The Home Machinist!

Where this Hudson end up? I'd love to see it in person!
~RN

Hello My Friends
The Streamliner will live somewhere in Washington State. I'm not sure what Doug's local club is but I know he wants to run the engine. He is building the tender. Here are a few more photos. This was a challenging but very enjoyable project. I have often described things as a delightful little puzzle and there were a few on this locomotive. The main "little puzzle" was the front end. That streamlined nose was a lot of fun. That was one of the first things to be made as I wasn't really sure I could pull it off. Once It was started it really wasn't that difficult. Everything below the pilot beam is 1/8" steel. The intermediate part between the pilot beam and the nose cone is #20 Ga. cold rolled. The actual round nose cone was a spinning that was made at a shop in L. A. One head scratcher was the hinges for the nose cone. They are fully concealed when closed. There were drawings for half of them....So some card stock mock ups were made and tried out. I still had to make some of the actual hinge parts twice. This is how we learn. So here are some more snappies, I hope you like them.
Jack

Hello Jack,
What a beautiful work of art!
Asteamhead

The increase of perfect!

Cheers!
Tom

Hello My Friends
Here is a link to some cool video of New York Central Hudsons. The streamliners are spectacular. Isn't it a crying shame that no New York Central Hudsons were saved. Models are all we have.
Jack

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXr6RZCIR2A

wrote: Isn't it a crying shame that no New York Central Hudsons were saved. Models are all we have.

.... and luckily a couple of videos and photos, taken from some "mad folks" decades ago.

Cheers!
Tom

.... and thanks for sharing the video

hey jack, you might like this one. live sound footage of the commodore Vanderbilt on it's debut run in December of 1934.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eIOtj7V060

Hello My Friends
Cool video Dan. I hadn't seen that before. It's amazing what you can find.
Jack

Hi to those interested in the NYC Dreyfus Hudson
An update as to the status of the Dreyfus Hudson. As Jack mentioned I picked up the Hudson from him last January and trucked the loco to my shop on San Juan Island in Washington State. There is still work to do to complete the locomotive but it was time to work on the interface between the tender and the loco. The plumbing, electrical and oil line connection all needed to be established and constructed so that the tender and loco are compatible. The loco will be oil fired, a decision based upon not liking coal firing and the tender was not large enough to accommodate a propane tank. I thought the tender would be an easy build but the streamlining and curved sides and top have created many challenges. I've enclosed a few photos.

In any project of this size and complexity there are many skills and experience needed for a successful completed project. I’m preparing a longer and more detailed article about the build for Live Steam. However, Jessie Banning saved the project when he was able to re-machine and repair the machined cylinders I ordered from Klamath. Jessie and his partner Don completed the cylinders, rear cradle, drivers, boiler, valve gear and had the loco running on air. They worked on the project on and off for about five years. Jessie encouraged me to build the streamlined loco with the boxpok drivers and roller bearing rods. I brought the loco back to my shop and completed the brake gear, the stainless roller bearing main and side rods, and other bits and pieces. It was at this point I realized that building the streamlined Hudson would not be easier than a normal Hudson because of the extensive sheet metal work needed. I again contemplated giving up on the project as my sheet metal skills were not up to the challenge. So I discovered Jack Bodenmann from this website and his work on other Hudsons. After a year or so I convinced him to take on the project. Jack has worked on the loco about half time over the past three years and the results speak for themselves. Jack is indeed a master craftsman as can be observed in his photos of the build. He was able to correct the spring rigging and weight distribution on the drivers and numerous other fixes to get the loco to track and sit square upon the rigging. He also completed the Commonwealth six wheel tender trucks with full brake rigging, a massive job and truly a work of art. He really brought the loco to life. Both Jessie and Jack are amazingly skilled craftsman and wonderful persons to work and collaborate with. The project would not exist without their participation.
Regards doug

I wasn't able to get the photos to attach?? doug

Beautiful locomotive!
I find I have to have my pics under 1000kb to post, I usually have to resize them in paint.
Are you going to have a home RR on "rabbit island" ?