Thanks tallowpot for that great narrative on running a GG1.
Dave Nelson
TALLOWPOT wrote: In my 54 years in the Railroad industry operations and managment (RFofE) I found the the GG1 was quite a piece of machinery. I worked on the NE corridor (CNJ NYLB) in to Harrison N.J. from So Amboy and later on in my career I finally made it on Amtrak. I had a system job (Supervisior of locomotive operating procedures) kind of a Road Foreman of engines, that caused me to be on the head end everywhere. My favorite was the GG1 that I grew up with living in New Jersey and working for the DL&W. I always wanted to run one to Washington which at Amtrak I had plenty of times to do this.One of my Friday evening jaunt to Chicago (where I lived at the time) was the Broadway Limited out of Washington we had a GG1 from Washington to Harrisburg with Bob Nance or Sam Hanlen (the Engineers). They would ask me if I wanted to run (I would have cried if he didn't) so he would go over to the firemans position and away we would go. The GG1 had a 22 notch throttle and 24 rl Brake equipment and a fold up seat that didn't fit my skinny *** and it was hard. there were 3 Amp gauges that you had to watch when throttling out as you would kick out the overload relay in the front nose. you had to shut off the blower to get in there and it was dirty as hell. When throttling down the tap switches would pop like popcorn popping arcing in the are chutes. You could see this arcing through a window in the contactor transformer room WHAT A SOUND THIS MACHINE WOULD PUT OUT AT 90 MPH. I had a steam boiler on it and a huge air compressor all this noise together at 90 made a great sound that I will never forget. The throttle was responsive to the 12 traction motors. The locomotive road like a cadalliac and could handle the 16 cars we had with ease. I had the window open and you could put your arm on a bar and it was comfortable. So between 90 mph and signals droping and the train control blowing and hitting the speed reset on the floor thare was a lot to do all the time you couldn't sit still. I used to watch the rear pantograph arcing at night. This locomotive was alive and I can now in my semi retirement years breath a sigh of relief that I did run my favorite locomotive with out working for the Pennsylvania Railroad.taloowpot
In my 54 years in the Railroad industry operations and managment (RFofE) I found the the GG1 was quite a piece of machinery. I worked on the NE corridor (CNJ NYLB) in to Harrison N.J. from So Amboy and later on in my career I finally made it on Amtrak. I had a system job (Supervisior of locomotive operating procedures) kind of a Road Foreman of engines, that caused me to be on the head end everywhere. My favorite was the GG1 that I grew up with living in New Jersey and working for the DL&W. I always wanted to run one to Washington which at Amtrak I had plenty of times to do this.One of my Friday evening jaunt to Chicago (where I lived at the time) was the Broadway Limited out of Washington we had a GG1 from Washington to Harrisburg with Bob Nance or Sam Hanlen (the Engineers). They would ask me if I wanted to run (I would have cried if he didn't) so he would go over to the firemans position and away we would go. The GG1 had a 22 notch throttle and 24 rl Brake equipment and a fold up seat that didn't fit my skinny *** and it was hard. there were 3 Amp gauges that you had to watch when throttling out as you would kick out the overload relay in the front nose. you had to shut off the blower to get in there and it was dirty as hell. When throttling down the tap switches would pop like popcorn popping arcing in the are chutes. You could see this arcing through a window in the contactor transformer room WHAT A SOUND THIS MACHINE WOULD PUT OUT AT 90 MPH. I had a steam boiler on it and a huge air compressor all this noise together at 90 made a great sound that I will never forget. The throttle was responsive to the 12 traction motors. The locomotive road like a cadalliac and could handle the 16 cars we had with ease. I had the window open and you could put your arm on a bar and it was comfortable. So between 90 mph and signals droping and the train control blowing and hitting the speed reset on the floor thare was a lot to do all the time you couldn't sit still. I used to watch the rear pantograph arcing at night. This locomotive was alive and I can now in my semi retirement years breath a sigh of relief that I did run my favorite locomotive with out working for the Pennsylvania Railroad.
taloowpot
This seems to be something that has been lost in American culture: the object that is OVER-engineered and far outlasts its projected life (the Eads Bridge in St. Louis is another example). Seems today so many things are engineered under over-optimistic assumptions about the kind of work lives they'll lead and then the people are shocked when they last half to two-thirds of those projected lives. - a. s.
