Although the notation on back of this photo, from the collection of Wayne Koch, claims that this view of NYC J3a Hudson No. 5424 was taken on May 23, 1948, that cannot be correct since the Roman lettering seen here was replaced by the Gothic style around 1940. Additionally, the unbroken line of the running board was a feature of the J3a class as built, but part of the running board was later raised several inches to accommodate repositioning of the power reverse cylinder, originally attached at a difficult-to-service location on the engine bed (compare the photo of No. 5439, following). Moreover, another photo taken by Charles T. Felstead on May 23, 1948 shows No. 5424 with Boxpok disc drivers, a Worthington feedwater heater, and the 14-wheel PT tender. The photo above may have been snapped by Arthur B. Johnson in Chicago, as the notation suggests, but it was taken not long after Alco delivered the first J3s in 1937. What is notable here, however, is that apparently some of the nonstreamlined J3s came with Scullin disc drivers like the last five streamlined "Twentieth Century" Hudsons of 1938. After the Scullin drivers had been found to be developing cracks in sustained high-speed service, most were replaced by the Boxpok (box-spoke) type by the end of steam. Photos exist of NYC Hudsons with a mixture of the two types.