Scale GG1 Comparison - GG1s live on!

I know that is a post from September, but I just wanted to mention that I had my JLC GG1 running on O-60 fastrack curves at the last club show I was at.  I had to take it easy on the speed and it's front truck derailed a couple times (out of a bunch of laps), but it did take them OK.

Some recent images of what passes for a layout.  This scene will be disappearing soon in favor of a new layout that actually runs. 

Now the 4876bpre or post WUS incident?  And I thought you had a running layout!  Have you modeled the BDD dual powered engines yet? (APL45DP's?)

The 4876 got painted in Tuscan red right after repairs from its close encounter with Washington Union Station.  It was 5 stripe DGLE prior to the incident, so you can date any photos of this one in Tuscan Red to be 1953 or later.  Not sure when it got single stripe DGLE, but probably in the late 50's.  Anyone know for sure?

The layout is being removed in favor of a two rail layout focusing on the NY&LB circa 1955ish.  Starting modules for this soon I hope as I'm about ready to purchase track.  I haven't had much time for anything NJT lately. 

Two GG's I shot last week at Strasburg:

Can't ever get enough ....

Jonathan-

I think we both need to head to rehab. You for your Pennsylvania GG1 and me for the Northern Pacific and Milwaueke Road!!   

 

Now the real gem is the Amtrak E60 hiding behind the Pennsy GG1!!

 

 

This one:

Various companies have made them in N scale. Have 2 made in Germany from early 1980's and even back then were somewhat pricey at $150+ and up. But great detail even by today's standards and some, like the ones I have. were made to be powered by either track or overhead wiring.

Could PRR 4935 under Amtrak be the first "Heritage Unit"?

I love this tread, My son in law just purchased two Williams GG1 for 150.00 each, very nice engines.

The problem I have with them are the lights, you really have to pure on the power to get the headlight to come on nicely, the train must be moving about 100 scale MPG, or put a hundred cast Iron cars behind it to light the light.

Kato will release American Railroad GG1 N gauge with FARR intake filters

Accepting Pre-orders through October 5th for an early December delivery!

Kobo Custom order on Kato website.

JohnnyJT

South Philly

A couple of videos of my JLC 4925 running last weekend at the Scottsdale Railroad Park.

Hopefully this thread will continue through 2013!  

I'm up to 3 Williams GG1's thanks to Trainworld blowouts!

So I finally broke down and put one of these on my shelf.  An original 2332.  Does that make me an official collector now?   I have intentions of actually running it.  Picked it up at a local auction for a very favorable price.  I like it unrestored like this, but you never know.  I might someday have a proper restoration done.

I don't think you're an officila GG-1 collector until you have one of those Lionel (not copies) units.

Restore it to like when it came out of its box on Christmas morning.  Opinion.

Here's my roster of N scale GG1s built by Kato. Kato uses photographs of the actual models on its website so I have used those pictures for my post:

Any GG1 is a good GG1.

Bob

Great find Jon.Yes,you are now a "Offical postwar Lionel collector".

I finally got a MTH HO Brunswick SS... Real Nice!

And just tonight snagged a MTH O GG1 Amtrak Black

I just Love GG1s 

JohnnyJT  

South Philly

Wow!  This has been an extremely interesting thread.  And the depth of knowledge and experience is fantastic!  It meant almost an hour to go through, but it was time well spent. 

I didn't notice any mention of any S scale GG1's, though.  Those of you who collect all gauges must have overlooked it.  American Models in South Lyon, Michigan has a few versions that are not only good looking, but great runners.  In fact, it was the green 5 stripe version that got me back into S scale almost 15 years ago.  That motor is still running on my layout.  Here's a few photos from the American Models' website (I hope I did it right):

Jerry Poniatowski

Wayne, Michigan

Thanks for posting the S scale GG1s!  No intention to slight them here at all.  I don't have any in my collection, but my dad has a few now that he has discovered S scale after a lifetime in HO.

No slight was taken.  All trains are cool, and the GG1 is outstanding in any scale.

Looking at the shape your motor is in, if it were mine, I'd do a restoration on it.  A friend of mine who's in O had a much worse one, and now it looks great.  Those things run great too. So when the S versions appeared, I just HAD to get one. 

Pass along my best to your dad.  The switch to S from HO is a logical one, being that the old eyes like the larger size better.  But it does not always happen simply because people have too much invested in one scale to switch to another. 

