HO 4-6-4 w/PS3 NYC/Empire by MTH (MTH8031691)

80-3169-1

Product Line: MTH HO
Roadname: New York Central
4-6-4 Empire State Express Steam Engine w/Proto-Sound 3.0 - New York Central
Cab No. 5426

First appeared in: 2009 HO Volume 2

Before it was eclipsed by the Twentieth Century Limited, the Empire State Express was the New York Central's flagship passenger run. In 1893, it was the Empire State Express, led by a hot-rod 4-4-0 with outlandishly large drivers, that became the first man-made vehicle to exceed 100 mph and made the New York Central famous around the world. Beyond the record-setting run, the Empire State Express gained recognition as a pioneer in high-speed rail service on its New York-Buffalo-Cleveland route. Scientific American noted in 1898 that the Empire State Express "opened the present remarkable era of fast, long distance express trains. [It] will always figure conspicuously in the annals of the world's railroads as being the first to maintain a regular schedule speed of over 52 miles an hour for an unprecedented distance and for runs of unprecedented length between stops."


But by the Roaring Twenties, most high-class rail travel was by Pullman, and coach trains on daytime runs, like the Empire State Express, were often seen as a less desirable way to travel. High-quality coach travel made a comeback during the Depression, however, as railroads sought to attract customers by offering less-expensive fares combined with upgraded amenities. So it was that on December 7, 1941, with much fanfare, the New York Central launched a newly equipped Empire State Express with two Henry-Dreyfus-styled Hudsons and gleaming, streamlined Budd-built train sets. Passengers on the inaugural run were surprised at the scarcity of trackside observers - until they heard about the event halfway around the world that had overshadowed all other news that December Sunday.


The 1941 ESE was a train with one foot in the past and the other in the future. Its reserved-seat, stainless steel Budd coaches and parlor cars presaged the postwar streamliners, America's last hurrah of luxury passenger travel. But its two specially styled Hudsons, Nos. 5426 and 5429, were clearly a bridge - albeit a beautiful one - between a dying technology and cars that belonged behind a diesel. Designer Henry Dreyfus blended the stainless fluting of Budd's streamliners with his design for the 1938 Twentieth Century Hudsons, arguably among the best-looking streamlined steamers ever built. After the war, however, more powerful Niagaras bumped the ESE Hudsons to lesser trains, and by 1949 their streamlining had been removed.


Relive the brief but glorious era of streamlined steam on the Water Level Route with these superbly detailed locomotives. With their fully featured sound systems, Empire State Express passenger station announcements, and ability to start your train so smoothly you won't spill a drop of water in the diner, we believe these are surely the best HO models of these Hudsons ever built.
Features

Die-Cast Boiler and Tender Body
Die-Cast Metal Chassis
Die-Cast Truck Sides
Authentic Paint Scheme & Cab Numbers
RP-25 Metal Wheels Mounted On Metal Axles
Constant Voltage Headlight
Prototypical Rule 17 Lighting
Detailed Truck Sides
Detailed Cab Interior
Powerful Balanced 12-Volt 5-Pole Precision Skew-Wound Flywheel Equipped Motor
Wireless Drawbar w/Close Coupling Option
(2) Kadee Compatible Scale Couplers
Metal Handrails
Decorative Metal Whistle
Sprung Drive Wheels
Synchronized Puffing ProtoSmoker System
Locomotive Speed Control
Locomotive Cab To Tender Deck Plate
Detailed Tender Undercarriage
Real Coal Load
Operating Tender Back-up Light
Interchangeable Traction Tire-Equipped Drive Wheels
On-Board DCC Receiver
Operates On Code 70, 83, & 100 Rail Curves


Proto-Sound 3.0 equipped locomotives can be controlled in command mode with any DCC compliant command control system. While the user won't have access to all of the incredible features of Proto-Sound 3.0, independent control over the locomotive is possible. This means you can continue to use your existing DCC controller to independently control your other DCC equipped locomotives in addition to your Proto-Sound 3.0 locomotive on the same track at the same time.


When using a DCC controller, the following Proto-Sound 3.0 locomotive features are accessible:

(F0) Headlight on/off
(F1) Bell on/off
(F2) Whistle/Horn on/off
(F3) Start-up/Shut-down
(F4) PFA initiate and advance
(F5) Cab Light on/off
(F6) Engine Sounds on/off
(F7) Volume low, med, high, off
(F8) Smoke on/off
(F9) Forward Signal Sound
(F10) Reverse Signal Sound
(F11) Coupler Slack Sound
(F12) Grade Crossing
(F13) One-Shot Doppler on/off
(F14) Extended Start Up
(F15) Extended Shut Down
(F16) Labor Chuff
(F17) Drift Chuff
(F18) Smoke Volume low, med, high
(F19) Single short whistle toot
(F20) Coupler Close
(F21) Feature Reset
(F22) Idle Sequence 1
(F23) Idle Sequence 2
(F24) Idle Sequence 3
(F25) Idle Sequence 4
(F26) Brakes auto/off
(F27) Cab Chatter auto/off
(F28) Clickety-Clack auto/off
Proto-Sound 3.0 With The Digital Command System Featuring: Passenger Station Proto-Effects
Unit Measures:13 1/2" x 1 1/2" x 2 1/8"
Operates On 18" Radius Curves

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