GG1 in service?

[Anonymous]

first let me say that you can find a ton of european railpicts at the following url: http://mercurio.iet.unipi.it/ the Austrain 1020 is an ecellent example of the Eurpean Crocodile. they where build in the late 30's when Austra was unfortinatly under german controll so they also apperared on the german railways.
Back to the GG1s they could probily run with the electrifcation scheem north of Penn Station.

[oltmannd]

It would be a stretch calling it a rebuild. All you'd be saving from the original would be the carbody and, perhaps, the truck frames. It would cost more than a new electric loco of similar capacity because you'd have to build some one-of-a-kind traction motors for it.

[oltmannd]

I'm no expert at quill drives, but I beleive the quill is a hollow shaft with the axle inside it. This hollow shaft is either the motor armature shaft itself or is drive by the motor(s). I think the GG1s had 2 motors per axle. The quill pushes against spokes on the wheels to transmit the motor torque to the wheel. If you look closely at a GG1 picture, you can see the quill pads against the wheel spokes.

[Anonymous]

Hmmmmm, velly interstink... vill have to look into dis.... :-)

[Anonymous]

I beleive the German class 118 electric units had similar quil type drives to the GG-1.

[Anonymous]

Jim,
Depends how long its been since you've been here.
I havn't been on the R5 since I graduated from Temple U. in 1995, but I know I've seen the AEM7s running push-pull on the express trains during rush hour.
I also understand that the Lansdale station has been renovated so it probably looks a little less like a scene from an old Russian movie inside, with its leaking stained glass windows and wishful-thinking radiators making people think the waiting room's heated.
In Doylestown, the freight house has been skinned, its steel trusses and columns waiting for new sheathing and new life as a brew-pub. I'll have to drive by tonight and see what it looks like, the last time I remember checking it out was in the summer.
Generally, the line has been modernized, the stretch from Lansdale to Gladwynnne doesn't shake your breakfast out of your stomach any more, and the platforms have all gotten ADA-compliant wheelchair loading platforms.
Lastly, the old Silverliners are sporting a stylin' new red-fade-to-blue stripe along the windows, and of course ditch lights bolted to the front of the old MU cars.
Eric from Doylestown

[Anonymous]

For those interested, there is a GG-1 parked in a CSX yard on the south side of Baltimore. I have no idea why it is there but it has been there for quite some time. It was dark when I saw it so I could not discern what color or roadname it was wearing. Bill

[Anonymous]

steamlocomotive.com has info on the GG1 as well it even has the survivors listed as well

[Anonymous]

that "GG-1" probibuly be the B&O r.r. museums. the roster of the colection shows two. csx is probibuly storing it there untill they reroof the place. i think that is the right answer. farmall kid

[Anonymous]

There are existant GG-1's all over the country. The GG-1 was a classic, but, and don't take this the wrong way, I think it is the most "over-preserved" locomotive ever, considering its original home territory. The last I knew, there were at least two of them in the Illinois/Wisconsin area alone. Far removed from ex-Pennsy catenary. But, it's better to have them, than not have them, no matter where they may be. Now here is a suggestion. One of these traction museums should juice up their overhead wires with the proper current to allow one of the big G's to move again under its own power. Just a thought........
Todd C.

[eolafan]

Todd, you are correct, the two GG1's in the Midwest are at the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, IL and the other is in the National Railway Museum in Green Bay, WI. I agree that seeing a G motor under wire again would be cool, but not likely to happen (the IRM has some wire hung and run some of their electric motors during warmer weather, but not the GG1).

[dknelson]

The Illinois Railroad Museum wire has standard trolley voltage -- maybe 600 volts. I doubt if the GG1 could do much with that even assuming it is in running order. By the way they also have a South Shore Little Joe, another large and interesting electric. Speaking of which the museum in Duluth has a Milwaukee Road boxcab that is also an imrpessive sight
Dave Nelson