Hi Sam, a couple of things: - Bachmann recommends 22 inch radius curves for this engine; not sure it's fair to downgrade the mechanism for binding on a too sharp 17.25 inch curve! - Wowsound's "Keep Alive" (their trademark name) needs a couple of minutes to recharge. If you say ring the bell and then cut power, the bell will ring for about 20-30 seconds if fully charged. - These engines normally ran with the front coupler folded down into the pilot. That what the scale dummy coupler attachment is for. - Wowsound has Back EMF that sense the engine slowing like when going uphill and adds more power so it stays at the same speed going up (or down) grade. - Wowsound is LOUD, I've always had to play with the volume settings, generally lowering them. The sound quality is first rate however. - No way Bachmann intended it to run 123 MPH, that was a theory of how fast a real Hudson could go the designers put forward. In reality their top speed in practice was around 80-90 MPH, few US modellers would run trains faster than 50-60 MPH so I'm sure the engines top speed is geared more for those lesser speeds.
I kind of have to side with Sam on this one in regards to the curves. The curve radius recommendation is kind of a cop-out in my opinion. Most HO steamers of this size can easily handle 17.25" curve, and even larger ones are designed to run on 18" curves. BLI's UP 2-12-2 also has a 22" minimum radius and that thing has twelve un-articulated drivers. The motor just needs to be more powerful, there's room for a bigger one in there, but I think Bachmann was just trying to use a preexisting motor to save money. While the decoder making up for a lack of power is nice, I think that's a band-aid rather than a solution.
I have one of those J3a engines, and I can safely say that it can easily handle 18” radius curves. Just don’t try to run them on 15” radius curves, as it will derail.
@@drosera88 I disagree. Regarding the minimum radius, just because one manufactures 4-6-4 can go around 18" radius curves you can not expect others too. Often the big locos that can to tight cures have a lot of side movement in the axels to allow this to happen. Unfortunately this can cause wobbly running and detrainments. Having little side movement improves smooth running through points and better rail contact. As for the motor, it is an old design but a reliable one. I have some that are 20 years old and still running well. Its also easy to service and you can change the brushes.
Totally agree with you. The reason it slowed was the binding on the 2nd radius "S" bend. An "S" bend is a big no no in layout designing as it puts a diagonal pull on any long loco or rolling stock. If unavoidable it should have a strait section between the curves. The "stay alive" as you say needs charging. I have had locos keep running for a few seconds when power is lost. Most new locos have the sound set to full volume so you are going to get distortion. I reduce mine so that from 3 foot away it can not be heard. The chuff rate is also often too fast and needs adjusting, this reduces the "machine gun" effect.
@@tiddles4x4 I probably should have reworded my opinion. I think Bachman made a questionable choice using the motor they did in the locomotive they did for reasons of accessibility. A lot of people don't have 22" radius curves on their layout, and a lot of people don't have the best track designs either (like that nasty S-curve Sam has). More dedicated modelers probably aren't going to have any issues with this because they likely already have more prototypical trackwork and will likely enjoy the model quite a bit, but I think Bachmann is limiting the market potential of this by not making it a bit more forgiving when it comes to bad track work and tighter radiuses. There's a lot of people new to the hobby who would like to have one of these, but will be disappointed when they realize they won't be able to run it very well on their existing layouts. For a manufacturer like Bachmann, I think that's a bad thing because of how much they are associated with entry level offerings.
@@terrier_productions No the one that the T1 Trust has is an ex PRR J1 2-10-4 tender. The Hudson tender is at Steamtown and has been converted into a generator car.
As an American, I always look forward to your reviews of American trains. And you picked one of my favorites from one of my favorite eras of American railroading! Thank you!
Ah, the Hudsons. One of the New York Central's icons, especially the streamlined variants developed by one Henry Dreyfuss. They did good work all around.
MTH and Broadway Limited have done the streamlined Dreyfuss Hudson in ho scale. Years back Rivarossi also did the Dreyfuss Hudsons. This version is one of my favorite steam locomotives😊
I'm young and getting into the hobby and have just found your channel, my grandfather found out about me starting to enjoy this hobby and he has handed me down an old bachmann princess victoria, we are not sure but estimate it to be roughly 60 years old and it still runs like a dream😍 not sure how normal this is but it seemed fairly impressive to me!
Can I just say I really appreciate how fair you are with your reviews, even when ripping into the terrible mechanism you took the time give credit where it’s due e.g. the serviceability. Just thought I’d mention it because I think that kind of detail is under appreciated.
Sam, that's a decent 'crawl' for US locomotives. Due to how our couplings work, average coupling speeds are about 5 mph. Though they can go as high as 8 mph. We don't have buffers, which allows for quicker, harder connections.
To me Sam this is a big step up from the old Rivarossi hudson, that model gave me loads of problems so I just sold it. Hopefully this new model works reliably. Cheers Jasper & Willow
Two of my great aunts had a lodger who was an engineer (driver) for the New York Central. The Chicago-Detroit NYC main line ran through my home town (Michigan City, Indiana) where a very large coaling tower still stands over the right-of-way (now owned by Amtrak). Water pans for use with scoops like the one on the reviewed model were also in the vicinity. As a young boy that engineer told me a story about the difficulties of using those pans. Crews were alerted to when the scoop should be lowered and raised by trackside lights. When it was foggy the lights were more difficult to see, and one time when the engineer was operating the fireman's timing was poor and the scoop missed the pan. Many ties were damaged, not to mention the scoop. As always, Sam, thanks for reviewing another North American prototype.
@@SamsTrains there is a video on youtube on the Steam Giants channel of the NYC locomotives scooping up water. While not the same as in person, it is still fascinating to watch.
It's super cool to see a company actually reach out and basically say "hey, we can help you review proper modern models". Not many companies will do that, and Bachman may not have some good models here or there but they do have a lot of good ones if you look hard enough. Good on them to reach out to try and give you modern models to review, hopefully we'll get to see some of their new models!
