I need a "Hudson" education...

[cabooseboy]

I want to know whats the difference between a "Hudson" and "Baby Hudson" What numbers were associated with each type? I guess i need a history lesson or perhaps where i can read about thier history...Thanks

[laz 57]

Here's this might  help,

http://www.trains.com/ctr/default.aspx?c=a&id=118

laz57

[cabooseboy]

thank you.....an excellent article on real hudsons but i am in need of education on lionel hudsons...thanks for the info just the same, it was interesting reading!!!

[jwse30]

 Hudson: 700e in the prewar era, 773 in the postwar, and numerous catalog numbers in MPC era and later.

 Baby Hudson: 646, 2046 and 2056 in postwar, and numerous other catalog numbers in the MPC era and later. I think one of the MPC era ones was 8600. During the MPC timeframe they made these engines in Southern, Chicago and Alton, and a brown (bronze?) Lionel, to name a few.

J White

 

[wjstix]

The first Lionel Hudson was the 700E "Scale Hudson" which was built to 1:48 scale (1/4"=1 foot) as a true scale model of the real thing. It was made IIRC 1937-42 and required special 072 semi-scale track to be able to run. There were later versions like the 773 that were full sized but had less detailing than the 700E and with wheels that were OK on tubular track.

After WW2 Lionel also came out with smaller Hudsons, built closer to 3/16" = 1 foot like Lionel's traditional toy train line so they could go around O or maybe even O27 curves.

[SamW]

 Another thing to be aware of with the  postwar baby hudsons. The earlier ones until 52 or 54, forget which, had can motors and the later ones had frame motors. This isn't an issue unless the bearings start to wear out. The frame motors require drilling rivets to split the frame and a number of other items to enable an effective repair.

 Canned motor versions are easier to repair. 

 As for the modern baby hudsons, not sure what type of motors they use.

 Lionel also made a Christmas version of the baby hudson. I believe it was available in red or green. Tender says "Christmas Flyer" on it.

 

[bfskinner]

SamW

 Another thing to be aware of with the  postwar baby hudsons. The earlier ones until 52 or 54, forget which, had can motors and the later ones had frame motors. This isn't an issue unless the bearings start to wear out. The frame motors require drilling rivets to split the frame and a number of other items to enable an effective repair.

 Canned motor versions are easier to repair. 

 As for the modern baby hudsons, not sure what type of motors they use.

 Lionel also made a Christmas version of the baby hudson. I believe it was available in red or green. Tender says "Christmas Flyer" on it.

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SamW,

I'm a bit confused by the terminology  here. Could you (or someone) give a cab numbers for a postwar Lionel baby Hudson that used a "can" motor and one that used a "frame" motor? Thanks.

.

[lionelsoni]

They all had universal motors.  These were spur-gear motors with transverse armature shafts.  The scale Hudsons (773) had worm-drives and motors with longitudinal armature shafts.  I can't figure out which he is calling "can" motors and which "frame" motors.

[initagain]

 Let's keep the term "Hudson" in perspective.  A Hudson-type locomotive was classified as such because of its 4-6-4 wheel configuration.  Over the years Lionel made Hudsons which were very close to scale.  They are distinctive because of the huge size of the 6 drivers. 

The term "Baby Hudson" came about, probably from collectors and operators over the years, because the many engines that Lionel made over the years that had the same 4-6-4 wheel configuration, were NOT to scale, like their 1930's 5344 or 1950's or 60's 773 counterparts.  They were just smaller steamers with a Hudson wheel-configuration.

[LL675]

Postwar means made after World War II. The Baby Hudsons had a boiler shell the same size as the 726/736 Berkshires. The 2046,2056,646 were some of the Baby Hudsons. I have a 2046, runs great on my Lionel tubler track. Easy to find a good deal on nice ones for under $300.

[lionelsoni]

"Postwar" does literally mean "after the war"; but, in a Lionel toy train context it means more specifically the period from the end of World War II until the 1960s.