HO P4 NYC Vanderbilt Hudson Steam Loco #5344/Spoked Drivers

Broadway Limited Imports is
pleased to bring to HO the most accurate and desirable Commodore
Vanderbilt Hudson ever produced.  In the summer of 1934, J-1e
Hudson #5344 was pulled from service and sent to West Albany to be
fitted with the first sheet metal shroud in America. 
  Painted gun-metal gray with aluminum trim, the locomotive
was named “Commodore Vanderbilt”, after the successful US businessman
who previously owned the NYC railroad.
 
Developed by the Case School of Applied Science, the shroud covered the
locomotive and tender.  The shroud was not just for looks, but
rather was well-planned and functional.  Hinged panels made
maintenance points accessible, and a grilled recess on top of the
cowling aided the updraft of smoke.  Two major benefits of
streamlining were improved air flow and improved insulation. 
Engineers estimate a 2% aid to air flow and the shell certainly
minimizes heat loss. Unfortunately the disadvantages of increased
weight and exta maintenance tended to outweigh the
benefits.  

The Commodore Vanderbilt had
her inaugural trip on February 19, 1935.  After working for
about 8 months, she was sent to West Albany Shops for further
improvements.  Boiler pressure was increased to 250 lbs,
roller bearings were applied to the side rods, and disc drivers
replaced the original spoked drivers.   #5344
maintainted this appearance until July 1939, when she was returned to
the shops again and given a shroud similar to the “Dreyfuss
Hudsons”. 

 In this production, we are
offering models of the Vandy Hudson in her original appearance with
spoked drivers, and also in her later and longer-lasting appearance
with roller-bearing siderods and disc drivers.    We
will deliver the models ready to run on 18″ curves.  To
accomplish this, we have removed two small pieces of shrouding at the
front, and the locomotives will have a modified rear trailing
truck.  The two shroud pieces and a prototypically accurate
trailing truck are included in the box, and can be easily installed as
desired.   Each of our Vandy Hudson models has a die
cast boiler and tender body, and all models come with our Paragon4
DC/DCC Sound System with synchronized puffing smoke and integral GoPack
capacitor.   

Broadway
Limited Imports is proud to introduce Paragon4: The new
benchmark for premium HO sound-equipped locomotives. These DC and
DCC-Sound equipped locomotives feature the ALL-NEW Paragon4 sound and
control system. Each Paragon4 locomotive comes with BLI’s own integral
DCC Decoder factory installed.  Paragon4 locomotives offer
Dual Mode DC and DCC operation with superb back EMF motor control,
improved DC motor control, built-in capacitor pack for more reliable
electrical pick-up, industry best on-board sound with Rolling Thunder
functionality, Pro Lighting Mode for prototypical light control,
Switcher model for precise low speed control, recordable DCC operation
for automated playback, and the same excellent detail level as Broadway
Limited’s Paragon3 Series models. 

Paragon4
Sound & Control System Features:

• Operates
  in DC & DCC with improved DC speed control
  (use DCMaster for DC Sound)

• Built-In
  capacitor pack to navigate imperfect track

• Capacitor
  Pack automatically disabled on program track for
  full compatibility with JMRI Decoder Pro

• Pro
  Lighting Mode offers individual control of all
  lights on model

• Switcher
  Mode for precise low speed control.

• Record
  & Play Operation – Records and plays back
  sounds and movements once or repeatedly for automatic operation

• High
  Resolution Audio

• Quillable
  Whistle for various whistle lengths and patterns

• Choice
  of 3 selectable Horns

• Alternate
  Whistle / Horn where applicable for locomotive with
  air horn and steam whistle – both the main whistle and alternate can be
  easily played

• Adjustable
  bell ringing interval for faster or slower bell

• Numerous
  user-mappable functions with available keys

• Johnson
  Bar Sound at Direction Change

• Multiple
  realistic passenger and crew sounds play on command

• 
  Grade
  Crossing Automatic Signal

• Automatic
  Forward / Reverse Signal – When activated, stopping
  triggers and stop whistle toot.  When moving forward from a
  stopped position, toots twice.  When moving in reverse. toots
  three times.

• 
  Chuff
  sound intensity varies with load

• Individually
  adjustable sound volumes for each effect

• EZ
  Reset Button for quick return to factory default
  settings