Bachmann's Best Ever? | New York Central J3a Hudson Review | HO scale Steam Locomotive

Bachmann's stellar new New York Central J3 Hudson really shows off the state of the art for what a good running and powerful steam locomotive model can be, but is it powerful enough to handle an 18 car 1930's era 20th Century Limited Consist?
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/ interurbanera

[@commandingofficerkanawha7546]

I work at a hobby store when we got these engines in. Me and my train buddies bought all of them immediately and they have become some of our flagship engines matching the pulling power of some our massive articulated broadways at a much cheaper price. They’re truly amazing engines and we are very happy to have them be part of our locomotive fleet! My most recent video actually features all 4 Hudson’s lined up side by side plus my Commodore Vanderbilt making an impressive quintuplet of Hudson’s taking over our clubs layout

[@chadwiklund9297]

Makes it great for the consumer to be able to get their hands on them when employees buy up all the stock 🙄

[@commandingofficerkanawha7546]

@@chadwiklund9297 I only purchased one. All my mates (who are not employees but avid modelers) purchased the others. Plus we have gotten extra stock in since then so we still have a bunch of the Hudson’s on stock. Plus I have a right to enjoy these models just as much as you do.

[@Thunderbirds127]

Looks like a quality buy that all period railroaders should consider!

[@johnhermanson5249]

Thank you for taking the time to make this good video! Charles Ro has these for $249, a great price. I have never bought from them before but am really tempted.

[@ApartmentRR]

I like this review format! Excellent video!

[@InterurbanEra]

I'm so glad. I watched a bunch of other channels first to get a feel for what I most wanted to see in a review. I also wanted it to be lighter and more convivial as I know other channels will spend 45 minutes pressing every function button on the sound decoder. A review to pique your interest in a model enough that you'd want to go play with one yourself!

[@mgr_video_productions]

Great review! Bachmann announced they are making the Dreyfuss Hudson today.

[@InterurbanEra]

OMG! That's very very very exciting!

[@LordRusty5]

What appears nice with having the motor where it is, is the fact that it allows light to show through where the drivers are located! Very realistic.

[@simonetaormina7080]

Wow glad to see you building on foam board. I started that years ago and use to get evil looks.

[@InterurbanEra]

Yeah, you need more than 2" of foam to make it rigid and flat, but it really works well!

[@Alcofoamer]

The Hudson is my favourite, but I've been trying to buy one. I've been moving away from HO to Gauge 1. I have a BLI J-1e in HO, but in Gauge 1, I have a J-3a from MTH and a live steam J-1c from Aster. However this model is screaming my name and I can't underemphasize how much willpower I've been using to resist temptation.

[@ItzAtrain2905]

Time to buy the entire stock!

[@James-Railyard]

I have one on order, I can’t wait for it! Another reviewer found it to pull more than a BLI Vanderbilt Hudson, and the CV Hudson has tires. Guess BLI should’ve finished the boiler shell instead of just giving us a bowl on a chassis. I might get a second one of these Bachmann Hudson’s and switch the decoder for Tsunami2 and see which I prefer before converting both or keeping one each. Amazing video my friend. Definitely a different review from what I’m used to.

[@derekonxbox]

I find Tsunami decoders to be the worst sounding imo. ESU is better at diesel and TCS has the better steam sounds.

[@RailfanDownunder]

😊 Refreshing to see a locomotive review by somebody with an actual layout ...... Superb work Sir

[@InterurbanEra]

This means a lot! Thank you so much. Stick around for more locomotive reviews and more scenery on the layout as it comes together.

[@gamerfan8445]

I guess you are referring about sam trains

[@RailfanDownunder]

@@gamerfan8445 amongst others ... we have a few here in Australia too - sadly many do not seem to know much about the prototype as well.... C'est le vie

[@mrmarkle7088]

Just spent 500 on this when they have a new release coming in August for 275..... buuuuuut I actually like it alot.

