Hi, I was looking at photos online and realized the BLI J1d hudson I bought #5278 had unusual white stripes painted on its runningboard and tender. I have yet to see a single photo of this paint scheme on the NYC. All photos point to the all-black paint.
Is this prototypical in any way?
Charles
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Modeling the PRR & NYC in HO
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I found a painting of a NYC Pacific on the Twentieth Century Limited on Richard Leonard's site, and I suspect that in earlier times, the striping might have been fairly common, at least on passenger locos.
The TH&B railway, based in my hometown of Hamilton, Ontario, owned two ex-NYC Hudsons, and they were striped in a similar manner, but with Toronto Hamilton & Buffalo on the tenders. They also owned the only two Berkshires in Canada, and they were lettered and striped the same way.
The TH&B, at that time, was jointly controlled by the NYC and the CPR.
I used the TH&B's lettering and striping layout on one of my freelanced road's locomotives...
...and will also be modelling a couple of TH&B locos - they striped all of their steam locos, including switchers.
I went through four NYC books, but couldn't find a photo of a Hudson striped in that manner, but the photos were taken, for the most part, late in the steam era. I did find one of a striped B&A D1a (4-6-4T), though, a pretty-sharp lookin' loco.
Wayne
All I can say for sure is, sometimes:
NYC_Hudson-5275 by Edmund, on Flickr
Generally a locomotive in a builder's photo will get special treatment.
NYC_Hudson-5297J by Edmund, on Flickr
Occasionally, if time permits, a shop will be asked to "tidy-up" a particular locomotive that will be used in special service or perhaps for a last run of a long-service employee upon retirement from service.
NYC_Hudson2 by Edmund, on Flickr
The 5216 above even has a fine stripe outlining the number on the cab side.
As Wayne points out, the NYC subsidiaries had more Hudsons in stripes than the NYC proper. I've seen Big Four, Michigan Central and B&A Hudsons with stripes and in some cases brightly graphited smokeboxes, too.
I've got a Michigan Central J-1d with a few fancy stripes but sorely in need of a little weathering.
M-C_J1d-8224 by Edmund, on Flickr
Regards, Ed
See if someone can find pictures of the engine(s) used on the Cardinal's Train.
If I remember correctly, there's a picture in Thoroughbreds of a Hudson with fancy striping.
i don't have access to the picture, but check to see if the Hudson sent to the New York City anniversary celebration in the mid-fifties was striped as well as glossily painted.
Just going by memory (I was going to check "Know Thy Hudsons" last night but got sidetracked snowblowing), I think the earliest J-1 Hudsons didn't have the striping, but that later Hudsons like the J-3 class did.
OK I checked "the book" last night. It appears many Hudsons throughout their manufacture were delivered with striping like the model in the OP, but most seem to have lost the striping after a time, maybe five to ten years or so. Seems to be true for all classes of Hudsons. It appears in some cases it was gradual - an engine might still have the side stripe, but the tender stripes would be gone for example.
So, a J-1 like 5278 would probably have that striping in 1933, but probably would be 'basic black' by 1938 or so.
Awesome, thanks for the replies guys!
I couldn't find any photos of the hudson with stripes online, but clearly I didn't look hard enough.
Thanks all!