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NYC COMMODORE
VANDERBILT 4-6-4
Painted & Lettered:
QUANTITY
ORIGINAL Version (Spoked Driver)
__________
REBUILT Version (Disk Driver)
__________
As the United States staggered
out of the economic depression, the management of the New York Central decided
to make a commitment to the "Age of Modernism" and streamline one of their steam
locomotives. Mr. Karl F. Kantola, an engineer who worked in the NYC’s Motive
Power Department, was tasked with designing a streamlined shroud for a J-1 Class
4-6-4 and in two months the design was finished.
J-1E Number 5344 (built in 1931 as just another 4-6-4) was just emerging from
the West Albany Shops after a complete overhaul and this locomotive was selected
as the subject to be streamlined. The rebuilding was completed on December 14,
1934 and Number 5344 emerged from the shops carrying the new streamlining with
the name COMMODORE VANDERBILT painted on the side. While some referred to the
streamlining as an "inverted bathtub", a number of ingenious features were
present on the 4-6-4, including smoke lifters, a canvas partition between engine
and tender and covers on the streamlined tender coal bunker that could be moved
to load fuel. Mechanically the locomotive was unchanged and kept its spoked
drivers.
The 4-6-4 was taken to Grand Central Terminal in New York City and placed on
display on December 27, 1934 after which it went on an exhibition tour around
the vast NYC System. At the completion of this tour the Number 5344 was placed
in 20th Century Limited service on the route from Cleveland to
Chicago. The NYC advertised that Number 5344 was the world’s first streamlined
steam locomotive.
In mid 1935 the 4-6-4 was again shopped and equipped with Timken roller bearings
on the main and side rods & new disk drivers. Number 5344 was already equipped
with roller bearings on the engine driver and truck axles. The new drivers
enhanced the streamlining effect. After these changes the 4-6-4 returned to 20th
Century service west of Cleveland.