[@gtown150]

Very good review! And your approach combined prototype data for comparison was unique.

[@yrunaked4]

very well done review. I love to see it in action as well. Superb. Cheers Rob

[@Ikindaenjoytrains]

It looks beautiful! I definitely need one of these.

[@avlisk]

"Excellent running Bachmann steam locomotive right out of the box" are words I am happy to finally hear. Never been a Hudson fan, always preferring Atlantics and Pacifics, but this loco is strangely appealing to me. Thanks for the review.

[@InterurbanEra]

I agree completely, I'm very relieved. Well, if the new models continue this trend of quality and performance, definitely keep a lookout for future 100% new tooling models!

[@MarkInLA]

That's because she's the handsomest of them all and you're now noticing it....

[@avlisk]

Nice to live this long. . .live and learn. @@MarkInLA

[@gilbertporter4992]

Since they this, they announced they will do the Streamlined 20th century limited version. I hope they do the Entire state express version, as well as the standard NYC Hudson with that centipede tender.

[@InterurbanEra]

That'd be incredible. I imagine they'll do an ESE version. A Super Hudson I think has some mechanical differences which may require a new drive train, but I'd have to check.

[@SouRwy4501Productions]

I just got one of those from my parents for Christmas yesterday and I love it. It’s a beautiful model, one of the best, largest, most powerful, fastest locomotives in my collection. I mainly only buy locomotives less than $200, so the J3a was a bit outside of my normal price range. That being said, the only problem I had with it was the molded on handrails on the tender. On any other model of that kind of price, that would be almost impossible to justify. However, it doesn’t matter too much on the J3a. I have also given mine a ceremonial name, akin to any locomotive named after an important person. I have given mine the almost ironic name “Alfred E Perlman”

[@InterurbanEra]

Fantastic. I agree about the cast-on details, but at least those are relatively easy fixes if you want to make them. Great fun on the name! Hahaha the man who was great at running NYC, but also was responsible for the demise of all of its steam.

[@railroadproductions2756]

TCS actually just took their standard Boston and Maine 6 chime and just calls it a New York central 6 chime this is an amazing model. The only net pic that I have is that the drawbar pin is made out of plastic and could snap off really easily.

[@robertbogie]

You can also add that the road name lettering on the tender is positioned too high on the tender sides.

[@Tiirsk]

this looks great

[@Eduardomd54]

good review, congrats

[@ericoxner326]

I used to be in ho.Had some of their locomotives.I still have N&W j and a GS4 SP and SF northern.These locomotives tan well pulled long freight train.I am now in O gauge.Good video.

[@davidjackson9317]

Nice review! Please keep up the good work. I just discovered your channel and I love it. I'm a huge fan of the Hudson, it's my second favorite steam engine (the 4-4-0 being #1). Again, thanks for a great video!

[@InterurbanEra]

Welcome aboard! (Be sure to subscribe) and I look forward to reviewing a 4-4-0 in the future, so stay tuned.

[@davidjackson9317]

@@InterurbanEra- Excellent!

[@Tauschung]

I got this model for my birthday and I've also wanted one of these engines since I was a child. I'm so sad that I don't have a railroad to run it on, but maybe that will be a summer project.

[@InterurbanEra]

There's nothing like receiving a great new model to inspire you to build a layout! I look forward to hearing back once you've built a layout!

[@thomasavensjr.2790]

What an impressive NYC j3a class Hudson type locomotive model, I enjoy viewing the detail features on steam locomotives and this Hudson model is a well presented product from Bachmann. Sometimes I wish that I modeled the steam era as there are many steam locomotive models available in ho scale that I really like, this Bachmann j3a Hudson model interests me and I am really tempted to purchase one of these Hudson locomotives.

[@InterurbanEra]

It's definitely been a fun model to own, even if it's out of my own era/locale that I model.

[@jamesmccarthy4777]

Wow! As a bachman hater, I might actually get one of these. It truly surprises me how many train reviewers are loving this. I hope bachman uses their new hudson as a benchmark for how to improve their other steamers.