Sam, would you please take a look at the Kato HO P42? It's got two motors just like the Kleinbahn loco you had, I know you like interesting mechanisms so this loco may be for you. Rails has some in stock right now. 😉
Living in New York Central territory, it's always been a favorite! The Hudsons could actually give Mallard a run for its money on speed. The running gear was tested at upwards of 135mph, and found stable at those speeds. A few underdocumented instances of crews operating at approximately 130mph also exist. Unfortunately, those runs were not officially on record, and thus the Mallard was given the fastest steam locomotive title. If somebody was on board recording data on the right day, the Hudson surely would be the one. In regular service, they operated around 90-100mph on the daily. The New York Central had scoops on their tenders so that locomotives could refill on water by lowering the scoop into long pans between the rails filled with water. The speed would force the water up the scoop and into the tender. This meant that they could better keep a fast timetable for passenger and freight services. Their flagship passenger train, the 20th Century Limited, was one of the most premier trains in the world, and definitely in the country. It traveled from New York City to Chicago in 15 1/2 hours behind Hudsons back in the day. Today, the Amtrak train on the same route with modern diesels and modern welded rail can barely do it in 20 hours. I may be repeating what you said in the video, I'm not sure if you mentioned any of this. I haven't had the chance to watch fully yet, but I wanted to give my praises towards the locomotive and the NYC. I look forward to watching the full review!
The fastest recorded speed for a non-streamlined locomotive is c.108mph (LNER A3; GW 'King'; Chapelon 231E in France, etc; etc). The non-streamlined steam locomotive is about as aerodynamic as a housebrick. All officially recorded speeds above 110mph are by streamlined engines - and for good reasons. The horsepower savings recorded by Gresley's A4 design are massive above 90mph - and the same would be the case for other streamlined locomotives.
@@paulcaswell2813 The unofficial 130 I mentioned took place on board a Dreyfuss streamlined Hudson. Same locomotive as is shown here, except streamlined.
Looks fabulous. I want it. But it's expensive. But I do like it. I really like it. Soon I'll review my Hornby train cause I keep forgetting to make a video for it. Anyway ur the best my friend. And also my dcc steam loco to needs reviewed. Keep being awesome my friend. Ur trains are the bes
Maybe that huge boxy tender helps the speaker by providing a nice big speaker enclosure. Really thorough review as usual Sam, it is very interesting to see models I’d never dream of buying.
Sam, thanks for the review. I think I will wait for the upgrade version in about 10 years, when they include a bigger motor, proper bearings and a better box. The Hudson was a nice looking loco with the 4-6-4-wheel arrangement.
Did you know Sam that you can change the whistle on this decoder, I think it goes up to 15 different types of whistles (I've forgotten how much exactly). Cheers Jasper & Willow
It’s more. They essentially used a normal TCS Wowsound just modified the default settings. TCS has tons of whistles to choose from, my favorites are the Reading 6 chimes and hooters.
I will say yours runs better than mine. Mine is very inconsistant. It keeps whistling at the slower speed. Then again I run it on analog because I don't have DCC yet.
Yeah, if you're running DC only you're going to have a few more issues. You need to provide the minimum voltage for all of the computer components on the board to be able to function so I can recognize that it's on DC power and operates appropriately. This is a problem that all my DCC models that I use at my model train clubs layout have when I take them home and run them on my DC only layout
Sam, with TCS WOWSound you get amazing decoder technology, some of the best on the market. From my knowledge you can change or modify any whistle, bell or other sounds and ther properties through the controller itself with no need to use a programmer track or special computer software. It's all there in the decoder. Absolutely top notch stuff. A shame its full capabilities are wasted on this loco.
I have that engine! She’s a beaut! Sound gets gargled sometimes but when I called Bachmann they said it was normal and even engines they personally own do it. Wow is working on a patch for it.
@@misterbizznizz789 What do ya wanna know about it? I got information I can relay here because I'm looking for one myself. If it's pulling power, every car Kato made for it, it can pull. The motor & gearing? Kato quality (aka great). Detailing, it's a budget engine unlike the likes of other manufactures, and it's also a GS-4, not much in terms of detailing, both prototypical, or in model form, esp in 160th scale.
From what I remember reading, when the Hudsons weren't hauling passengers, they could also be seen on fast freight trains. So giving them boxcars to pull isn't too far fetched
@@ROBERTN-ut2il they did get bumped to freight service in the end when the Niagara's and diesels took over. Sunday River Productions video "Niagaras and Mohawks" shows two Hudsons pulling a coal train. I can't find my copy of "The Last of the Steam Giants", but I think that is one that has a picture of a Hudson pulling a milk train. Milk train service was more likely because it was also time critical; Sam's train of reefers makes a good representation of a milk train.
Right now CPKC is running the 2816 Hudson all through out North America ! This the train and Locomotive that I have based the Ilvermorny Express fantasy train on for the North American Magic School needs a train too !
i have an interesting video suggestion maybe you should try seeing if dcc has more capabilites than just lights sounds and running maybe like using it to make a working crane or something probably too hard but something like that would be cool to see
This was actually a really good model! Kinda tempted to pick this up… The decoder is extremely impressive, and it makes me want to sound fit more of my locos! I actually think you were a bit harsh on this one, as given how amazing that decoder is, I would have automatically given this five star on value, and with all the extra tech, the performance is pretty much perfect!
It's worth noting that the Hudsons were scrapped due to the NYC's president at the time Alfred E. Perlman, who has since become so infamously hated among American railfans in a somewhat similar vein to Richard Beeching for the UK.
The TCS decoder is one of the best decoders on the market alongside the Tsunami 2 and Loksound v5. You can go down a rabbit hole of fine adjustments with the CV's that can be programmed to make the loco run better plus a cornucopia of whistles to choose from.
Although bushings on the shafts are nice, and yes I mean bushings as what you refer to as bearings are oilite/brass bushings, I don't feel that alone is going to reduce the longevity of the model. The weaker motor, even with the clever decoder, could reduce longevity though. The disappoining thing is the top speed and packaging considering the prototype was designed for higher speeds. Overall though, I feel your review was very fair and reflected what the model is, especially at the recommended retail price Bachmann have it set at. Another fair and realistic review, and likely not quite what Bachmann was hoping for, but it is what it is.
