I always thought that the color difference ( Tuscan Red & Brunswick Green ),
on GG-1’s meant , Red for passenger, and green for freight. I have seen
and heard many conflicts to that. Is there a real designation?
Did they have different gearing?
Thanks,
Chuck
I believe that the red was used only for a few passenger locomotives, while most, in green, were used for either freight or passengers, mainly according to their gearing. There were two gearings used, one for 90 miles per hour, one for 100. Locomotives were repeatedly regeared in both directions as the railroad’s needs changed.
“G” was the PRR designation for a ten-wheeler (4-6-0); and the rationale behind “GG1” (not “GG-1”) was that it was similar to two ten-wheelers back-to-back.
Not sure on the paint colors, maybe as to when they were painted by the Pennsy but know that the GG1’s were one tough locomotive that could take a beating and still perform. Also lasted into Amtrac and Conrail days, about 50 years of continuois service,although most GG1’s are currently museum pieces as the current draw was most high for an electric locomotive, some GG1’s were 6000 horsepower electrics, most were in the 5000 horsepower range. If you want to see a real GG1 go to Strasburg PA, Lancaster County, to the Pennsylvania Railroad museum.
Lee Fritz
I believe the one at Strasburg is the only remaining GG1 on display. I was there two years ago and it was one impressive locomotive to stand next to.
Actually the entire collection in the museum was top notch. A couple nice Shays, and the first had I even seen close up, as well.
- Luther
A GG1 is on display at the National Museum of Transport in St. Louis.
The red paint job was intended for use with the streamlined Senator and Congressionals. There were a lot of loco’s painted green that hauled passenger trains. Three locomotives were also painted silver. The loco’s were originaly geared for passenger use or for freight. Eventually they were all regeared for freight use. In addition to the variations in base color, they also wore variaions of stripping, some 5 stripe cat whisker, some a single broad stripe and a few had other variations.
Which pantograph was up when running?
Chuck, here is a link to a site that has all the paint scemes worn by GG-1’s with dates and #'s.
http://www.spikesys.com/GG1/paint.html
Paul, the rear pantograph was up when operating. Exceptions would be if the contact shoes were worn or in snow and ice storms both would be up to help keep ice buildup of the catenary.
Thanks , fellas.
That’s a lot of good information.
Chuck
There is also a GG1 on display at the Harrisburg, PA station.
For a lot of PRR info, check out this site.
GG1 also at Illinois railway museum in tuscan red
I think I read that only 10 were painted tuscan. I road in back of these for a number of years from Phila to NYC, all ugly PC black, but still very impressive. Joe
An excellent site for GG! info, one page of which was referenced above, is:
wolverine49
Near the bottom of the following link’s page is another link that will start a download of an ASME brochure on the GG-1 (PDF format). Not as extensive as several of the reference books that cover the GG-1 (inlcluding Zimmerman’s, Staufer’s or Middelton’s) but this has a lot of info and a few interesting pictures. Plus it’s FREE!
http://www.asme.org/Communities/History/Landmarks/Penn_RR_GG1_Electric.cfm
There is a nice shot of a GG1 coming into a station in the 1951 movie “Bright Victory”.
GG1 4903 is at the Dallas “Age of Steam” museum, along with Big Boy 4018 and a Centennial.
If anyone has any more-detailed questions about the GG1, I have an operator’s manual and the PRR rulebook for pantograph operation, which should have the answers.
IRM GG1 - not-working but awesome to see close up. http://www.irm.org/cgi-bin/image.pl?width=300&img=/pictures/roster/4939amt.jpg
In HARRISBURG PA at the AMTRACK station there is one on display down where you board the train.
laz57
OOOPS sorry JOHN, see you beat me to it.
laz57
Much as I love to see threads about the GG1, both real and model, I would point out again that much of this speculation is unnecessary. Links to the full roster of GG1’s produced, and a current list of survivors, their locations and conditions are available on the first page of:
The site is not “official,” but it’s pretty darn good, and it contains links to other GG1 references, as well as the various paint schemes that were used – some 'way more successfully than others. Try it! You’ll like it. (It’s not MY website.)
Here’s another that may (or may not) have already been mentioned:
http://www.steamlocomotive.com/GG1/#survivors
As a boy, I wanted Lionel’s GG1 so bad I could taste it, but we couldn’t afford it until I finally found gainful employment as an adult. My dad took me to the the one that had crashed through the floor in Union Station in early 1953. I had always wondered what would happen at Union Station’s head in if something couldn’t stop. Now I knew. That loco, #4876, was re-assembled and ran again. It now rusts and rots in the outer yard at Baltimore, the property of the B&O museum, which apparently has no realistic plans to restore it. Pity!
wolverine49
Rear pantograph was always up - if it snagged on anything, it wouldn’t damage the other.