[@gamerfan8445]

The only one who not a fan is Sam train. Make that what you will

[@boxcarthehusky420]

You should adapt it to the Alta California railway, give the Alta a Hudson

[@danmycio5308]

Great video, and a shining review! TCS would love to be able to embed and share this video on our website and social media, with your permission.

[@InterurbanEra]

I'd be delighted! I consent to having this video shared on TCS' accounts. If there's any further details that need to be ironed out shoot me an email or Instagram DM. Cheers!

[@craigmiller332]

I think a longer side by side comparison vs. the BLI J1e would have been helpful.

[@InterurbanEra]

Perhaps. The J1's were notoriously poor runners when they came out, so it wouldn't be much to say other than it has a terrible 1st generation sound decoder, a strong motor, and halfway decent electrical pickup. My example here is a parts donor for a kitbashing project you'll see on the channel later on, that'll get entirely rebuilt. Considering how far BLI has improved their model design in 20 years, (their ATSF 2-8-2's are masterpieces), the main point in the video is that the Bachman is a confident cut above the older BLI model.

[@craigmiller332]

@@InterurbanEra I think a comparison of the detail would have made sense. The running issues with the BLI J1e are well documented. I'm not sure why it would have been brought into the video if not for a comparison of cast-on vs. separate detail. Going in the other direction, a side by side of the Bachmann and AHM/Rivarossi J3a's would illustrate how far cast on detail has progressed. It's a nice video, but the simplistic comments left me wondering how it compares to other models. Cheers!

[@InterurbanEra]

@@craigmiller332 I like the idea of comparison between the AHM and Bachmann models. I'd have to source an old AHM one in decent condition, but they command overinflated prices for such an inferior model. Maybe if I get lucky at a train show in the next couple of years or borrow a friend's J3, I'll do a more in depth comparison later on. It's a good idea.

[@gregallen4893]

Ive got a j3a ,i love it. Bauchmans best steam locomotive ever.

[@MarkInLA]

4:17 Hope ya re-railed the pony truck soon after. 😇 Hey, and get that deck plate happenin' ! This is my No.1 fav steamer of the modern era..To me and many it's thee handsomest of 'em all..Bachmann outdid themselves this time..I only wish I could afford it.. No layout right now, either. But man would I try for one of these if I did.. Thanks for nice review...

[@InterurbanEra]

You're welcome! It's fun doing reviews like this every once in a while. Oh yes, there's a couple of outtake photos/videos with pilot/trailing trucks off haha, I guess one slipped through editing.

[@carllehman8792]

I believe this model is of a Boston & Albany Hudson based on the square sand dome. I think these B&A Hudsons were eventually integrated into the New York Central proper and were re-lettered for New York Central vs. Boston & Albany. If they haven't already, Bachmann should release this locomotive lettered for Boston & Albany. cml

[@robertbogie]

No It's not a B&A Hudson. They were a different engine/class. The square dome you refer to was bigger and far more square than the one used on this class J-3a Hudson.

[@Greatdome99]

B&A's Hudsons had smaller diameter drive wheels to climb over the Berkshires.

[@40093jjmia]

I have a 2 8 2 BLI mikado prr and without traction tires and my slopes on my layout ( which is barely anything like under a 1% grade ) can haul max 14 cars, its not bad freight trains but theyre not long and yes I love the mikados to go slow but not when they cant pull 20 cars.

[@Superseanbarry]

Great job! Would you happen to know if Bachmann makes a painted/non-lettered version? Thanks.

[@InterurbanEra]

Con-Cor ordered a custom run of painted, undecorated models from Bachmann directly. I'd move real fast if you want one though, there's only 5 left in stock as of Jan 2024: con-cor.com/shop/bachmann-4-6-4-new-york-central-design-undecorated/

[@evanhizon8112]

You know, if Bachmann can make a J3a Hudson, newly tooled from the ground up, to the point that it can rival the BLI Hudson, I don't see why they can't remake their NYC Niagara. If Bachmann was able to make their Hudson that is so detailed and diecast body and chassis, they should remake their NYC Niagara with ALL NEW tooling using the same method for their Hudson.

