AMTRAK GG-1

pdxtrains posted:

Am I correct that Amtrak used GG1 as motive power early on, and that the passenger cars would be phase 1 or even rainbow mix and match from other lines?

Yes.

Thanks!

I think if you research the GG1 it does mention that,very cool information to have on my favorite the GG1 for sure. 

Amtrak painted a few GG1s in a rather not too nice paint scheme.  It wouldn't have been too ugly if they had taken a bit more interest in the job and tapered the blue stripe similar to what the Pennsy did with their gold stripe.  

I know some find it ugly, I rather like it :-)

Toward the end of the GG1’s they occasionally handled consists of Amfleet cars. Amtrak had a few head-end generator cars that made this possible. IIRC this is illustrated on one of the Amtrak calendars. 

The GN Man posted:

Toward the end of the GG1’s they occasionally handled consists of Amfleet cars. Amtrak had a few head-end generator cars that made this possible. IIRC this is illustrated on one of the Amtrak calendars. 

By Amfleet, you mean phase 1 design? 

To each his own, but I think the scale Weaver "Bloody-nose" GG1 is a thing of surpassing beauty - see attached photos.  It is also quite rare.

David

David98 posted:

To each his own, but I think the scale Weaver "Bloody-nose" GG1 is a thing of surpassing beauty - see attached photos.  It is also quite rare.

David

Weaver did what Amtrak didn't.  They tapered the blue stripe at each end.  It makes for a more graceful appearance.

pdxtrains posted:

Am I correct that Amtrak used GG1 as motive power early on, and that the passenger cars would be phase 1 or even rainbow mix and match from other lines?

Not trying to be a wise guy but a google search brings up lots of good info on Amtrak G's including some you tube videos!

If you don't like the Amtrak scheme of silver, blue and red, there are others: 

A trio of woulda, shoulda, coulda's from my files:

Rusty

I liked the Amtrak Bloody Nose scheme.  It brought back some much needed color to the GG1. 

Amtrak has good success with the GG1s overall.  They simply did the same job the PRR designed them for day in and day out.  They outperformed the ill fated E60CP and CH electrics.  When the Metroliner cars were withdrawn from NEC service, the GG1 was assigned to Metroliner service with Amfleet cars and were carded at their fastest speed ever for regular service at 100 mph. Even when the AEM7 came along that ultimately replaced the GG1, a single AEM7 couldn't pull the heavy through trains.  When the GG1 was officially retired from Amtrak in 1981, two AEM7s or a single E60 were assigned to the long distance trains on the NEC.   The ACS64 is truly the first electric that outperformed the GG1 in every way.  We won't discuss the HHP8 other than to say it was less than satisfactory.

Also, don't forget the 1977 restoration to PRR DGLE and 5 stripes for 4935.  It operated in those colors until the end of GG1 service on Amtrak.

I have my own fantasy scheme I came up with years ago for an Amtrak GG1. 

Very Nice!!

I like the rendition done by GG14877.  Very nice.  I've posted these in other threads but here they are once more.  Both of the repainted 4935.  Both taken some time in 1978 or '79 by me.

In the first picture I was standing on a plate girder bridge in Tacony.  I rested the camera on the bridge and shot the photo.  I had a closer shot that got lost somewhere in 35mm slide heaven.  The second shot was taken from the parking lot at 30th Street Station.   

Not to change the subject, but I think the striping on PRR #4829 is the most elegant of any on a GG1. Model is an older MTH PS2.

MELGAR

Rusty Traque posted:

A trio of woulda, shoulda, coulda's from my files:

Rusty

In the late 1970's or early 1980's, TYCO released a "GG1" in a scheme similar to the bottom one you have here.  They had it separately and part of a Broadway Limited set.

I put the loco designation in quotes because only the body resembled it in any way...

MELGAR posted:

Not to change the subject, but I think the striping on PRR #4829 is the most elegant of any on a GG1. Model is an older MTH PS2.

MELGAR

I like this version also.  The lettering is simple, as Raymond Lowey first designed it. I believe it's the "Futura" font.  

