The New York Central never augmented its five C-1a duplexes, nor the 27 S-1 and S-2 Niagaras that preceded them. Instead, as retirement of older J-1 Hudsons thinned the ranks of main line passenger power, the Central in 1951 took delivery from ALCo of ten locomotives of class J-4a. These "Super-Duper Hudsons" were based not on the J-3 "Super Hudson" design but on the S-1b Niagaras. However, the J-4s lacked the "elephant ear" smoke deflectors of the Niagaras and many of the L-3 and L-4 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 J-4s appeared, the Boston & Albany's J-2 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