Great Review Sam, I do hope you do some more experiments this year. It would be interesting to see the effects of a loco without proper bearings being run on a rolling road for a few days or even a week nonstop!
I absolutely love the NYC's hudson Sam, l've been trying to find one of these for a long time Sam. Hopefully one day I'll be able to get one at a good price ;) Cheers Jasper & Willow
The New York Central Hudson has always been one of my favorite steam locomotives since I saw it in the video, "The Steam Locomotive," and I have a few HO scale Hudsons myself including a few Rivarossi ones
The Bachmann Hudson is a good one, but it's a J3; the latest Hudsons. The Broadway Limited Hudson J1 is a really good one; the real Hudson. And the price makes it worth having it.
The OO gauge locomotives for Britain is 12 volts where the American HO locomotives run with a 16 volt motor, I have a Hudson myself from Franklin Mint that runs with a 16 volt motor inside
The "distortion" heard from the whistle is not coming from the decoder or the speaker. The tender body has a slight rattle against the frame and merely needs a small felt pad on each side to eliminate it completely.
I have one of those engines. Mine is road number 5438, and I’ve personally named it Alfred E. Perlman after the New York Central’s president. I’ve had a wonderful time with that engine, and it only ever had minor mechanical problems, but those were few and far between. It’s a very reliable engine, and it outpulls even my BLI USRA light pacific (the pacific has traction tires). My pacific can pull about 15 custom 40 gram weighted heavyweight Pullman coaches, while the Hudson can pull about 20 custom 40 gram weighted heavyweight Pullman coaches. I got mine for roughly the same price you got yours for (I paid $280 for mine), and that price feels perfectly reasonable. Overall, it’s a wonderful engine, and I can recommend it to anyone who is interested and willing to pay the high price tag. The detail and power to size ratio is perfect for people who want a big, reliable engine that can pull a lot.
Thanks for the fair review as usual. I'm still leary to buy any Bachmann products in any gauge or scale due to multiple quality issues out of the box or small amounts of running time with the exception of three Hogwarts express locos I own. Fingers crossed. Been running/maintaining/rebuilding model trains since 1968. My newfound hobby as of late is OO. Stumbling onto your reviews a few years ago swayed me. Still fearful of putting a Bachmann on the track but,..... I might try this Hudson. Might. Thank you for all of your hard work and professionalism.
For whatever reason, I was watching the Bachmann 9F review from a couple of years ago when this review went live. I saw those square pegs in the 9F and thought 'well good thing they don't do that anymore.' Then I saw this review waiting for me....
Guess their older locos (that u reviewed, and probably others too) were not so outdated after all, compared to this "new tooled" one; by design at least!
This is a nice loco and a great review - thank you. I have a TCS Wowsound decoder retro-fitted to a Bachmann Spectrum 4-8-2 light mountain loco (NYOW). The sound is awesome, and the audio assist is a really great innovation. My favourite feature however is when you throttle down to zero, and it keeps coasting until you use the brake, so you are really driving the locomotive.
Hi Sam, how do you deal with haters against your videos? I've just had a good 'chat' with somebody who uploaded a negative video about one of your reviews, I don't think they'll be posting on youtube again 😅 keep up the good work mate!
31:13 that Southern Railway loco is awesome. Fun fact: I live not to far from where 385 is preserved at the Whippany Railway Museum in New Jersey. Fun fact #2: I bought a 1940's New York Central System lantern from the Whippany Railway Museum last year during their fundraiser sale.
Man it’s really cool that Bachmann USA reached out to you to try their newer engines! You’re really starting to become an international model reviewer XD They didn’t add it to the packaging for some reason but I think the class code for this one is the J-3a but I could be wrong
Great video. Funny story, im moving to british columbia in summer and ny parents said that they have a person i can meet who has a ton of model trains and their name was sam. I asked them if he had a youtube channel and if he was British
I have an HO scale Hudson from Broadway Limited engine number 5344 the most famous Hudson on the New York Central notably because that was the number chosen on the 700EW oh scale Hudson in 1937 by Lionel and the very locomotive that became the streamlined commodore Vanderbilt which was the first streamlined steam locomotive in the United States in the 30s somewhere is a museum that has the exact headlight of number 5344 I forget where but it’s still exists
It's beautiful modeling but, my first concern would be the square axel seating. Aside from that, I would take a chance on it with diligent maintenance. If Bachmann's intent was a higher speed passenger unit then, then maybe they're using a low pole count motor. If you wanted torque, low speed, I can't see why you couldn't swap out motors with a higher pole count for power and creep. Still, great review and, definitely, an engine for my bucket list!
The detail part in the bag goes in place of the front coupler. NYC's Hudsons had couplers that could swing down and into the pilot. That detail piece is meant to represent the coupler in it's stowed position.
7:20 this piece of paper is from 2018, despite the fact these Hudsons didn't release until 2023 (first shown in the 2022 catalog) The choice of boxcars and reefers to go behind this locomotive is a good choice, as these would've pulled them filled with express goods on mail trains. You should get some Bachmann New York Central Pullmans for this loco!
Always love your reviews of locomotives across the pond! I will say, here in America we aren’t too big on cab detail in HO scale. To find fully painted and detailed cabs on steam or diesel locomotives is fairly rare.
Hey Sam, me again, is it okay if you can do a video sometime of how you make a coal load in cad software for your 3d printed steam locomotives sometime?
I like this loco. She looks quite great and works well enough in my opinion. So, I may very well end up buying one of these. It certainly would make a nice addition to my collection. So far I actually do not own that many Bachmann trains, which is mostly due to the fact that I usually have to import them myself, which is something I try to avoid if possible. But whenever there is something I really like I will certainly do it. I have, for example, quite a few of the classic american 4-4-0 locos. And the N&W J-class by Bachmann is actually one of my personal favorites. (She's an enormous 4-8-4 loco) So, now that I have watchedd this video I kinda want one.
