The New York Central is where the Hudson locomotive was designed and tested. It's development was due to the increase in passenger business on the NYC. In the mid 1920s longer trains were required and the existing motive power could not handle more than 12 cars. There was a need for a passenger locomotive which had the capability of pulling 16 to 18 cars. In 1926, the new chief mechanical engineer, Paul Kiefer, designed a 4-6-4 locomotive that had greater starting tractive effort and the ability not only of pulling longer trains but also of maintain higher speeds.

So successful was this new design that 275 Hudsons were built for the NYC system including its wholly owned subsidiaries. Of the 275 Hudsons, 30 were used on the Michigan Central, 30 went to the CCC&StL, 20 went to the Boston & Albany and 195 were used on the NYC. Only 10 were built by the Lima Locomotive Works. The balance were built by the American Locomotive Company.

The first Hudson arrived on 2/14/27 and the last in 1938. The NYC numbered them in consecutive order starting at 5200 and even renumbered the ones on its subsidiaries so that there was an unbroken string of numbers that reached 5474. All 275 NYC Hudsons had boosters.

Of the 275 Hudsons in the fleet, 13 were streamlined. Number 5344 was the world's first streamlined locomotive having had its shroud installed in 1934. The "bathtub" shroud was designed by the Case School of Science in Cleveland, OH. In 1935 it was assigned to the 20th Century Limited between Toledo and Chicago and remained in this service for some time. During July, 1939, this locomotive was re- shrouded to look like the 20th Century J3s. After an October, 1945 grade crossing accident with a sand truck in East Chicago, all the streamlining was removed. Another "claim to fame" of this locomotive is that it was the prototype for the Lionel O-gauge model.

Numbers 5426 and 5429, both Class J-3s were streamlined with a stainless steel cowling to match the "Empire State Express" train. This cowling was removed in 1950.

Ten of the Class J-3 Hudsons numbers 5445 through 5454 were built streamlined in 1938. The design was created by Henry Dreyfuss and styled to match the new cars of the New York - Chicago "Twentieth Century Limited" which was America's most famous luxury train. After 1945, the stainless steel shrouds were removed.

From the very first Hudson, number 5200, there were many design improvements. The Class J-1s had five different design levels. Class J-2 had three. The final Class of Hudsons (J-3) were vastly different from the previous classes and were constantly being improved. The NYC was the pioneer of the 4-6-4 wheel arrangement and ultimately used nearly 56% of all the Hudsons ever produced. Many consider the Hudson to have been the most beautiful steam locomotive ever built. Unfortunately, the NYC did not save even one for posterity.