For those of you New York Central fans who are also members of the NYCSHS, the long awaited book by Tom Gerbracht, "Know Thy Hudsons" is finally out, and I received my copy in the US Mail today. I have just briefly skimmed it, but boy, this is some book. First of all I don't know how he managed to get the old photos into the beautifully clear and wonderfully balanced contrast and brightness, but all of the images in the book are just terrific. For those of us with engineering backgrounds (not the throttle pulling types) there are sections discussing technical changes, why they were done, results, and there are erection drawings (not that kind). I just can't wait to start reading this volume.
https://nycshs.org/2016/05/09/nycshs-releases-a-new-and-exciting-book/ $79.95 for "mere mortals" vs. $63.96 for NYCSHS members. S&H extra.
Thank you, though you now have presented me with a gut-wrenching conundrum. For my birthday Saturday, should I use my anticipated gift certificates to purchase this well reviewed (by Fitz) excellent volume, or an equally excellent volume on the History of the Boston & Maine.....AARGH. (apologies to Charlie Brown and Charles Shultz)
Hank, with your engineering background, I think you would really enjoy this book. Although I have only gotten about 40 pages into it, the technical content is just terrific. As an example, I had never heard of the "top boiler check valve" modification, and he mentioned it in a photo, then explained it. There are drawings, official NY Central, of many of the appurtenances and appliances, along with explanations. He points out things on photos that I have always wondered about, such as a strange trailing truck on one engine, and he answers the question that has bugged me for years. There are also reports of performance which I have not gotten into yet. And to thx712517, the two books, "Thoroughbreds" and this one, are quite different, but both are "must haves" for us Hudson fans.
Happy Birthday Hank. I bought a copy that I was going to send you but.............. Gee, must have got lost in the mail.
Thinking back a few days on the post about a tender on the Michigan Central or Big Four I checked the section on tenders. Had no idea that there were four different PT types, with different water/coal capacities. There was only ONE PT-2, which contained much less coal and more water than the others, and it was installed on 5401. I am going to find that thread.
Wow, Point353, where did you find that file? Looks like something that the "Headlight" would contain. Interesting that besides the four PT types that were installed behind Hudsons there were two more, the PT-5 and PT-6 used with Niagaras. Thanks for posting that.
More "stuff" I did not know from the text, when the 5344 was first streamlined as the Commodore Vanderbilt, the large oval NYCS emblem on the front end actually served as an access door to the smokebox front and pilot. I have progressed into the J-3 section, and Tom has explained a number of things that have always made me wonder, such as the mix of different driving wheels, the reverse gear relocation, all kinds of stuff. I am loving this book.
Sounds very nice. I always thought the drivers changed depending on when they developed cracks and what was available at the time.
