3/4" J1E Hudson...Finest I have ever seen!

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5344Trainman
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Joined: Fri Sep 30, 2016 7:59 pm

3/4" J1E Hudson...Finest I have ever seen!

Post by 5344Trainman »

Greetings everyone, I am new to this forum. I am not a machinist, but a toy train collector. My favorite engine is the New York Central Hudson. I have been collecting trains since I got out of the Navy in 1968. I am 70 years old. For the last 20 years I have concentrated on collecting the NYC Hudson...in all scales. I have 13 Hudson's in G scale( Fine Art, Aster, USA), and 114 in O scale, all different, all full scale, including Lionel post war and pre war, modern 3 rail, and brass 2 rail. One of my G scale hudsons is the Aster J1C live steam. About 12 years ago I was searching the internet for information and photos of models in either 1/2" or 3/4" live steam hudsons. I happened across a website "Bob Zawarski Master Modeler" and saw the most incredible J1E Hudson I had ever seen. I called Bob the next day to ask if he was making those to sell. He told me that the model belonged to a customer and that he was just making brass detailing per the customers requests. Some of you may know the name William Muller, a master artist, painter and Hudson lover. Zawarski put me in touch with William and we became close friends over the years.

The story behind the engine is amazing. An actual machinist on the NYC Railroad started this engine from scratch in the mid 1940's and completed it to running condition by the mid 1960's. He passed away shortly after and his family sold the engine to a doctor in Sacramento, Ca. In 1989 William Muller started advertising for a 1/2" or 3/4" NYC J1 Hudson of high quality. After a few responses, nothing appealed to him, but a friend of his knew about this engine and put him in contact with the doctor. On Feb 18, 1990 he was able to purchase this engine. William actually ran the engine a few times on the East Coast, I believe Dick Cudd actually helped and advised him with the engine. After a while his well trained artists eye and his passion for realistic detail got the better of him and he spent the next 20 years and over $40,000 in detailing. We talked often about the engine, I even flew from Calif to Cape Cod a few years ago and spent 3 days with William and his wife at their home, took over a hundred pictures of the engine......simply fascinating and beautiful.

Well, to make a long story short, I was lucky enough to make a deal with William and in Dec.2015 I was able to purchase the engine, flew to Cape Cod with my best friend, rented a van and spent 3 days driving this wonderful engine back to my home in California. I will try to post a couple of pictures if I can. But I have a lot of detailed photos on my phone and I do not know how to post them. If someone can help, please PM me and I will give you my phone number, then I can forward photos to you for posting. I admire the amazing work a lot of you fellas do and I just thought many of you would appreciate this engine. I want to share it with engine lovers everywhere. Thanks for listening.

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u303 ... edgr4p.jpg
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Harold_V
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Re: 3/4" J1E Hudson...Finest I have ever seen!

Post by Harold_V »

Hello! Welcome to the Chaski board.
Posting pictures is just about as easy as sending them to others to post for you. If you'll follow this bit of guidance, you should be able to post them yourself without much effort.
On the page on which you compose your posts, you will see, below the box in which you type, a broad blue band that runs across the screen, left to right. Within that band you will see Upload sttachment
Below that line you will see a Browse button, which, when clicked, will allow you to visit the area on your computer where pictures are saved. Select the picture desired, then click Add the file. Repeat for more pictures. Note that the first picture in will be the last picture shown in sequence, although you also have the option to place each picture in line, as desired.

Harold
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
Steam Engine Dan
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Re: 3/4" J1E Hudson...Finest I have ever seen!

Post by Steam Engine Dan »

Hello 5344Trainman, I saw your post regarding bill muller's 3/4 inch scale J1E Hudson. My dad is good friends with bill and Dick Cudd. I thought you might be interested in photos of my dad's 1 1/2 inch scale live steam Hudson #5344 built for him by Dick Cudd. I am also sending actual sound footage of the full size 5344 in her commodore Vanderbilt shroud from 1937. let me know how you like the pictures and the sound video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmSFvc-AU4w
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5344Trainman
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Sep 30, 2016 7:59 pm

Re: 3/4" J1E Hudson...Finest I have ever seen!

Post by 5344Trainman »

Hi Steam Engine Dan, that is an awesome Hudson. Where are you located? I am in Keene, California (Hart Flat) about 3 miles from the famous Tehachapi Loop. Because you are friends with Bill and Dick Cudd I assume you are back east. Does your father still own the 1 1/2" Hudson? Hit me up with a PM, I would love to talk to you, your dad and Dick Cudd.
Pat Fahey
Posts: 147
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2011 10:45 am

Re: 3/4" J1E Hudson...Finest I have ever seen!

Post by Pat Fahey »

Hi
Mr. Muller also brought the engine up to our annual meet at Waushakum , when we were still located at the old track site, on Norfolk street in Holliston ,Mass .Pat
Pat Fahey
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Re: 3/4" J1E Hudson...Finest I have ever seen!

Post by Pat Fahey »

Hi
I found and article that appeared in our Waushakum newsletter , showing the Hudson at our track in Holliston . This is when Mr. Muller owned the locomotive ..Pat Fahey WLS
Pat Fahey
Posts: 147
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Re: 3/4" J1E Hudson...Finest I have ever seen!

Post by Pat Fahey »

Hi
I tried to post this photo's a week or so ago, trying again hopefully it works. here is Bill Mullers Hudson at our old club train in 1995..Photos by Mike Boucher .
WLS meet 1995 newletter (2).jpg
WLS meet 1995 newletter (2).jpg#3.jpg
5344Trainman
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Joined: Fri Sep 30, 2016 7:59 pm

Re: 3/4" J1E Hudson...Finest I have ever seen!

Post by 5344Trainman »

Thanks for the photo Pat. Very interesting. I will be bringing the engine to the Cal Stewart train show in Pomona to display during the weekend of Nov. 19-20 at the Pomona fairgrounds if anyone from SoCal wants to see the engine in person.
keyrouteken
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Re: 3/4" J1E Hudson...Finest I have ever seen!

Post by keyrouteken »

Where have I seen this old guy's story before, about a fellas NYC Hudson ?? It is almost identical to the other story. Did he post it on here twice ?

Ken Shattock
IBLS
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Harlock
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Re: 3/4" J1E Hudson...Finest I have ever seen!

Post by Harlock »

5344Trainman wrote:Hi Steam Engine Dan, that is an awesome Hudson. Where are you located? I am in Keene, California (Hart Flat) about 3 miles from the famous Tehachapi Loop. Because you are friends with Bill and Dick Cudd I assume you are back east. Does your father still own the 1 1/2" Hudson? Hit me up with a PM, I would love to talk to you, your dad and Dick Cudd.
Jack Bodenmann, who is on these forums, is constructing a private elevated 3.5" and 4.75" gauge track here in Tehachapi. might be a good opportunity to run it if you were interested some time, and Jack is willing.

Jack is finishing a streamlined 1.5" scale J for a customer right now. It's pretty astonishing. http://www.chaski.org/homemachinist/vie ... &start=108
Live Steam Photography and more - gallery.mikemassee.com
Product Development and E-Commerce, Allen Models of Nevada
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Harold_V
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Re: 3/4" J1E Hudson...Finest I have ever seen!

Post by Harold_V »

keyrouteken wrote:Where have I seen this old guy's story before, about a fellas NYC Hudson ?? It is almost identical to the other story. Did he post it on here twice ?

Ken Shattock
IBLS
Can you provide a link to the other story? Might be interesting to compare them.

Harold
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
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