The drawbar is easily modified. I agree, it needs more thought and work, but you can do it yourself. Remove it, place a shallow 's' curve into it with pliers so that the drawbar end coupled to the tender is raised by about 3/32" or 2 mm,. and you'll have no problems with it in the way of inadvertent separations.
Hi Sam, in the spirit of different videos I wonder if you might like to do a APT-E vs APT-P review showdown. Rapido vs Hornby. Both can now be found for well below the RRP and they are both nice but the APT-E is truly innovative. The prices aren't a world away from a brand new loco for an entire train. Realise it's slightly out of era but it is an interesting prototype.
NEW YORK CENTRAL LETS GOOOOO But seriously this locomotive embodies the 1930s elegance that was in America. The fun thing is that the Mohawks were basically this but 4-8-4s.
Hey, Sam! I was just wondering why you measure the gauging back-to-back instead of face-to-face? It seems like face-to-face would be more important, since that's the side of the wheel interfacing with the rails. Not disagreeing with your method at all, just curious. Cheers!
Fully agree. The British modellers are obsessed with back to back even though their models have wide variations in effective flange thickness causing issues with poor performance through point work. So many UK manufacturers have had their own idea about wheel profile over the years rather than adhere to a standard.
I prefer the Pacifics as most railroads operated them, whereas only a few railroads operated Hudsons. None of the railroads operating in Texas had Hudsons... While the New York Central ran Hudsons on the Lake Shore Limited, the Pennsylvania ran K-4 Pacifics on the Broadway Limited...
(@15:56) I can say that mine doesn’t have the shiny axle showing on the front wheel(s) of the leading truck. Maybe Bachmann USA found out and fixed it on later runs from the factory. Also, mine does have the window glazing pieces, so it IS supposed to be a separately applied piece of the cab (one per side.) No sprung buffers, though. I know how much Sam loves his sprung buffers. 😅
Well, this is a surprise but a welcome one. Bachmann USA's new Hudson is certainly one of their finest models to date and I absolutely adore them I do intend to have one of them in my fleet in the future, for now, though I'll have to make do with my Old Rivarossi Hudsons. It is however by no means flawless as you've shown but having spoken to some friends who are very knowledgeable on the J3as, it's very obvious Bachmann has had to make numerous compromises detail-wise with the model. The most obvious example is the shape of the boiler, the J3as have a very distinct boiler shape and if you look at photos of them from the front you'll see they almost have slots cut out towards the bottom meaning it's far from a circle whereas on the Bachmann model it very clearly is just a circle which is a bit disappointing seeing as the old Rivarossi model from the 70s even get's this detail right. I'm also rather surprised to see how poor the mechanism is having seen how well it runs but at least the decoder mostly made up for it and makes me wonder if Bachmann released only as a sound-fitted model for that reason. Excellent review as always and I look forward to the next one.
The only steam locomotive I've seen in action is a 2-8-2 Mikado, as preserved and operated by the Valley Railroad in Essex, CT. The Mikado often served alongside the Hudson (the Hudson frequently used in passenger service, the Mikado in freight service).
Great review Sam, I believe well balanced in your assessment The American steam locomotives have a character all their own. May I suggest you review some N scale variants as they are exquisite David
Hi Sam, a couple of things:
- Bachmann recommends 22 inch radius curves for this engine; not sure it's fair to downgrade the mechanism for binding on a too sharp 17.25 inch curve!
- Wowsound's "Keep Alive" (their trademark name) needs a couple of minutes to recharge. If you say ring the bell and then cut power, the bell will ring for about 20-30 seconds if fully charged.
- These engines normally ran with the front coupler folded down into the pilot. That what the scale dummy coupler attachment is for.
- Wowsound has Back EMF that sense the engine slowing like when going uphill and adds more power so it stays at the same speed going up (or down) grade.
- Wowsound is LOUD, I've always had to play with the volume settings, generally lowering them. The sound quality is first rate however.
- No way Bachmann intended it to run 123 MPH, that was a theory of how fast a real Hudson could go the designers put forward. In reality their top speed in practice was around 80-90 MPH, few US modellers would run trains faster than 50-60 MPH so I'm sure the engines top speed is geared more for those lesser speeds.
I kind of have to side with Sam on this one in regards to the curves. The curve radius recommendation is kind of a cop-out in my opinion. Most HO steamers of this size can easily handle 17.25" curve, and even larger ones are designed to run on 18" curves. BLI's UP 2-12-2 also has a 22" minimum radius and that thing has twelve un-articulated drivers. The motor just needs to be more powerful, there's room for a bigger one in there, but I think Bachmann was just trying to use a preexisting motor to save money. While the decoder making up for a lack of power is nice, I think that's a band-aid rather than a solution.
I have one of those J3a engines, and I can safely say that it can easily handle 18” radius curves. Just don’t try to run them on 15” radius curves, as it will derail.
@@drosera88 I disagree. Regarding the minimum radius, just because one manufactures 4-6-4 can go around 18" radius curves you can not expect others too. Often the big locos that can to tight cures have a lot of side movement in the axels to allow this to happen. Unfortunately this can cause wobbly running and detrainments. Having little side movement improves smooth running through points and better rail contact. As for the motor, it is an old design but a reliable one. I have some that are 20 years old and still running well. Its also easy to service and you can change the brushes.
Totally agree with you. The reason it slowed was the binding on the 2nd radius "S" bend. An "S" bend is a big no no in layout designing as it puts a diagonal pull on any long loco or rolling stock. If unavoidable it should have a strait section between the curves. The "stay alive" as you say needs charging. I have had locos keep running for a few seconds when power is lost. Most new locos have the sound set to full volume so you are going to get distortion. I reduce mine so that from 3 foot away it can not be heard. The chuff rate is also often too fast and needs adjusting, this reduces the "machine gun" effect.
