In "Pop Off" (letters to the editor) on page 64 of OGR Run 110 (April 1990), Donald K. McClure describes the drive mechanism in the Lionel 1937 scale Hudson: " . . . the Lionel worm gear has been so expertly constructed that it is not self-locking. Just think of the realism that adds! When you shut off the power, the momentum of the moving locomotive will continue to carry it onward – it will coast!"
As Mr. McClure remarked in his next paragraph, it was amazing that Lionel had a non-locking worm gear drive in 1937.
I believe this drive may have been a factor in the naming of "Dammit Hill" on Frank Ellison's Delta Lines as the hill had a steep downgrade in a tunnel that came out at a crossing. The Delta Lines has at least two of the Lionel Hudsons, and it is said the name of the hill came from locomotives on the downgrade coasting out onto the crossing even after their engineers had cut the power. This would have been a very unpleasant surprise for newbies or engineers inexperienced with the handling characteristics of the Hudson, especially if they caused a collision which apparently did happen with some regularity at this location. "Dammit" is probably among the more gentle terms that were used.
One other note. This is just one of the many instances where I have found the OGR digital archive to be a great resource. Thank you, OGR, for making this store house of valuable information so readily available.
