Way back in 2011 I had a post about a great Nason Hudson that I had obtained in a trade with Pierre Bourassa, featured in this article.

Do you have them?

Before going to that engine, it is time for a story I don’t think I’ve told in the site, but I have told others a few times. Basically, Pierre had sold a Nason Hudson decorated for the Canadian Pacific to Ed Morlok. Ed then passed away, and many of his models went out in his auction. But Pierre really wanted that engine back, it was one of his favorites; it may be seen in a photo in this article. Ed’s widow tried and could not find that engine (which seems to have not been sold at the auction) but did somehow find another nice example (with no tender) and sent it to Pierre up in Canada. That engine is the one seen here and in the 2011 article about getting that engine running. But Pierre was not a fan of it — and I really don’t blame him, it was not his engine. I however had a Lionel Hudson that he had modified extensively, and I traded it to him for this Hudson. So far as I know that Lionel Hudson is still in Canada.

Which is to say there is also a complete Nason Hudson for the Canadian Pacific out there somewhere that was a favorite of all that Pierre Bourassa built, and also there is also a correct tender for the present engine 38. That tender, as described in the 2011 article, should have a PFM sound unit installed in it and would be a very unique item. I have no idea the road name it will have, and if the number 38 is present or not. I’d love to reunite this engine with the correct tender — it must be out there.

A great model

Hudson 38 is the best running OO steam locomotive I own. The build of this is just great. These were not at all easy kits; the builder went way beyond. Besides the sound system, the glass windows, and crew, and the big DC motor, the rear driver is sprung. It runs like a dream. Amazing craftsmanship.

About the new tender and lettering

This engine came to me with no tender; the tender seen with it is a combination of a Lionel tender body and Scale-Craft Northern tender trucks, painted to a closely matching gray color.

Originally I lettered it for the Union Pacific (as seen at the end of the 2011 article), but really, I have limited interest in the Union Pacific. Even back in 2011 I considered lettering it for the Fall River, which is one of my freelanced short lines, but it did not fit the vibe of the line.

But time passes and I kept coming back to the Beaver River lettering of the Hudson in the Nason Catalog.

I mean, why not do the Fall River? My original OO models were lettered for this line. I had also recently lettered this caboose, which is rebuilt from someone’s great idea to put a S-C body on a Lionel frame. It makes for a nice looking model for my 1940 era operations.

I’ll also mention, that Hawk gondola seen above, it is lettered for the B&CR. Someone’s personal road, but I have no idea who. It caught my eye to rebuild and fits in with the current vibe focusing on freelanced lines and pre-war models.

Maybe it’s a sign of I’m getting older but I’m rather enjoying running a freight train around with this Hudson and the Fall River caboose. I would have never done this years ago, as the Fall River was firmly in my mind a short line running along the Fall River NW from Eureka Kansas, passing by the farm of a great aunt and uncle. I am having fun though with this “new” Fall River (even pulling freight cars with a passenger engine!) and will be lettering more models for it (but probably limiting the really freelanced models like this to the pre-war era). As they always said in Model Railroader, model railroading is fun.

Working on my 1940 era scenery

I’m also very slowly working on scenery, and one project is a 1940 gas station. It is not complete, but will be a Conoco station, an alternate for the 1960s/80s gas station seen in this article. When I get signs on both of them and more complete I’ll write them up further. But as a preview, it is seen below with the Hudson. Progress is slow (I want to be able to set up the layout convincingly for 1940, 60, or 80 with minor scenic changes) but I’m enjoying what I get done.