Eddie Marra posted:

Rusty Traque posted:

A trio of woulda, shoulda, coulda's from my files:

Rusty

In the late 1970's or early 1980's, TYCO released a "GG1" in a scheme similar to the bottom one you have here.  They had it separately and part of a Broadway Limited set.

I put the loco designation in quotes because only the body resembled it in any way...

As we used to say, so callously, when we were but young men, "It looks like it was hit with the ugly stick"

Dan,

When we had our hobby shop, my dad used to tell people to think of them as the unused prototypes for the P-5a Modifieds!

The weird thing was, when we were sold out of the AHM GG-1s, people would buy the TYCO!  They actually sold in fair numbers in our shop!  I don't know if it was due to people having more difficulty putting the regular amount of wheels on the track, but for some reason, some folks liked them!

Even when we had the Pemco brand in (which used the same general molds as AHM), people would go for the TYCO one!

Ed,

The first time I saw one was at Broadbent's Hobby Shop in Huntingdon Valley, Pa.  There was an "N" scale GG1 I had my eye on, but it was $40.00.  My new wife just gave me a look that said NO.  He also had the Tyco version.  Of course it was beneath my dignity to give it a second glance.....LOL

ALL actual GG1's, in ANY livery, are very cool!

Dan Padova posted:

Ed,

 

The first time I saw one was at Broadbent's Hobby Shop in Huntingdon Valley, Pa.  There was an "N" scale GG1 I had my eye on, but it was $40.00.  My new wife just gave me a look that said NO.  He also had the Tyco version.  Of course it was beneath my dignity to give it a second glance.....LOL

Dan,

You may have been looking at the Arnold N (Rapido) GG-1!  My first layout was a small N layout, and that was one of my main engines for it, one in Brunswick Green.  

It was the first time I marveled at the ability to get things like the PRR striping so crisply and nicely done on a small scale!

645 posted:

Eddie Marra posted:

Rusty Traque posted:

Rusty

In the late 1970's or early 1980's, TYCO released a "GG1" in a scheme similar to the bottom one you have here.  They had it separately and part of a Broadway Limited set.

I put the loco designation in quotes because only the body resembled it in any way...

Tyco also did a New Haven GG1 but somehow missed doing one in Penn Central which probably would have been interesting since they did a bunch of PC diesels in Jade Green! 

Anyway here's an image of some Tyco GG1's:  

And since someone probably will be curious to see Tyco's version of Penn Central in Jade Green here ya go!

A big green Penn Central GG1 would be too much - makes Amtrak's "W.C. Fields'" silver/red/blue scheme look elegant!

 

GG1 4877 posted:

 

I have my own fantasy scheme I came up with years ago for an Amtrak GG1. 

Looks like all 'GG1 4877' did to create this modern liveried Amtrak version was to strip the PRR lettering from a silver/red one and add the current Amtrak logo - it's that similar!

TYCO also had their F7s (or were they F9s?) in that Jade Green as well!

If memory serves, there was also a 4935 "Blackjack" styled one offered by TYCO as well.  We had them all save for the New Haven one.  My dad loved Penn Line's fantasy NH GG-1, but drew the line at selling the TYCO version!

Some model GG1 manufacturers obviously got a little too creative in designing their versions of this iconic locomotive!  LOL!

GG1 4877 posted:

 

I have my own fantasy scheme I came up with years ago for an Amtrak GG1. 

Looks like all 'GG1 4877' did to create this modern liveried Amtrak version was to strip the PRR lettering from a silver/red one and add the current Amtrak logo - it's that similar!

That is exactly what I did!  It's Photoshopped on my Weaver 4866.  It even looks good in this scheme;

Regarding the Tyco GG1, I have two in my collection of GG1s, had to add them simply for their oddity.  Mine are PRR 5 stripe and Silver single stripe.  With over 60 GG1s in O, HO, and N, they certainly standout in their own odd kind of way.  

