100 years of Lionel's model trains

Lionel founder Joshua Lionel Cowen's favorite locomotive may have been the New York Central's J-Class 4-6-4 Hudson, which pulled both passenger cars and freight cars along the Hudson River. To commemorate Lionel Trains' 100th anniversary, the company made a limited-edition 700 EJ1E Hudson. It was a replica of the J-Class train with an expensive twist: It featured 24K gold plating and cost $1,399.95.