[@InterurbanEra]

It seems like a very natural choice. They've rereleased every single other version of the 4-8-4's they offered back in the 90s with all new tooling.

[@gravitrax6478]

This is a very nice locomotive!!! I do have one question though, I don't have a J3 but I do have a J1 Hudson and it often derails on my curves. I have other steam locos with a wider wheel basis that can handle these curves but for some reason my Hudson always derails on them. Do you perhaps have an answer for that? (also what is that coach you have with the cupola directly behind the loco?)

[@InterurbanEra]

It's what's known as a "rigid wheelbase issue" where the three sets of main drivers don't have enough vertical play to handle issues with track. Are you using Unitrak or flextrack? The car right behind the locomotive is a Dynamometer car, used to scientifically measure locomotive performance back in the old days. This is a walthers model of a Southern Pacific prototype built in the 1910s.

[@gravitrax6478]

@@InterurbanEra I use code 100 atlas flex track for some of my curves yes, is there a way to fix this issue with the drivers? Also tysm! I gotta find one of these cars

[@KISSFanDan1995]

It’s a damn shame that none of these escaped the scrappers torch in real life. They should’ve at least saved 2 examples. One of the Dreyfuss streamliners and one non-streamlined.

[@atsf3780]

There isn't any way for a decoder to "natively understand" chuff synchronizing. Either you provide the decoder a hard input like a cam or hall effect sensor, use CV's to set up BEMF chuff synching, or you get lucky out of the box

[@InterurbanEra]

True! It was done so well with this Locomotive & Decoder combo right out of the box, it was almost like it had a cam/hall sensor built in, which honestly should be a standard steam engine component in 2023 offerings.

[@atsf3780]

@@InterurbanEra absolutely agree. Hall effect sensor would be best since no friction surface to wear out

[@timl6039]

One of our club members *had* one. The sound was anemic at best. And the running gear exploded(eccentric crank, and all of the connecting rods all came off the main driver) in the first few hours of running. So there’s two sides of every coin I guess.

[@InterurbanEra]

Sounds about right. QC can be all over the place, thus the 1 year warranty. Have him send it in for replacement w/o charge.

[@simonetaormina7080]

I have 2 in N scale they run great but up grade they don’t pull much. My grades are just over 2 percent they won’t pull more then three passenger cars. Freight depends on the cars but six at best. But still look and sound awesome

[@bowlerguy219]

Where do we get one?

[@InterurbanEra]

I have ZERO affiliation with any hobbyshop, but I enjoy buying trains from Tony's Train Exchange, Trainworld, MB Klein, Hiawatha Hobbies, Yankee Dabbler, or even off eBay. Find which one has the best deal, and go from there!

[@Greatdome99]

Performance depends on your preferences. Certainly pulling 20 non-20th Century Ltd cars at speed is a plus, but how slow can it run? The short bit of video you showed looked like it was jerking quite a bit. Hard to worry about running at 80 mph, when it won't run at 2 mph. And it's hard to justify nearly $500 for a model with so many cast-on details. There are better alternatives for the money.

[@InterurbanEra]

Honestly after a break in of an hour or so, its capable of creeping slowly out of the station with a full train. It was a pleasant surprise. I'm skeptical you could source a Brass model with a sturdy drivetrain and full DCC/sound install for ~$500 unless you did both yourself or had an incredible train show deal, so specifically what J3 model would you buy instead? I agree about the cast-on details. However, rarely is Bachmann's MSRP what you'd end up paying from most retailers, so perhaps that makes it more reasonable.

[@alainFNM1907]

Puedo ver varios modelos de NdeM y algunos coches Nacionales de Mexico tambien, el panorama/ambientación de la maqueta tambien parece modelado como al estilo mexicano. Saludos!!!