BTW, the American Models version can negotiate Gilbert curves, and can be configured to operate under catenary.  Maybe some day...

Jerry

Here's an item in my collection which I'm sure other GG1 fans will appreciate. As many will recall, thanks to the cooperation of Amtrak and enthusiast organizations, the 4935 was restored to its original PRR livery in 1977. On May 15th of that year, the locomotive was unveiled in a public ceremony at Washington Union Station. Yours truly and several friends took the Night Owl from Trenton to WUS to participate in the festivities. Among the honored guests was Mr. Raymond Loewy, the industrial designer credited with streamlining the G's appearance. Before the ceremony started, Mr. Loewy was gracious enough to stand next to the locomotive and receive visitors. After shaking his hand, I asked him if he would be kind enough to sign my program. A treasured momento, the program is now framed and hanging in my train room.

I also had my picture taken with Mr. Loewy in front of the locomotive. For a teenager fascinated with railroading, life couldn't get much better than that.

Bob

Hi guys.....newbie here !!

          I have a question for you all....I have a 1981 Lionel/MPC GG-1 "4935" that I am running.....and it runs great....I recently got the complete 8 car Congressional set and when I have all 8 cars on my track ( 40" X 60" oval) it runs slow as snot.....almost stopping....it seems like the engine loses power and cannot pull all that weight...which is weird because GG-1's are supposed to be able to pull stumps out of the ground.

any idea what could be causing this ??  I cleaned all the GG-1's wheels....I have all brand new O gauge track and it was all cleaned & degreased with 91% rubbing alcohol before I ran anything on it...and all the joints are tight...I am using a mint 1033 90w transformer and there is no power loss on the track.

could it be an engine problem ?? any idea what I should be looking for ??

Chucklbunny 

First question is what kind of track you might have.  Just to make sure it's a track compatible with the Magnatraction the Lionel GG1 uses for traction to pull any decent amount of weight.

it's all Lionel O gauge tubular track...brandy new !

I should also mention that by itself it FLIES around the track...and if I add 5 O-27 cars from the NYC set it still flies...but those heavy congressional cars dog it out.

It points to the engine in that case, my 80's GG1 is deep in storage but I'm sure others on the forum will have the answer you need.

Perhaps the voltage required to light those eight passenger cars is too much of a drain on your power source or even the loco's engine. Try running it with 7 cars, then 6, then 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 to see  whether there's an incremental increase in speed for each car deleied. Or since it runs fine solo, try adding on one car at a time to see what happens. 

I will try that tonight....my question is how big of a transformer would I need to run all the cars ? - 7 of them are illuminated...and I have a 90w one right now.....how big do I need to go ??

Chucklbunny:

Your 1033 is not adequate for the consist in question. Go with the KW or ZW - preferably the ZW - and you'll be fine. If you're planning to go to two train operation at some point, you'll definitely want the ZW. A long train of lighted aluminum cars pulled by a G equipped with twin open frame motors needs a lot of power.

Good luck,

Bob

A big thanks to Kenn & Bob....it was a lack of power.

I tried Kenn's idea....and it got slower when I added car after car. So I pulled out every bulb and it ran perfect...no slow down.

sigh...now I gotta raid the kids college fund and get a bigger transformer...I might as well go BIG so I don't run into this issue again.

Thanks guys !! I appreciate the help !

Chucklbunny: You might try changing the bulbs for LED's too.

A fantastic thread, on a fantastic locomotive!

 A lot to read and see here!

Also, a lot to learn. One thing that surprised me was the slight difference in length on the JLC version versus the MTH, Weaver and Williams. But, that isn't a show stopper for me. The GG-1 being one of only two PRR locomotives that I would one day like to own. And, with the prices being offered for the Williams pieces, it might be hard to say no. {To find the JLC version would be sweet though!}.

Here's to the Timeless Styling of the GG-1!

GG1-4877,

   Still a great thread and very educational, especially for us guys who were drafted into the military and actually road the cars being pulled by the big GG1's in the Harrisburg, Pa area.

PCRR/Dave

Just received two more MTH PS3 HOs

I hope MTH offers Amtrak Black GG1 

JohnnyJT

A fourth of July update featuring my 3rd Rail 4800 "Rivets" on my "new" modular layout in my train room.  It is great just to get this monster running finally!  A video is in order. 

That is a very colorful G.  I particularly like the silver undercarraige.  I'd be in for a JLC version.