@@tiddles4x4 I probably should have reworded my opinion. I think Bachman made a questionable choice using the motor they did in the locomotive they did for reasons of accessibility. A lot of people don't have 22" radius curves on their layout, and a lot of people don't have the best track designs either (like that nasty S-curve Sam has). More dedicated modelers probably aren't going to have any issues with this because they likely already have more prototypical trackwork and will likely enjoy the model quite a bit, but I think Bachmann is limiting the market potential of this by not making it a bit more forgiving when it comes to bad track work and tighter radiuses. There's a lot of people new to the hobby who would like to have one of these, but will be disappointed when they realize they won't be able to run it very well on their existing layouts. For a manufacturer like Bachmann, I think that's a bad thing because of how much they are associated with entry level offerings.
Despite the locomotive itself having no extant survivors, there is still an NYC Hudson tender in existence!
Ahh that's a very cool fun fact!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
hello mr baltic
Is that the one thats been given to the new PRR T1 project? I don’t know much about American railway history so do correct me if I’m incorrect
@@terrier_productions No the one that the T1 Trust has is an ex PRR J1 2-10-4 tender. The Hudson tender is at Steamtown and has been converted into a generator car.
oh ok thanks@@lian3101
As an American, I always look forward to your reviews of American trains. And you picked one of my favorites from one of my favorite eras of American railroading! Thank you!
Ahh fantastic - no problem, glad you liked the choice!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
@@SamsTrainsyou should do the BLI Blue Comet
Ah, the Hudsons. One of the New York Central's icons, especially the streamlined variants developed by one Henry Dreyfuss. They did good work all around.
Yeah absolute icons for sure!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I’ve heard that Bachmann is making those
MTH and Broadway Limited have done the streamlined Dreyfuss Hudson in ho scale. Years back Rivarossi also did the Dreyfuss Hudsons. This version is one of my favorite steam locomotives😊
I'm young and getting into the hobby and have just found your channel, my grandfather found out about me starting to enjoy this hobby and he has handed me down an old bachmann princess victoria, we are not sure but estimate it to be roughly 60 years old and it still runs like a dream😍 not sure how normal this is but it seemed fairly impressive to me!
Can I just say I really appreciate how fair you are with your reviews, even when ripping into the terrible mechanism you took the time give credit where it’s due e.g. the serviceability.
Just thought I’d mention it because I think that kind of detail is under appreciated.
Oooh finally
Sam is reviewing the venerable NYC Hudson. Fingers crossed that he gets to review the Bachmann PRR K4
The k4 sounds cool - I'll look into that too!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
well done for retaining your independence sam ,thats part of the charm of your site.
Please buy this man the catalog
Sam, that's a decent 'crawl' for US locomotives. Due to how our couplings work, average coupling speeds are about 5 mph. Though they can go as high as 8 mph. We don't have buffers, which allows for quicker, harder connections.
Couplings are usually 2-4mph. 8 is way too fast
To me Sam this is a big step up from the old Rivarossi hudson, that model gave me loads of problems so I just sold it. Hopefully this new model works reliably.
Cheers Jasper & Willow
Yeah I can imagine - it's definitely more detailed than the older one I'd guess!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Two of my great aunts had a lodger who was an engineer (driver) for the New York Central. The Chicago-Detroit NYC main line ran through my home town (Michigan City, Indiana) where a very large coaling tower still stands over the right-of-way (now owned by Amtrak). Water pans for use with scoops like the one on the reviewed model were also in the vicinity. As a young boy that engineer told me a story about the difficulties of using those pans. Crews were alerted to when the scoop should be lowered and raised by trackside lights. When it was foggy the lights were more difficult to see, and one time when the engineer was operating the fireman's timing was poor and the scoop missed the pan. Many ties were damaged, not to mention the scoop. As always, Sam, thanks for reviewing another North American prototype.
Thanks for sharing Andrew - must have been fantastic to see all this in action!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
@@SamsTrains there is a video on youtube on the Steam Giants channel of the NYC locomotives scooping up water. While not the same as in person, it is still fascinating to watch.
Ive seen that coaling tower many times! Have you ever been to TM?
@@WesternOhioInterurbanHistory TM?
Great review! I have an O-gauge version of the Hudson and it's the queen of my model train collection.
It's super cool to see a company actually reach out and basically say "hey, we can help you review proper modern models". Not many companies will do that, and Bachman may not have some good models here or there but they do have a lot of good ones if you look hard enough. Good on them to reach out to try and give you modern models to review, hopefully we'll get to see some of their new models!
Great review as always Sam! Also, PLEASE make a compilation of the times you shredded the catalog coupon! 7:16 😂
Sam, would you please take a look at the Kato HO P42? It's got two motors just like the Kleinbahn loco you had, I know you like interesting mechanisms so this loco may be for you. Rails has some in stock right now. 😉
Thanks for the tip - that sounds super impressive with two motors!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
add in a f40ph too
packaging reminds me of Hornby's boxes in the 70's
Was really hoping for the TT120 HSTs, but I suspect it’s coming soon! 😊
Living in New York Central territory, it's always been a favorite! The Hudsons could actually give Mallard a run for its money on speed. The running gear was tested at upwards of 135mph, and found stable at those speeds. A few underdocumented instances of crews operating at approximately 130mph also exist. Unfortunately, those runs were not officially on record, and thus the Mallard was given the fastest steam locomotive title. If somebody was on board recording data on the right day, the Hudson surely would be the one.
In regular service, they operated around 90-100mph on the daily. The New York Central had scoops on their tenders so that locomotives could refill on water by lowering the scoop into long pans between the rails filled with water. The speed would force the water up the scoop and into the tender. This meant that they could better keep a fast timetable for passenger and freight services. Their flagship passenger train, the 20th Century Limited, was one of the most premier trains in the world, and definitely in the country. It traveled from New York City to Chicago in 15 1/2 hours behind Hudsons back in the day. Today, the Amtrak train on the same route with modern diesels and modern welded rail can barely do it in 20 hours.
I may be repeating what you said in the video, I'm not sure if you mentioned any of this. I haven't had the chance to watch fully yet, but I wanted to give my praises towards the locomotive and the NYC. I look forward to watching the full review!
Don’t you mean a highball
@@FreighttrainDaniel1225 Huh?
Thanks for that info. I was wondering how the water scoop worked. I would have looked it up if need be.
