The first Hudson locomotive in North America was built in 1927 for the New York Central Railroad (NYC) by American Locomotive Company (ALCO), to the railroad's design. The locomotive proved to be very successful and was named the Hudson type, after the Hudson River. Thirteen of these locomotives, one J-1 type and twelve J-3a types, were streamlined for use with named passenger trains like the "Empire State Express" and the "20th Century Limited". Between the NYC and its subsidiaries, the Boston and Albany Railroad (B&A), the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway (CCC&StL or "Big Four") and the Michigan Central Railroad (MC), they acquired altogether 275 locomotives of several different types, the largest Hudson fleet in North America.