Greetings -
Someone emailed me this afternoon and asked me if I could help him identify the specific road number that his S-scale brass locomotive was based on. His 1985 Overland NYC Hudson was somewhat unique: The first drivers were Scullin and the 2nd & 3rd were Boxpok. I got on the Fallen Flags website and was able to find two Hudsons in that configuration - #5424 & #5449, which are pictured below:
According to the photo information on the Fallen Flags website, the above pictures were taken in 1948 & 1952, respectively. There is an earlier picture of each locomotive (one 1940 and one pre-1940) and they both had different drivers: #5424 shows all-Scullin and #5449 shows all-Boxpok.
Anyhow, what I'm interested in finding out is whether the Elesco FWHs evolved on later steam. If you look at the earlier pictures of the Hudsons in the links above the Elesco FWH appears inbedded into the smoke box vs. being prominantly located on the upper front end of the smoke box, like the H-10 heavy 2-8-2 Mike pictured below:
The later pictures of the Hudsons above show a square-ish projection on top of smoke box and in front of the smoke stack, like those found on the some of the L-3 and all of the L-4 4-8-2 Mohawks. Is this what the Elesco FWHs morphed into in during the 40s? What advantage did it have over the early versions?
Thanks for the help.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
The early photos of the Hudsons look like they have the Elesco feedwater heater embedded into the smokebox. That was done on occasion. Perhaps for styling purposes so as not to have the big old thingy out front. It looks like the Elescos were replaced by Worthington S's or SA's in later years on those same locomotives.
Ed
Ahhhhhh...so those are Worthington units. Thanks, Ed.
Yea, the more prominent Elesco FWHs wouldn't have worked very well with the Dreyfuss streamline design.
Some of the J-3s and all 27 of the S class Niagaras had their boiler shells replaced due to cracking that developed in their nickel-steel riveted boilers. The replacements were high nickel all-welded boilers. Perhaps some of the Elescos were replaced with Worthingtons at that time. Throughout a locomotive's service life there were sometimes pretty extensive modifications made.
Fascinating to study— challenging to model!
Regards, Ed
Tom,
Is this it?
https://www.brasstrains.com/BrassGuide/PDG/Detail/31310/S-Steam-New-York-Central-4-6-4-J-3-HUDSON
Only 25 J-3's were delivered with them. There were issues with cracks in Scullin disk main drivers. This issue surfaced early on, and thats why you see different photos with locomotives equipped with different mixes of drivers (when the cracks started apearing drivers were replaced with whatever was available). When the locomotive was next shopped, it got whatever drivers were ready, not necessarily its own drivers back.
The earlier photos you mentioned were likely taken when new or nearly new.
Also, 5424 got a new Worthington SA feedwater heater 11/1947. The PT-4 tender was applied in late 1944/early 1945.
The 12 Wheel Tender that I assume the model came with appears to have a coal pusher, which would indicate that 5424 is a safe bet prior to 1944. Unless those are Timkin roller bearings on the tender vice SKF.
With the number of tender swaps and driver swaps, if you painted that Brass Hudson for 5424, I doubt you would find many who could dispute the claim.
Sources: Know Thy Hudsons and Thoroughbreds.