[@InterurbanEra]

¡Muchas gracias! Realmente quiero evocar la sensación de la costa de México con mi ALTA. Thank you so much! I really want to evoke the feeling of coastal Mexico with my ALTA. (¡Disculpas si la autocorrección tradujo esto mal!)

[@jonnyspeed]

Just a smoke unit short of being a fantastic model...

[@TheTransportationFanfromCA]

Mabey you can re letter it to represent a N de M Hudson I know it’s not even close to the real thing

[@InterurbanEra]

Initially I planned to use the drivetrain from this model to make an NdeM model, but it's too beautiful to kitbash! I do want to continue my research on the NdeM Hudsons to see which model might be the best starting point for a kitbash.

[@TheTransportationFanfromCA]

@@InterurbanEra mabey mehano

[@leilanianderson2106]

​@@InterurbanEra Find either an old Mantua 4-6-4 or put a 4 wheel trailing truck behind a mantua 4-6-2. A near perfect match

[@paulthewall4764]

Let’s get them to release a re-tooled, re-powered 2-8-0

[@gamerfan8445]

The only problem I have with Bachman is. Sorry… WHERE IS THE MOHAWKS!!! We have Hudson and Niagara for decades from many companies. But we basically never have a mass produced Mohawk in Ho scale except for MTH. A Mohawk would be an amazing choice for Bachman to do it, because they already have the ability to make the USAR mountains for years.

[@InterurbanEra]

Goodness, yes. I'd love to have a Mohawk with similar performance to this Hudson. Not least of which because my ALTA railway ordered similar 4-8-2's, so I'd love to have them as mechanism donors.

[@gamerfan8445]

⁠@@InterurbanErayeah, that my biggest concern with them making one, how it performs. The Mohawks are fast freight haulers, and Bachman has the habit with having their lager locomotives being weaker than other models on the market. If they do make the Mohawks, it better be able to pull a 50-70 car train.

[@InterurbanEra]

@@gamerfan8445 I would LOVE to see a powerful, affordable Mohawk hit the market.

[@simonetaormina7080]

Broadway limited has gone down the tubes.

[@InterurbanEra]

BLI is kind of a "per case basis" modelmaker. Some of their stuff is unparalleled masterful works of art. Other offerings contain weird deviations from reality and odd detail choices. This very early J1e in the video is a pretty clear picture of early BLI. They've improved a LOT since then.

[@KnapfordMaster98]

Do I spy a Duel truck?

[@InterurbanEra]

You do indeed! Brekina just came out with the Peterbilt 281s and they're gorgeous

[@danielboone3770]

😍😍😍😍😍🤩🤩🤩

[@DCSk8er529]

That's nice and all, but no model of the Hudson is better than the O-Scale Hudsons. That is a nice model though, I just liked the O-Scale Hudsons better.

[@gamerfan8445]

Yeah and 6 times the cost.

[@DCSk8er529]

@gamerfan8445 But worth it. Don't get me, I like your Hudson. I am a New York Central fan.

[@gamerfan8445]

@@DCSk8er529 true

[@FS2K4Pilot]

I simply won’t pay $450+ for a locomotive that doesn’t get the eccentric cranks right. That’s a basic steamer detail.

[@richardjayroe8922]

I don't trust spectrum. The last time I bought a Bachmann it broke on the second lap of a 6 by 4 layout

[@InterurbanEra]

I used to feel the same way. My own collection has a lot of disassembled older Bachmann models that I use for kitbashing. The key is often to either buy new & get warranty replacement models ASAP if it's defective or buy used and reach out to Bachmann parts department if you have a problem. Support for either results in a good running model.

[@markhellman-pn3hn]

Lionel makes "scale model masterpieces" !! ... other brands make TOYS !! ... you do the math

[@gamerfan8445]

Bruh. Meanwhile ho scale market is rivaling Lionel for years.