THANKS FOR THE COME BACK, I'LL GIVE IT A TRY.
ERNIE
I believe the GG-1 used a quill traction motor not unlike that on the Pennsy MP 54, and they were also noted for their incredible acceleration -- said to be distinctly unpleasant when they really cranked it up. And if a GG-1 was in charge of a train of express and headend cars (i.e., no passengers to worry about but a tight schedule to maintain) I suspect they let her rip.
This is somewhat off topic, and we all know how dangerous THAT can be, but at the Chicago & North Western Historical Society convention in Green Bay a few years ago, we dined twice (one was a picnic the other a full banquet) at the Green Bay Railroad Museum -- directly in front of -- more like directly below -- the beautifully painted and restored GG-1, UP Big Boy, and British "General Eisenhower" 4-6-2 and passenger train, not to mention a M&St L Alco. The headlights and class lights were all lit up, the "Titletown Brewery" beer and root beer was flowing, and an exquiste scratch built C&NW Class H 4-8-4 in 1" scale had just been presented to the museum and was on display. The dinner conversation was all about trains with intelligent and informed fellow railfans. Those were two nights to remember. If you cared to step outside for a breath of fresh air on a lovely spring evening for $20 you could be the engineer on a full size Alco switcher in fresh C&NW paint with train around the one mile loop over a bridge and near the river. And riding was free including on an Illinois Central caboose.
Nights like those make it seem like railfanning and model railroading are the world's greatest hobby, to coin a phrase.
When you have several 1000 people getting out of a football game. The railroad wanted to get them out as fastas they could. Back then they moved people and did it.
Tampa Airport people movers, You hung on for the first half as it accelerated and the second half as it decelerated.
Even today when you ride the South Shore You have to hold on as it accelerates.
But what they did before they do not now.
AS I STATED "COULD". All I was doing was commenting on the power of the GG1s. NITPICK else where. That is why they make babys use baby seats and Airline and car have seatbelts.
spikejones52002 wrote: I read at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago Il. That a GG1 with about a fully loaded set of a dozen passenger cars could hit 100 MPH in just over 1 minute.
I read at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago Il. That a GG1 with about a fully loaded set of a dozen passenger cars could hit 100 MPH in just over 1 minute.
While such a feat may well be physically possible based on the short-term ratings of the locomotive, it would be not unlike a takeoff run in a 737 at Midway and not very comfortable for the passengers.
Let's all calm down, fellows! There is after all a decent chance that the GG-1 at the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay got there by way of the CNW lake shore line that goes through ... Fox Point WI! So you see there is no such thing as an off topic post. Maybe.
Meanwhile I am STILL unable to come up with a floor plan for the GG-1.
Mickey you can email me at engine1385@aol.com
Dave
lonewoof wrote: Safety Valve wrote: PM or email the man directly. Dont be plastering threads with such personal off topic stuff.No, I will not excuse this. So what are you, the Forum police? Who cares whether you "excuse" this or not?
Safety Valve wrote: PM or email the man directly. Dont be plastering threads with such personal off topic stuff.No, I will not excuse this.
PM or email the man directly. Dont be plastering threads with such personal off topic stuff.
No, I will not excuse this.
So what are you, the Forum police? Who cares whether you "excuse" this or not?
Your protest noted. I dont expect this thread to survive much further. what a waste.
Safety Valve wrote:PM or email the man directly. Dont be plastering threads with such personal off topic stuff.No, I will not excuse this.
Remember: In South Carolina, North is southeast of Due West... HIOAg /Bill
mickey4479 wrote:Please excuse this off topic note to dknelson. I note from your profile you live in Fox Point. I used to live on Navajo Rd., attended Fox Point in 8th grade, went to Nicolet HS, attended Marquette U for a year before relocating. The ice rink and skiing were high points for me.
Here is a link to a site that has a cab interior picture. I have thus far been unable to find a drawing of the interior layout
http://www.rrmuseumpa.org/about/roster/gg1.htm
i am trying to locate a detailed interior floor plan for a prr gg1 loco, i hope someone can steer me in the right direction,
thank you,
PRR
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