The fastest recorded speed for a non-streamlined locomotive is c.108mph (LNER A3; GW 'King'; Chapelon 231E in France, etc; etc). The non-streamlined steam locomotive is about as aerodynamic as a housebrick. All officially recorded speeds above 110mph are by streamlined engines - and for good reasons. The horsepower savings recorded by Gresley's A4 design are massive above 90mph - and the same would be the case for other streamlined locomotives.
@@paulcaswell2813 The unofficial 130 I mentioned took place on board a Dreyfuss streamlined Hudson. Same locomotive as is shown here, except streamlined.
The Hudson’s where the most famous along the NYC the best of course as well as the dreyfus! But Great locomotive Sam!
Looks fabulous. I want it. But it's expensive. But I do like it. I really like it. Soon I'll review my Hornby train cause I keep forgetting to make a video for it. Anyway ur the best my friend. And also my dcc steam loco to needs reviewed. Keep being awesome my friend. Ur trains are the bes
Maybe that huge boxy tender helps the speaker by providing a nice big speaker enclosure. Really thorough review as usual Sam, it is very interesting to see models I’d never dream of buying.
Sam, thanks for the review. I think I will wait for the upgrade version in about 10 years, when they include a bigger motor, proper bearings and a better box. The Hudson was a nice looking loco with the 4-6-4-wheel arrangement.
Good for you Sam for sticking to your principles and not taking their freebies. Not something everyone would do in this day and age.
Did you know Sam that you can change the whistle on this decoder, I think it goes up to 15 different types of whistles (I've forgotten how much exactly).
Cheers Jasper & Willow
Ahh fantastic - I'll have to give that a go!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
It’s more. They essentially used a normal TCS Wowsound just modified the default settings. TCS has tons of whistles to choose from, my favorites are the Reading 6 chimes and hooters.
I will say yours runs better than mine. Mine is very inconsistant. It keeps whistling at the slower speed. Then again I run it on analog because I don't have DCC yet.
Yeah, if you're running DC only you're going to have a few more issues. You need to provide the minimum voltage for all of the computer components on the board to be able to function so I can recognize that it's on DC power and operates appropriately. This is a problem that all my DCC models that I use at my model train clubs layout have when I take them home and run them on my DC only layout
Sam, with TCS WOWSound you get amazing decoder technology, some of the best on the market. From my knowledge you can change or modify any whistle, bell or other sounds and ther properties through the controller itself with no need to use a programmer track or special computer software. It's all there in the decoder. Absolutely top notch stuff.
A shame its full capabilities are wasted on this loco.
I have that engine! She’s a beaut! Sound gets gargled sometimes but when I called Bachmann they said it was normal and even engines they personally own do it. Wow is working on a patch for it.
Awesome video today Sam what a beautiful locomotive
Thanks James :D
I’m an n scaler and have the Bachman Hudson and Yellowstone. I’m happy with both.
Do you own Kato 's GS4?
@@misterbizznizz789 What do ya wanna know about it? I got information I can relay here because I'm looking for one myself. If it's pulling power, every car Kato made for it, it can pull. The motor & gearing? Kato quality (aka great). Detailing, it's a budget engine unlike the likes of other manufactures, and it's also a GS-4, not much in terms of detailing, both prototypical, or in model form, esp in 160th scale.
Awesome video Sam's trains 😊
Thanks Brian!
@@SamsTrains you're welcome Sam's trains
I just received the Williams By Bachmann 3-rail O-gauge/scale 4-6-4 Hudson today !
Monday May 6th of the year of 2024 !
I LOVE this Hudson locomotive!
YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
FINNALY! IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS DAY!
Its funny how i suggested you reviewed a central hudson a few years back
From what I remember reading, when the Hudsons weren't hauling passengers, they could also be seen on fast freight trains. So giving them boxcars to pull isn't too far fetched
Documentation, please. Like photos
@ROBERTN-ut2il find 'em yourself. Don't need to have others do your work. Google is a friend, yes?
@@ROBERTN-ut2il they did get bumped to freight service in the end when the Niagara's and diesels took over. Sunday River Productions video "Niagaras and Mohawks" shows two Hudsons pulling a coal train.
I can't find my copy of "The Last of the Steam Giants", but I think that is one that has a picture of a Hudson pulling a milk train. Milk train service was more likely because it was also time critical; Sam's train of reefers makes a good representation of a milk train.
Right now CPKC is running the 2816 Hudson all through out North America !
This the train and Locomotive that I have based the Ilvermorny Express fantasy train on for the North American Magic School needs a train too !
i have an interesting video suggestion maybe you should try seeing if dcc has more capabilites than just lights sounds and running maybe like using it to make a working crane or something probably too hard but something like that would be cool to see
They have the motor in the 4-8-2. When there under a lot of weight that can haul pretty damn good
Love this loco! Nice video again.
Well, I guess this review will stop any attempts for further contact by Bachmann!
This was actually a really good model! Kinda tempted to pick this up… The decoder is extremely impressive, and it makes me want to sound fit more of my locos! I actually think you were a bit harsh on this one, as given how amazing that decoder is, I would have automatically given this five star on value, and with all the extra tech, the performance is pretty much perfect!
It's worth noting that the Hudsons were scrapped due to the NYC's president at the time Alfred E. Perlman, who has since become so infamously hated among American railfans in a somewhat similar vein to Richard Beeching for the UK.
I don't think he had much of a choice; they were so cash-strapped they needed the revenue that came from scrapped steam locomotives.
The TCS decoder is one of the best decoders on the market alongside the Tsunami 2 and Loksound v5. You can go down a rabbit hole of fine adjustments with the CV's that can be programmed to make the loco run better plus a cornucopia of whistles to choose from.
Although bushings on the shafts are nice, and yes I mean bushings as what you refer to as bearings are oilite/brass bushings, I don't feel that alone is going to reduce the longevity of the model. The weaker motor, even with the clever decoder, could reduce longevity though. The disappoining thing is the top speed and packaging considering the prototype was designed for higher speeds. Overall though, I feel your review was very fair and reflected what the model is, especially at the recommended retail price Bachmann have it set at. Another fair and realistic review, and likely not quite what Bachmann was hoping for, but it is what it is.
