matching up a GG1 and passenger coaches

Just a suggestion; why not get a GG1 in the "Brunswick Green" styling, i.e. DGLE (Dark Green Locomotive Enamel), which most of the real GG1s were painted, then it will more correctly match your PRR Madison coaches? I believe there were only 10 real GG1s painted in the "tuscan red" styling, and those were primarily used to pull the Broadway Limited anyway.

For a little back history, GG1 4877 only wore Tuscan red when it was repainted by NJ Transit in 1982 to that paint scheme.  During it's PRR service life 4877 only wore 5 and single stripe DGLE.  It should be noted that no Tuscan PRR locomotive received gold stripes.  When Tuscan red was introduced to the locomotive fleet in 1952, gold leaf was dropped in favor of "Dulux Gold" or simply what we all call yellow.

This only becomes relevant because NJT's repainted version was a little redder than what was seen of the 10 Tuscan GG1s of 1952 and 1953 that received the the Tuscan 5 stripe scheme.  4877 was even referred to as "Big Red" during it's brief tenure in Tuscan.  It ran regularly in service pulling streamlined fluted and smooth side cars in the NJDOT logo scheme and the NJT Disco Stripe Scheme.  The NJ Commuters Club did own a PRR P70 coach painted in Tuscan that rode first car behind the locomotive once north bound and once south bound per day. It was a touch redder than what Tuscan looked like in the 1950's.  This lasted until October 1983 when all GG1s were retired.

As for cars, the Tuscan paint was not for the Broadway Limited, it was intended to match the new Congressional and Senator Budd cars of 1952.   

Having said that, practically any Tuscan GG1 could have been assigned to any train that ran from Washington DC to NYC.  On the locomotive track at Sunnyside, first GG1 off the track got the assignment.  As a result cars from the Southern, Atlantic Coast Line, RF&P, Seaboard, and PRR would have been pulled by a GG1 from the south and likewise several New Haven trains would originate on the PRR from NYC.

Not to completely bore you with details, but in the later years Amtrak GG1s sometimes got assigned to NJDOT shore service trains while NJDOT GG1s got assigned to Northeast Corridor Trains.

I haven't been able to locate a Brunswick  green 027 GG1 that has the modern, Lionel remote control, bluetooth, etc. capabilities.

You may consider looking for some aluminum streamlined coaches in Tuscan Red that the PRR painted all is smooth side coaches.  The 15" K-Line ones come up on that auction site fairly frequently and are really nice cars.  They are more brown than red though.  How important is the locomotive matching the colors of the cars to you?  The post-war Congressional cars would be excellent candidates to go with this locomotive.  I believe the set has been reissued. 

@cpasam posted:

I haven't been able to locate a Brunswick  green 027 GG1 that has the modern, Lionel remote control, bluetooth, etc. capabilities.

Latest Green & Brown LC+ 2.0 GG1s in stock according to Sidetrack Hobbies' website.

2034010 - Green #4935

2034020 - Brown #4877

Can someone please confirm that the LC+ 2.0 GG1s, 2034010 and 2034020 have diecast bodies and have 2 motors?

Thanks so much!

K-Line made 15-inch Fleet of Modernism aluminum, streamlined cars that go great with a semi-scale GG1 (available in two sets of four, K-4580D and K-4580E).  K-Line also made even smaller, O-27-sized 13.5-inch Fleet of Modernism cars (K-4580F), complete with detailed interiors and passengers.

If your goal is a set of heavyweights, K-Line also made semi-scale heavyweight cars that were 15 inches long, available in a four-pack (K-4880A for Tuscan, or K-4880B for Brunswick Green), and add-on two-pack (K-4880E for Tuscan, or K-4880F for Brunswick Green).  They were nicely detailed heavyweights with silhouette figures.

Harder to find are the K-Line Madison Avenue sets, K-4880C and K-4880D, which are also 15-inch heavyweights, but with detailed interiors and passenger figures.  They came in a set with a "Black Jack" semi-scale GG1 in Brunswick Green with TMCC and RailSounds (K-1205).

Frankly, the command-equipped K-Line semi-scale GG1s are outstanding -- die-cast bodies with two can motors that can pull stumps (I believe one popular train magazine reviewer opined they were better than Lionel's PWC or Century Club GG1 offerings) -- but they do not carry the Bluetooth option you are looking for.

You can search for K-Line Legacy and find a website which carries information about many of its offerings.

David

I have too many GG1s including Lionel's & K-Line semi-scale as well as the Lionel Visionline scale.

I mostly run the K-Lines... very, very good pullers ...16 die cast freight (ore & tankers) or 10 car 15" Congressional passenger consist up 2.2% grade without breaking a sweat. They crawl like the Visionline and are very quiet.  The detailing is far superior and prototypical when compared to the Lionel semi(s).  The K-Line tower/crew talk is very limited as they are with the Lionel semis.  They run flawlessly with the Cab2 remote... I do not have Cab1.  Here is my lineup...

K-LINE K2780-4935 Black Jack GG1 *5 Stripe* Can Motors & TMCC (2001)

K-Line K2780-4892RS Brunswick GG1 *5 Stripe* Can Motors & TMCC (2001)

K-LINE K2780-4907 Tuscan GG1 *1 Stripe* Can Motors & TMCC (2001)

They were not expensive... used, sub-200 ...that includes tax & shipping.

cpasam,

I’ve got a set of the K-Line K-4880A Tuscan heavyweight passenger cars I’d  be willing to sell if your interested.

@Dennis-LaRock posted:

I have too many GG1s including Lionel's & K-Line semi-scale as well as the Lionel Visionline scale.

Heresy!  One cannot have too many GG1s. 

Now if you want to go something contemporary  to the late 70's up to Oct. 10, 1980 do not forget F.O.G.G.  F.O.G.G. got permission in 1977 from Amtrak to take their GG1 4935 and repaint it to its original 5-stripe DGLE.  Some up grades  were made so it could run the line.  Amtrak had it in service until Oct. 10, 1980.  So you could duplicate running 4935 DBLE with Amtrak passenger cars.

Ron

I also would like to know if the baby GG1 from 2019, 027 capable, #2034020 and similar, has two motors.

No where does it say so in any documentation that I have read.

I called Lionel today and was told that "the" person who has that answer is off today, but they will call me back.