PRR GG1

The class GG1 Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR ) was at its emergence as one of the fastest electric locomotives in the world. Due to its extraordinary design it is also considered one of the finest. The locomotives were almost 50 years the backbone of the people rapid transit in the Northeast Corridor of the United States.

Formation

The Pennsylvania Railroad was looking early 1930s a replacement for the electric locomotives of the P5, as these were not suitable for fast passenger service. Before the construction contracts were awarded by the building of two prototypes. A locomotive wheel arrangement received the 2'Do2 ' and was referred to as row R1 and a style similar to the EP -3 of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad locomotive with the wheel arrangement 2'Co'Co'2 ' ( GG1 ). Both vehicles possessed a largely identical streamlined structure with central cabs. After running the tests, it was decided that the locomotives in the wheel arrangement ( 2'Co ) to obtain (Co2 '). The chief designer of the PRR, Raymond Loewy, was commissioned to revise the locomotive. Since it could not be changed much on the locomotive body, were his only corrections that the locomotive body of the series locomotives welded instead of riveted was. He also created a coloring with five longitudinal stripes.

Technical information

A GG1 was 24.3 m long and weighed approximately 216 tons. Locomotives had a frame, which was covered with welded steel sheets. The leaders of the houses were moved to the center to provide the crew a higher safety in an accident. To improve the visibility level of the cabin windows, the front nose was designed narrower. The vehicle has had the entire length at the same height in order to secure the current collectors. The entire structure was aerodynamically rounded.

The structure was mounted on two large, made ​​of cast steel locomotive frames that were hung together to move in the middle. An exchange of the two chassis parts was possible.

The six driving axles were arranged in two racks in the middle of the locomotive. Two bogies were at the two ends, each with two synchronized axes. According to the classification of locomotive PRR locomotives were 2'C the series designation G. Consequently, the locomotives were referred to as "GG ".

Each axis was powered by two 288 kW GEA -627 -A1 electric motors. The power transmission was done with a reduction gear and a Westinghouse spring drive. The GG1 was designed for the PRR - phase system of 11 kV alternating current with a frequency of 25 Hz. In the middle of the vehicle houses the transformer, with the voltage for the drive motors, cooling fan, and the entire equipment is otherwise provided. The power control is made via a switch system. By varying the number of secondary windings of the transformer, the output voltage could be adjusted.

The locomotives had a total output of 3456 kW at 78.8 km / h ( peak power ). For the rapid rail locomotives for 161 km / h have been translated (100 mph), although 177 km / h would have been possible. For freight traffic, the locomotives were given a top speed of 145 km / h ( 90 mph ).

A GG1 Accident

One of the most interesting events in the history of the GG1 occurred on January 15, 1953 in the Washington Union Station. Due to a wrong made ​​brake valve, the brakes could not be operated in a part of the passenger train " Federal Express ". Due to the unbridled passenger cars, the locomotive and two wagons were pushed across the platform out through the station up into the luggage area. The locomotive No. 4876 was then divided into three parts and assembled in the repair of the PRR in Altoona (Pennsylvania) again. Then returned to the operating service and was one of the longest operational locomotives of the series.

Closure

The GG1 has largely been supplanted by the locomotives of type AEM -7, 1983, the last GG1 were decommissioned. The main reason were cracks that occurred more frequently after nearly 50 years of operation in the cast steel frame and heavy repairs required. More and more difficulty in obtaining spare parts and planning to change the mains frequency of 25 Hz to 60 Hz, accelerated the decision. Only the late -built machines that possessed rectifier could be used, the older models had to be rebuilt.

Today, no longer operable GG1, the restoration of a machine in an operational state is highly unlikely. The machines contain relatively large amounts of asbestos, especially in the isolation of the wiring. Also used for the cooling of the transformers containing PCBs oil was discarded in the meantime. The still existing locomotives are in more or less good condition, in museums and on the siding.

Still existing copies

  • PRR 4800 - Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, Strasburg (Pennsylvania) (aka " Old Rivets " dt "Age rivet " ) (the initial series locomotive, the only locomotive body with riveted )
  • PRR 4859 - Transportation Center, Harrisburg (Pennsylvania)
  • PRR 4876 - B & O Transportation Museum, Baltimore (2004 in very poor condition )
  • PRR 4877 - New Jersey Transit Yard, Morristown (New Jersey)
  • PRR 4879 - United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey
  • PRR 4882 - National NYC Railroad Museum, Elkhart (Indiana)
  • PRR 4890 - National Railroad Museum, Green Bay
  • PRR 4903/Amtrak 4906 - Age of Steam Museum, Dallas, TX ( Zog on June 6, 1968, together with the GG-1 4901 the funeral of Robert Kennedy of New York)
  • PRR 4909/Amtrak 4932 - Cooperstown Junction, New York ( This locomotive has one of the most interesting stories of their whereabouts from the Steamtown National Historic Site to the Henry Ford Museum. )
  • PRR 4913/Amtrak 4913 - Railroader 's Memorial Museum, Altoona ( Pennsylvania)
  • PRR 4917/Amtrak 4934 - Leatherstocking Railway Museum, Cooperstown Junction, New York (One of the 75 GG1s which were equipped with components supplied by Westinghouse, the other 64 had GG1s equipment and engines from General Electric. )
  • PRR 4918/Amtrak 4916 - Museum of Transportation, St. Louis (Was formerly owned by the Smithsonian Institute. )
  • PRR 4919/Amtrak 4917 - Virginia Museum of Transportation, Roanoke
  • PRR 4927/Amtrak 4939 - Illinois Railway Museum, Union ( Illinois)
  • PRR 4933/Amtrak 4926 - Central New York Chapter NRHS, Syracuse ( New York) ( There are plans to make this locomotive with diesel engines operational again. )
  • PRR 4935/Amtrak 4935 - Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania (aka "Black Jack"; Arguably the best restored and issued GG1. )
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