In 1934, the New York Central pulled one of its most modern Hudson's, no. 5344, from service and fitted her with the first streamlined covering in the country. The design was touted to reduce wind resistance and increase efficiency. While the operating gains of streamlining have long been debated, there is no question the effect it had on the traveling public. Renamed Commodore Vanderbilt, 5344 emerged in a new gun-metal gray cloak with aluminum trim and lettering. The Commodore's first assignment would of course be the Twentieth Century Limited - particularly the western leg of its run. After 8 months, the locomotive returned to the shop for more modifications, the most visible of which were new disc drivers to complement the modern look. Then it was back to the rails, working passenger runs on the west end of the system like this until 1939 when 5344 was restyled once more. Throughout this time, it is worth noting that although the streamlined look had met with great fanfare on the locomotive, the trains Commodore pulled remained traditional heavyweight consists. The New York Central's efforts on the Commodore Vanderbilt quickly caught the public's imagination. Lionel would be one of many companies to produce toys in its likeness. Unlike the famed 700E Hudson, which was a scale replica in every way possible, the 264 and 265 "Commodore Vanderbilts" resembled their prototype in form only. Smaller, 2-4-2s, these streamliners showed up in a variety of colors and sets in the late 1930s and are part of the enduring appeal and lore of this famous locomotive. In our 125TH year, Lionel is bringing back this icon with new tooling and more features than ever. Under that newly tooled body and tender, the Commodore Vanderbilt features the same features as our VISION J1E Hudson's (minus the swinging bell of course!) Prototypical versions with both original spoked wheels and later disc drivers and roller bearing rods are available and perfect for any New York Central heavyweight consist. Special Lionel and themed variations can be found throughout this catalog as well. Isn't it time for the legend to return to your railroad?

VISION FEATURES: All Locomotives:

• Whistle steam
• Swinging bell
• Road number specific details
• Road number specific Crewtalk
• Kinematic drawbar
• Force coupler

STANDARD LEGACY STEAM FEATURES:

• LEGACY® Control System equipped – able to run in LEGACY® Control mode, in TrainMaster Command Control mode, or in Conventional mode with a standard transformer
• 4 Digit Addressing when using the Cab3/Base3
• Bluetooth® Control - Operate with Universal Remote or LionChief® App
• Lionel Voice Control (LVC) - run your locomotive by speaking commands into your phone via LionChief® App
• Odyssey® II Speed Control

LEGACY® RailSounds® sound system featuring:

• Crewtalk™ dialog with different scenarios depending on whether the locomotive is in motion or stopped
• TrainSounds that mimic operating dialog when the locomotive is in motion or stopped
• Six official railroad speeds with Crewtalk dialog
• DynaChuff™ synchronized with 32 levels of intensity as the locomotive gains speed
• LEGACY® "Real-Time Quilling Whistle" control with instant response for realistic signature "quilling" and correctly timed warning signals (5 different whistles to choose from for a more customized experience)
• Single hit or continuous mechanical bell sounds (5 levels of bell pitching for customized sounds)
• Sequence Control: plays the sound effects of an entire trip, including warning sounds and announcements, based on the movement and speed of the locomotive
• Current speed and fuel dialog, coal or oil loading sound effects
• IR Transmitter that works with LCS SensorTrack™
• Powerful maintenance-free motor with momentum flywheel
• Wireless Tether™ connection between locomotive and tender
• ElectroCoupler™ on rear of tender
• Directional lighting including operating headlight and back-up light on rear of tender
• Bicolor illuminated classification lights on the front of locomotive where applicable.
• Using a Legacy controller, change the color of the classification lights between white or green
• Traction tires
• Interior illumination in cab
• Die-cast metal locomotive body, pilot, and trucks
• Die-cast metal tender body and trucks
• High level of separately applied metal details
• Separately applied builder's plate
• Synchronized fan-driven smoke unit
• Adjustable smoke output
• Authentically detailed cab interior
• Cab "glass" windows
• Engineer and fireman figure

PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

• Rail Line: New York Central
• Gauge: O Gauge 
• Power: Electric
• Engine Type: Steam
• Min Curve: O54
• Dimensions: Length: 24 3/4"
• Most Recent Catalog: 2025 Volume 1

Manufactured By: Lionel