The vast majority of the New York Central System's fleet of 4-6-4 or Hudson type locomotives were supplied by the American Locomotive Company. However, the Boston & Albany took delivery of ten class J2c Hudsons from Lima Locomotive Works in 1931, completing its small fleet of 4-6-4s. (Note the diamond-shaped Lima builder's plate above the cylinder on No. 617.) The J2s resembled the New York Central's J1 class, with the same 25x28-inch cylinder dimensions, but had smaller 76-inch drivers and carried a higher 240-pound boiler pressure. Their shorter eight-wheeled tenders reflected the lower distance between terminals on the B&A. The J2a group weighed 356,500 pounds and had a tractive effort of 44,210 pounds, augmented by 10,520 pounds from their boosters. Sometime after delivery, the J2s were rebuilt with the square sand dome shown here on No. 617. John F. Boose of La Grange, Illinois, took this photo on August 7, 1938 in West Springfield, Massachusetts.

The Boston & Albany was the first region of the New York Central System to be dieselized. Beginning in the late 1940s, the J2 Hudsons were transferred to the New York Central, where they served for several years in suburban service in the New York City area, on the West Shore line and to Brewster and Chatham. They were renumbered into the New York Central series as Nos. 5455-5474. Photos of the J2s in this service, with their new numbers, may be viewed on George Elwood's New York Central Steam Photos site.