Great Review Sam, I do hope you do some more experiments this year. It would be interesting to see the effects of a loco without proper bearings being run on a rolling road for a few days or even a week nonstop!
Why do I enjoy just listening to this man be smart😭
haha I don't know about smart, but thank you!! :D
@@SamsTrains omg you actually responded lol
Yes yes yes! Thank you thank thank you for doing a review on this model! I really like getting your view on it
I absolutely love the NYC's hudson Sam, l've been trying to find one of these for a long time Sam. Hopefully one day I'll be able to get one at a good price ;)
Cheers Jasper & Willow
Thanks guys - they are impressive things to see for sure!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
The New York Central Hudson has always been one of my favorite steam locomotives since I saw it in the video, "The Steam Locomotive," and I have a few HO scale Hudsons myself including a few Rivarossi ones
Yeah they're extremely good looking locos aren't they?
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
@@SamsTrains The Hudson is one of my Favorite steam wheel arrangements. They just look so balanced and graceful.
The Hudson to me is the most magnificent US steamer ever. Even in crude models it looks impressive. I have some models going back to 1940.
The Bachmann Hudson is a good one, but it's a J3; the latest Hudsons. The Broadway Limited Hudson J1 is a really good one; the real Hudson. And the price makes it worth having it.
Funny ... I've read people who own the BLI J1 say they wish BLI made the J3, because that's the prototypical Hudson.
The CPKC stands for Canadian Pacific Kansas City.
While many Railways had 4-6-4’s the New York Central Hudson is the most recognized type.
The OO gauge locomotives for Britain is 12 volts where the American HO locomotives run with a 16 volt motor, I have a Hudson myself from Franklin Mint that runs with a 16 volt motor inside
The "distortion" heard from the whistle is not coming from the decoder or the speaker. The tender body has a slight rattle against the frame and merely needs a small felt pad on each side to eliminate it completely.
I was waiting for you to review one!
It seems your becoming fairly popular for American model railroaders. How exciting!
Hello Sam....Most interesting - will enjoy your review greatly.
I have one of those engines. Mine is road number 5438, and I’ve personally named it Alfred E. Perlman after the New York Central’s president. I’ve had a wonderful time with that engine, and it only ever had minor mechanical problems, but those were few and far between. It’s a very reliable engine, and it outpulls even my BLI USRA light pacific (the pacific has traction tires). My pacific can pull about 15 custom 40 gram weighted heavyweight Pullman coaches, while the Hudson can pull about 20 custom 40 gram weighted heavyweight Pullman coaches. I got mine for roughly the same price you got yours for (I paid $280 for mine), and that price feels perfectly reasonable. Overall, it’s a wonderful engine, and I can recommend it to anyone who is interested and willing to pay the high price tag. The detail and power to size ratio is perfect for people who want a big, reliable engine that can pull a lot.
Perlman is the man who made sure all the Hudsons were scrapped.
@@johnblair8146I know. That’s why I named it after him. It’s a bit of a cruel irony.
Thanks for the fair review as usual. I'm still leary to buy any Bachmann products in any gauge or scale due to multiple quality issues out of the box or small amounts of running time with the exception of three Hogwarts express locos I own. Fingers crossed. Been running/maintaining/rebuilding model trains since 1968. My newfound hobby as of late is OO. Stumbling onto your reviews a few years ago swayed me. Still fearful of putting a Bachmann on the track but,..... I might try this Hudson. Might.
Thank you for all of your hard work and professionalism.
For whatever reason, I was watching the Bachmann 9F review from a couple of years ago when this review went live. I saw those square pegs in the 9F and thought 'well good thing they don't do that anymore.'
Then I saw this review waiting for me....
When you get a "Yeah that's heavy, dude" out of Sam, it's proper heavy. Lol
Guess their older locos (that u reviewed, and probably others too) were not so outdated after all, compared to this "new tooled" one; by design at least!
This is a nice loco and a great review - thank you. I have a TCS Wowsound decoder retro-fitted to a Bachmann Spectrum 4-8-2 light mountain loco (NYOW). The sound is awesome, and the audio assist is a really great innovation. My favourite feature however is when you throttle down to zero, and it keeps coasting until you use the brake, so you are really driving the locomotive.
The coasting would depend on CV4 value.Same for any decoder.
Hi Sam, how do you deal with haters against your videos? I've just had a good 'chat' with somebody who uploaded a negative video about one of your reviews, I don't think they'll be posting on youtube again 😅 keep up the good work mate!
31:13 that Southern Railway loco is awesome. Fun fact: I live not to far from where 385 is preserved at the Whippany Railway Museum in New Jersey. Fun fact #2: I bought a 1940's New York Central System lantern from the Whippany Railway Museum last year during their fundraiser sale.
Man it’s really cool that Bachmann USA reached out to you to try their newer engines! You’re really starting to become an international model reviewer XD
They didn’t add it to the packaging for some reason but I think the class code for this one is the J-3a but I could be wrong
Hey sam would you ever consider reviewing the new accurascale banana vans?
Great video. Funny story, im moving to british columbia in summer and ny parents said that they have a person i can meet who has a ton of model trains and their name was sam. I asked them if he had a youtube channel and if he was British
Boy howdy, now that there's an engine!
I have an HO scale Hudson from Broadway Limited engine number 5344 the most famous Hudson on the New York Central notably because that was the number chosen on the 700EW oh scale Hudson in 1937 by Lionel and the very locomotive that became the streamlined commodore Vanderbilt which was the first streamlined steam locomotive in the United States in the 30s somewhere is a museum that has the exact headlight of number 5344 I forget where but it’s still exists
One of my favorite engines of all time, from my favorite railroad, great review
It's beautiful modeling but, my first concern would be the square axel seating. Aside from that, I would take a chance on it with diligent maintenance. If Bachmann's intent was a higher speed passenger unit then, then maybe they're using a low pole count motor. If you wanted torque, low speed, I can't see why you couldn't swap out motors with a higher pole count for power and creep. Still, great review and, definitely, an engine for my bucket list!
