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Kato U.S.A. N scale GG1 electric locomotive
This is an outstanding model! A single engine pulls the 14 car “Broadway Ltd.” Kato set (which is very free-rolling) up a 2% grade, 220 degree turnback curve on my home layout without breaking a sweat. And beautiful? For PRR nuts like me, it is passenger train Nirvana. I bought two and they double-head extremely well on my older, Con-Cor and Rivarossi manufactured, 16 car train. Kato, bring on the non-electrified catenary!
GG1 is one of my favorites.have an older model. This one looks great and the price…well I was suprised. I expeced a $200. figure.
I guess I’ll save my pennies and get a second GG1.
It’s a nice locomotive. I examined one at a hobby shop and saw it run. The only problem is that it needs a catenary system that looks as good and I don’t think any are available. I model in HO and I have a number of electric locos. I had the Sommerfeldt system on a previous layout, but I took it out when I built my present layout. The wires on the Sommerfeldt system were a bit too thick. I believe Sommerfeldt also makes an N-scale system.
Now I am installing a dummy outside third rail on my latest Ho layout so that the electric locos look plausible on my layout. I don’t think the GG1s ever used third rail for power. Am I right on this?
Also: Back in 1968 when I was attending graduate school at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ I had an apartment right next to the four-track Penn Central mainline. I could look out my window and watch GG1s and large freight electrics speed by. The only problem was in the hot summer. The Penn Central would park their locos right next to the house with their motors running. It was noisy and very hot! At any rate, I can attest to the realism of the sounds of Broadway Limited’s HO GG1 - those noises would keep me awake.
I really like this loco, but hate the couplers. The refuse to couple up by moving to the side. I have to push them back to center with a toothpick to get then coupled. Kato says that they have had few such complaints. I have played around with them, and finally settled on putting the original springs inside larger diameter springs of the same length (KD “O” 's, I think). This seems to work, but the couplers still do not center completely when uncoupled occasionally. The GG1 does a good job pulling all 15 cars of the Kato B’wy Ltd. This is great, but my venerable Trix K4 will also pull the 15 cars. Still, a great new loco for us PRR nuts. Now if they would only make a K4 with a FOM B’wy!!!
I recently purchased this model and immediately fell in love with it’s persona and performance. It operated flawlessly through turnouts and crossovers. Needles to say how elegant and powerful it is on my 22" radius curves.
I was so impressed with this engine that I purchased a second and I am quite happy that I did.
Kato makes great models and this is another example! 5 stars for Pennsylvania rr modelers.
I have waited almost 5 years for Kato to get this one out and I am certaintly not dissapointed! I model N scale transitional periods and I have not yet bit the bullet on the Bway Limited set yet, however I have an 11 car Amtrak Metroliner grouping which I ran with a Bachman E60P Electric for years. Scratch That Idea!
The GG1 gives me the drag power now that all cars are lighted I can’t tell you how fabulous this consist now looks on slightly banked 19" curves. I remember taking the Patriot from Baltimore to New London in 1972 with a GG1 on front through most of the trip. WELL DONE KATO!!
The kato N scale GG1 locomotive and the matching passenger set will look nice running on my N scale home layout. I’ll have to make a purchase for it real soon.
Hi Frederick,
One thing that will make it easier to remove the shell is to use a wooden toothpick to CAREFULLY spread the sides off of the frame.
Dana
If anyone is interested there some old GG-1’s on Route 7 in Otsego county near the Cooperstown exit of Route 88.
I purchased one and it did not run. The motor was not attached to the wheel set. I sent it back and am waiting to install the decoder. I found that it was not as easy as Digitrax said to remove the shell. I hope to find better instructions elsewhere.
digtak installation site :http://digitrax.com/appnote_KatoGG1install.php
good mechanism.traction tires lasted 1 day
Looks like a great model and I may look into useing it in a freelanced cooking in my head. I would like to ask though, does anyone make GG1/2s, or would it be possible to mod an existing GG1 to get 2 1/2s? Or would it be more trouble than its worth for a novice?
I scratch-build Pennsy double trolley and messenger catenary using .009 piano wire (under tension) and 1/16" brass H beams for the posts. I also use nylon screws, cut to size to simulate insulators. Nothing could be more to scale and realistic. The soldering and finishing are torture, but worth it in the end. Kato’s G is gorgeous, but the pentagraphs are not sping loaded. I had to grind down and install a tiny magnet inside the top of the penagraph, in order to hug the wire. The the loco will come out of a tunnel, with the pentagraph lowered, then into full extension, as it runs on down the “corridor”. What a chore.
the GG1 runs great! i once accidental dropped mine off the table. some of the wheels fell off but after i put it all back together it worked like new. its strong and durable.
I am now into my 5th Kato GG1- N. I also have 2 of the old Arnold versions. I admit to liking the mat finish on the Arnolds better but, you can’t beat the performance of the Kato locomotives. My childhood memories takes me back to watching a single GG1 emerge from under the Hudson river via a west end office building outlet, pulling 15 plus passenger cars through the twist and turns of the interlocking and down (rolling from side to side, bobbing up and down) one of NYC’s Penn stations 20 plus capasity tracks. My Kato GG1’s, pulling 15 six wheel heavy passenger cars through an interlocking and onto the mainline…no problem.