The New York Central never augmented its five C1a duplexes, nor the 27 S1 and S2 Niagaras that preceded them. Instead, as retirement of older J1 Hudsons thinned the ranks of main line passenger power, the Central in 1951 took delivery from Alco of ten locomotives of class J4a. These "Super-Duper Hudsons" were based not on the J3 "Super Hudson" design but on the S1b Niagaras. However, the J4s lacked the "elephant ear" smoke deflectors of the Niagaras and many of the L3 and L4 Mohawks. They differed also from some late NYC steam designs in having their headlights centered on the smokebox front, as did all the earlier Hudsons. When the J4s appeared, the Boston & Albany's J2 Hudsons had been renumbered into the NYC's 5400 series, so the new locomotives were assigned road numbers 5480-5489.

A New York Central "Fantasy Steam" Feature