The detail part in the bag goes in place of the front coupler. NYC's Hudsons had couplers that could swing down and into the pilot. That detail piece is meant to represent the coupler in it's stowed position.
7:20 this piece of paper is from 2018, despite the fact these Hudsons didn't release until 2023 (first shown in the 2022 catalog)
The choice of boxcars and reefers to go behind this locomotive is a good choice, as these would've pulled them filled with express goods on mail trains. You should get some Bachmann New York Central Pullmans for this loco!
Always love your reviews of locomotives across the pond! I will say, here in America we aren’t too big on cab detail in HO scale. To find fully painted and detailed cabs on steam or diesel locomotives is fairly rare.
Hey Sam, me again, is it okay if you can do a video sometime of how you make a coal load in cad software for your 3d printed steam locomotives sometime?
Cool as always 🚂
I like this loco.
She looks quite great and works well enough in my opinion.
So, I may very well end up buying one of these.
It certainly would make a nice addition to my collection.
So far I actually do not own that many Bachmann trains, which is mostly due to the fact that I usually have to import them myself, which is something I try to avoid if possible. But whenever there is something I really like I will certainly do it.
I have, for example, quite a few of the classic american 4-4-0 locos.
And the N&W J-class by Bachmann is actually one of my personal favorites. (She's an enormous 4-8-4 loco)
So, now that I have watchedd this video I kinda want one.
great that got another american steam engine and great review sam peace
The drawbar is easily modified. I agree, it needs more thought and work, but you can do it yourself. Remove it, place a shallow 's' curve into it with pliers so that the drawbar end coupled to the tender is raised by about 3/32" or 2 mm,. and you'll have no problems with it in the way of inadvertent separations.
I absolutely love the nyc Hudson’s weather it’s a mixed traffic version or the Dreyfus dedicated streamlined passenger version
Sammy, the 'uncoupler' is called the 'cut lever' in US..
Gotta be railway modelling heaven.
So amazing review sam, nice job!
Thanks Justin! :D
Looks good and it is different...
If you want to use your English coaches, then make a conversion car, one side English coupler, the other side is American.
Hi Sam, in the spirit of different videos I wonder if you might like to do a APT-E vs APT-P review showdown. Rapido vs Hornby. Both can now be found for well below the RRP and they are both nice but the APT-E is truly innovative. The prices aren't a world away from a brand new loco for an entire train. Realise it's slightly out of era but it is an interesting prototype.
NEW YORK CENTRAL LETS GOOOOO
But seriously this locomotive embodies the 1930s elegance that was in America. The fun thing is that the Mohawks were basically this but 4-8-4s.
You mean 4-8-2
@@gamerfan8445 oh shoot your right
They must take a long time to produce. My Rivirossi is 25 years old and number 5405 and they are only up to 5434 , YOU LUCKY TOO GET ONE SAM 😂😮😮😅❤
Hey, Sam!
I was just wondering why you measure the gauging back-to-back instead of face-to-face?
It seems like face-to-face would be more important, since that's the side of the wheel interfacing with the rails. Not disagreeing with your method at all, just curious.
Cheers!
Fully agree. The British modellers are obsessed with back to back even though their models have wide variations in effective flange thickness causing issues with poor performance through point work.
So many UK manufacturers have had their own idea about wheel profile over the years rather than adhere to a standard.
Incase anyone did not know, you can get that catalog for free from Bachmanns' websites, as a downloadable PDF.
Hudsons are my favourite type of locomotive! Thank you for reviewing one!
Awesome! No problem glad you like them :D
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
I prefer the Pacifics as most railroads operated them, whereas only a few railroads operated Hudsons. None of the railroads operating in Texas had Hudsons... While the New York Central ran Hudsons on the Lake Shore Limited, the Pennsylvania ran K-4 Pacifics on the Broadway Limited...
(@15:56) I can say that mine doesn’t have the shiny axle showing on the front wheel(s) of the leading truck. Maybe Bachmann USA found out and fixed it on later runs from the factory. Also, mine does have the window glazing pieces, so it IS supposed to be a separately applied piece of the cab (one per side.)
No sprung buffers, though. I know how much Sam loves his sprung buffers. 😅
Thanks for being honest, even if that means that'll be the last engine Bachmann sends to you 😂
Haha they didn’t send me this one - I don’t take freebies for reviews!
YES, You Pay for 'Em, then you can have a VERY Snarky review ! Love it !
Well, this is a surprise but a welcome one. Bachmann USA's new Hudson is certainly one of their finest models to date and I absolutely adore them I do intend to have one of them in my fleet in the future, for now, though I'll have to make do with my Old Rivarossi Hudsons. It is however by no means flawless as you've shown but having spoken to some friends who are very knowledgeable on the J3as, it's very obvious Bachmann has had to make numerous compromises detail-wise with the model. The most obvious example is the shape of the boiler, the J3as have a very distinct boiler shape and if you look at photos of them from the front you'll see they almost have slots cut out towards the bottom meaning it's far from a circle whereas on the Bachmann model it very clearly is just a circle which is a bit disappointing seeing as the old Rivarossi model from the 70s even get's this detail right. I'm also rather surprised to see how poor the mechanism is having seen how well it runs but at least the decoder mostly made up for it and makes me wonder if Bachmann released only as a sound-fitted model for that reason. Excellent review as always and I look forward to the next one.
Thank you! Certainly impressive, certainly in terms of the metal construction!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
It looked like it ran around the curves pretty well, then Sam put boxcars behind and it was like "a goods train, oh the shame of it!"
The only steam locomotive I've seen in action is a 2-8-2 Mikado, as preserved and operated by the Valley Railroad in Essex, CT. The Mikado often served alongside the Hudson (the Hudson frequently used in passenger service, the Mikado in freight service).
Ahh interesting - that sounds like an impressive loco!
Thanks for watching - Sam :)
Great review Sam, I believe well balanced in your assessment
The American steam locomotives have a character all their own. May I suggest you review some N scale variants as they are exquisite
David
The New York Central Hudson’s were some of the most famous and beloved steam locomotives in the United States