be 1-1/2" scale. The chassis and boiler are setting in the shop awaiting sheet metal, plumbing, and jewelry. The New York Central Hudsons have long been my very favorite engines, and I feel most fortunate in having had the opportunity to have finished a J1e. Now a streamliner… too much fun! So here is a photo of the prototype. These engines are so dramatic that a photo looks like an artist's rendering. With their disc drivers, gray and silver paint, and streamlined sheet metal, they really work their magic with light and shadow. There will be some interesting bits to make. The round nose cone with raised "Mohawk" vertical rib. The massive pilot with it's compound curves. Both should be delightful little puzzles. The round nose cone doesn't seem too difficult, but the pilot….Well I have some ideas on that. 1/8" steel and….well you will have to wait and see won't you. So stay tuned, this should be a most interesting project!
See you in the funny pages..
Jack

Re: New York Central Streamlined Hudson

Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2015 8:39 am
by Fender
Jack,
Are you going to make the cowling over the smokebox front in halves, so that they swing to the sides like the prototype? I saw a photo of one of these engines so opened, and this in itself is an impressive sight.

Re: New York Central Streamlined Hudson

Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2015 4:21 pm
by Asteamhead
Jack,
Building such engine would be a great pleasure to all who love steam!
That NYC J3a with Timken lightweight running gear, streamlined in stainless (grey) outfit is regarded as the best looking steam locomotive of any time, everywhere! And of course one of the best performers, too.
I'm looking forward to any progress of your project!

Best regards
Asteamhead

Re: New York Central Streamlined Hudson

Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2015 9:39 am
by little giant
Jack
I too am excited about you building this locomotive! Contact Tom Gerbracht at New York Central Historical Society for actual drawings from NYC designers of the prototype. I have purchased several drawings from Tom to help with my models.

Re: New York Central Streamlined Hudson

Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2015 12:16 pm
by JBodenmann
Hello My Friends
The New York central historical society has been most helpful providing CD's of drawings and other information. The rounded front of the boiler will be hinged just like the prototype.
Jack

Re: New York Central Streamlined Hudson

Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2015 12:17 pm
by JBodenmann
Hello My Friends
Currently the progress is dialing in the spring rigging and measuring the axle loadings. This is adjusted by arching the leaf springs and changing the length of the hangers. Also by adjusting the height of both the trailing truck and lead truck frame. Just FYI the axle loadings are lead truck axles ,110 LBS. Ea., Driver axles 255 LBS. Ea., and trailing truck axles 140 LBS. Ea. A bit less on the tailing truck axles would be better but no more fiddling with this will be done until the engine is close to it's final weight. Also currently in progress are the flexible plates that hold up the rear of the fire box, and the sliding mounts for the front of the fire box. Then the bolts that hold the smokebox to the cylinder saddle.
No shortage of things to do!
Jack

Re: New York Central Streamlined Hudson

Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2015 5:55 pm
by Rwilliams
Jack,

A beautiful locomotive and a talented builder, what is not to like. Looks like the Loco Valve Pilot is going to be part of the final presentation. The NYC was a big believer in that appliance compared to most roads across the country. I believe the SP was the only other big user of the valve pilot on their late steamers. Will be interesting to see how this build goes.

Robert

Re: New York Central Streamlined Hudson

Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2015 9:10 pm
by JBodenmann
Hi Robert
Thanks for the tip. I hadn't thought about a loco valve pilot but I think I see one on the engine. That is a cool little detail.
Jack

Re: New York Central Streamlined Hudson

Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2015 12:22 am
by Jerry_H
Pictures Jack, pictures!!!

Jerry

Re: New York Central Streamlined Hudson

Posted: Tue Aug 04, 2015 7:00 am
by Sandiapaul
RE Loco valve pilot, a recent issue of Classic Trains had a nice article on it. The Dreyfus Hudson has always been a fav, looking forward to this Jack!

Re: New York Central Streamlined Hudson

Posted: Tue Aug 04, 2015 9:05 pm
by JBodenmann
Hello My Friends
Here is something you may find useful. When setting up an engine it's always good to have an idea what the axle loadings are, and here is a simple way to do this. In the top photo we have your simple garden variety bathroom scale setting on a floor jack. Under the floor jack is a bit of plywood setting on a 1/2" thick aluminum disc. I use this because as usual, it's what was laying around. Go with what you got. In this second photo we have the jack and scale under the locomotive stand, with a stick going up to the axle that we are weighing. You will have to arrange some pieces of wood on and under the scale to spread the load. I've killed floor jacks doing this before, by not spreading the load on the scale. Lift the jack till the wheels just leave the rails, and then take the reading. Try to arrange things so that both wheels lift just the tiniest bit. You can get very accurate reading this way.
Here are a couple photos of progress. At the back of the fire box are usually flexible plates. These plates hold up the back of the boiler and allow for expansion and contraction. I imagine on the prototype this had to be close to an inch or so. Even on a model this movement can be considerable. I once finished a large 4-8-4 and stuck the running boards rigidly to the boiler. When the engine was steamed up the running boards didn't heat up quite as good as the boiler and things started popping! Several of the mounting bolts sheared off.
The bottom photo shows the sliding mounts at the front of the fire box. The bottom mount for the slider is stuck down to the rear frame extension with #10-32 alloy flatheads. The top mount is currently tack welded to the fire box, the bronze sliding bit bolts to this.
This locomotive is going to be a really fun project. I have been studying photos and drawings. There are going to be some delightful little puzzles. That streamlined nose has quite a bit going on. The big rib was actually some very sophistical steel castings split down the middle and welded to the curved sheet metal. There were also some half circle castings with hinge points where the nose fit to the smoke box proper. The headlamp goes with one half. The sheet metal dome was actually 12 pie shaped segments formed and welded together, and then welded to the steel castings. The skyline casing is very interesting too. It's narrow at the front, wide at the back and tapers continuously with a rediused bit at the top. Too much fun!
Jack

Re: New York Central Streamlined Hudson

Posted: Tue Aug 04, 2015 10:58 pm
by DJSteamer3017
Jack,
Is the Hudson that Jesse Banning Started? Thanks and Keep on Steamin' My Friend?

David