Don't forget Penn-Line's contributions from 1955-1962 in HO.  They also featured some interesting schemes including Great Northern and New Haven.  The classic 1955 model though is the Tuscan Red 5 stripe numbered 4877.  Who would have guessed that NJT would paint the real one in that scheme in 1982?

645: Please do not insult the late, great W.C. Fields - I am a huge fan of his work! 

645 posted:

Might not have been so bad on a GG1 if there was a solid stripe in white like on the PRR's late 1960's scheme. Too bad PC didn't have a white stripe on their GG1 scheme - know a few kept their PRR yellow stripes as shown elsewhere in this thread and online.

4804 managed to keep it's DGLE 5 Stripe Scheme with Pennsylvania still on the side until 1974!  The road number escapes me now, but another GG1 kept the 5 stripes and had the mating worms stencil in the bottom center.

How are the Williams GG1s as conventional runners? Anybody have one on the layout and can shoot some video, or comment on how you like them? :-)

The TYCO version of the "GG1" was based on a real design by the Baldwin locomotive works for the Pennsy  it was a diesel it never went into production,a picture can be found on page 324 of PENNSY POWER III by Alvin F Stauffer   ISBN 0-944513-10-7 ...  

pdxtrains posted:

How are the Williams GG1s as conventional runners? Anybody have one on the layout and can shoot some video, or comment on how you like them? :-)

 

 

The Williams GG1s are excellent.  I don't have video of mine running, but I have three that I have been very pleased with.  The only difference is they don't quite have the pulling power as some of the others due to the plastic body on the scale version.  However they double head very nicely.  Smooth runners like you'd expect from a Williams product.

Dan. Great picture from Tacony. My parents moved from there right after I was born partially due to the fact the tracks were right behind our house. Saw a GG1 a couple of years ago at 30th street. Couldn't believe how great it looked in person. 

Eddie Marra posted:

Dan Padova posted:

Ed,

 

The first time I saw one was at Broadbent's Hobby Shop in Huntingdon Valley, Pa.  There was an "N" scale GG1 I had my eye on, but it was $40.00.  My new wife just gave me a look that said NO.  He also had the Tyco version.  Of course it was beneath my dignity to give it a second glance.....LOL

Dan,

You may have been looking at the Arnold N (Rapido) GG-1!  My first layout was a small N layout, and that was one of my main engines for it, one in Brunswick Green.  

It was the first time I marveled at the ability to get things like the PRR striping so crisply and nicely done on a small scale!

Yes, it most likely was the Arnold Rapido GG1.  A. R. was my first foray into "N" scale at the age of fifteen.  My father went with me to Jenkintown Hobby Shop, in you guessed it, Jenkintown, Pa. and bought me a starter set of Arnold Rapido.  It had a switcher and a few freight cars, along with track and transformer.  I stayed with "N" scale until I got married.  Then my interests turned to other things.....LOL  I didn't get back to the hobby for another five years or so, and went with Lionel "O".    

Lennyski posted:

Dan. Great picture from Tacony. My parents moved from there right after I was born partially due to the fact the tracks were right behind our house. Saw a GG1 a couple of years ago at 30th street. Couldn't believe how great it looked in person. 

I recall the first time I went down to Tacony to photograph trains on the NE corridor.  I wasn't too far from the tracks and a GG1 came along pulling a passenger train.  What a feeling !   It felt like the ground was shaking.  I suppose only us in the hobby would understand what it feels like to be up close and personal with trains.   

Something I found while doing a search for GG1s.  This is getting comical.  

Here’s a very smooth running K Line GG1 heading up a passenger train to Yankee stadium:

This K Line GG1 also has sounds which I turned off so as not to wake up my wife.

Arnold

Here’s a still shot of the K Line GG1:

Here’s the Friday Front End shot:

Now that my wife has awakened, here is a short video of the K Line GG1 with sounds:

Hey, GG1 4877, how about the UP 49er color scheme with brown, yellow and red accents on your photoshopped GG1?  

Or the Milwaukee Road orange and maroon scheme?  Are you taking requests?

DAB