What prototype for the new IHC Hudson?

[dknelson]

The IHC ad in the Feb. MR shows a new Hudson which will be available in a variety of road names. The photo is small but clearly this is NOT a New York Central prototype. I think I can also rule out CB&Q and Milwaukee Road.
It will come with standard and Vanderbilt tenders depending. Can any of our resident steam experts guess what the prototype is (if any) based on this small photo? It does appear the drivers might be undersized, as is common with IHC stuff.
Dave Nelson

[Anonymous]

From the micro picture in MR It has a New Haven look about it (Elesco Feedwater Tanks). And from what I can find, New Haven had ten Hudsons that were all streamlined. So New Haven is a no show. From looking at the photo it looks like IHC has taken their "Mountain" Shell changed the wheel arrangement and flung on an Elesco Feedwater system. I might be mistaken but I think what we have is a generic locomotive that would require alot of work to make it prototypical.

[nfmisso]

I am with Fergus on this one. At first blush, I thought NKP because of the smaller drivers, but the boiler is way off.

In addition, I suspect it uses a modified Pacific chassis to fit the 4 wheel trailing truck.

From a prototype modelling perspective, I do not see a use for it.....

[AggroJones]

It looks like the J2 4-8-2 shell over a new mechanism. It isn't a real prototype. Same huge flanges as every other IHC locomotive. A dissapointment.

[Anonymous]

IHC needs to cool it on the flanges. But the factory is over in Yougoslavia so that may be a bit hard to do.

I do like the 4-6-4 6 wheel heavy tender. I may buy one just for the tender and practice weathering on the boiler.

[CNJ831]

It's possible to pull up a fairly good-sized image of the new Hudson on IHC's website. From a comparison, it indeed appears they have simply placed the shell from their 4-8-2 Mountain on to a 4-6-4 mechanism.

John Bortle

[dknelson]

Thanks fellows, I am convinced you are correct. Actually, I am not opposed to "generic" steam as a general rule provided it is plausible. The Mantua 2-6-2 is an example: as the original MR review said, from various angles it resembed several prototypes.
A Hudson with small drivers is almost per se not plausible. At least I cannot think of one.
Dave Nelson

[orsonroy]

For a Hudson with small drivers, think Illinois Central. They converted one of their 50 Berkshires to a 4-6-4 for express freight service, but it was a failure (one of the few IC Paducah shops failures, EVER). It was (re)built in 1937 with 73.5" drivers, and lasted until 1951 (steam on the IC lasted until 1960).

As for the IHC Hudson, it's a nice attempt on their part, but no prototype exists. The ICH engines run well enough to use for kitbash bait, however. I've turned one of their 4-8-2's, a C&O prototype, into an IC 2600-class Mountain, and I've had the engine mistaken for brass. It looks like the new IHC Hudson COULD be used for a kitbash into a CB&Q or Milwaukee engine, if you ignore the driver size.