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Half of a GG1

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  • Member since
    March 2002
  • From: Milwaukee WI (Fox Point)
  • 11,439 posts
Posted by dknelson on Tuesday, April 17, 2018 11:51 AM

I like the extended vision cab as in this shot

http://sbiii.com/b-uattwn/iii3/rrpix/gg1_4846.jpg

I bet some Pennsy engineers wished the full GG1s had had that particular feature!

Dave Nelson

  • Member since
    December 2007
  • 416 posts
Posted by DSO17 on Tuesday, April 17, 2018 4:43 AM

basementdweller
Interesting. Thanks for the info. I wondered what the plenum was for. Follow up question, what generated the heat to melt snow? If it was towed around then presumably no overhead wires.

 

It didn't need any heat as it was not meant to melt snow - just blow it off the track. It had a pantograph to supply power to run the blower and could be used only under catenary. Most (but not all) of the track in the shop yard was wired.

  • Member since
    September 2002
  • 216 posts
Posted by KemacPrr on Tuesday, April 17, 2018 12:59 AM

The half G was the 4846 in it's original life. The conversion was done in the PC era. It was used as a snow blower to clear out turnouts at Edgemoor Yard in Wilmington Del. --  Ken 

  • Member since
    February 2004
  • From: Central Ohio
  • 570 posts
Posted by basementdweller on Monday, April 16, 2018 5:46 PM
Interesting. Thanks for the info. I wondered what the plenum was for. Follow up question, what generated the heat to melt snow? If it was towed around then presumably no overhead wires.
  • Member since
    December 2007
  • 416 posts
Posted by DSO17 on Monday, April 16, 2018 5:11 PM

The "half GG1" was a snow blower for use around the Wilmington Shops. It was not capable of moving itself, but had to be shoved around by an engine.

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    September 2003
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Posted by Overmod on Monday, April 16, 2018 3:00 PM

Note the plenum ending close to the tracks - this was used to keep the track clear around the Wilmington shop facility, and I believe it 'doubled' as a Wilmington shop switcher.

Comment in Trains Magazine in the '60s when this was first reported: "wouldn't two of these make a great engine?"

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Huntsville, AR
  • 1,251 posts
Posted by oldline1 on Monday, April 16, 2018 12:29 PM

Stix,

It was a GG1 that was damagd and they cut the unit in half and blanked off the area where they cut it. I don't remember the number. They used it as a maintenance unit for clearing yards as a snow blower or something like that.

oldline1

 

  • Member since
    July 2002
  • From: Jersey City
  • 1,925 posts
Posted by steemtrayn on Monday, April 16, 2018 12:10 PM

That engine was involved in a wreck and was salvaged for snow-clearing duty.

https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=half+gg1&FORM=HDRSC2

 

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Mpls/St.Paul
  • 13,892 posts
Posted by wjstix on Monday, April 16, 2018 11:51 AM

When you say it's "half of a GG1", do you mean like the front half looks like a GG1 and the rear half looks like something else, or do you mean it looks like a GG1 only 1/2 as big? PRR did have some other, smaller electrics that might be what you're seeing if the latter.

BTW even if you can't post the picture here, you can post a link to the page on the website where the image is so we can look at it.

Wink

Stix
  • Member since
    February 2004
  • From: Central Ohio
  • 570 posts
Half of a GG1
Posted by basementdweller on Monday, April 16, 2018 11:46 AM

Found an image online today, but was unable to copy it to here, it is half of a GG1. 

The unit is presumably some type of switcher, the back of the body has sheet metal in place with a port hole and it has a rear coupler.

Anyone know anymore about such units? There were no markings. 

I wonder if it is PC or Amtrak.

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