Nostalgia & History > A dose of G's if you please. Drooling is OK!

Hit another batch of those king of all electrics. Looking back and waxing nostalgic, I was truly in the right place at the right time. The Northeast corridor was GG1 heaven, and the freight lines east of Harrisburg were only a little over an hour from my front door. It was nothing to head to the Ebenezer grade crossing in the Chase section of Baltimore County, and plop my butt there for two or three hours, and pick off G led passenger and freight trains. I truly never got tired of using film on these beasts, because I never ceased being amazed at the ingenuity that kept them in play for a half a century. They were truly worthy of adulation, and I did my part to worship at their altar. Just a little photo adventure down G street today.

top...one of the most famous faces in railroad history up close and personal.

middle and bottom...pieces of the beasts around Wilmington shops.

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD

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top...Wilmington...the Mecca of GG1s

middle...this is what happens when you get screwed. I was waiting for an eastbound coming down the Port Road outside of Port Deposit Maryland. This is a westbound that literally snuck up on me. Scared the you know what out of me, but I still managed to squeeze this shot off. Not perfect but good presence of mind at least.

bottom...Doing what they did best...hauling ass!
 

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD

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top...southbound for Baltimore at this point. Susquehanna River bridge at Perryville Md. 1974

middle...just outside of Baltimore, Northbound 1978

bottom...Near Aberdeen Maryland

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD

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Gotta love GG1's!
Thanks for sharing!

Great set of photos of the GG1's. Your first image set the standard for these excellent photos.
Bob

What a classy & historic machine. If any ONE thing speaks "Pennsy", the Gs are it!!! :^)

Lance

Rides behind GG1s were not soon forgotten. Nice images.
—Mac

Loved those GG1 units.
What a superb series of images !
Gary

The GG1's were to the Pennsy what the PA's were to the SP. Nice photos.

Robert Morris
Dunsmuir, CA
Robert Morris Photography

rantoul Wrote:
> Since they did not need fuel
> what daily maintenenace was required?

(1) Clean bug guts off windshields.
THE END
/Ted

> Since they did not need fuel

If they were assigned to passenger trains, they needed fuel for the steam generator and water too.

Beautiful Bill !  Really like the shot of those Quill Drive assemblies on the shop floor at Wilmington.

X996, the French Alsthom-built electric locomotive Amtrak tested, is hiding behind poles at left in one of the Wilmington Shop photos (4th from the top).



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/04/21 09:46 by railfan400.

Very enjoyable series!!

Larry

rantoul Wrote:
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>   Since they did not need fuel
> what daily maintenenace was required?

Lubrication and inspection..

The drive mechanism on these engines is called a quill drive.  Two traction motors were geared to a "quill", which was a hollow axle which did not float (that is, it was not spring suspended) in the frame.  Each quill surrounded one driver axle which did float in journal boxes in the frame.  Fingers on each end of each quill were spaced to fit between the spokes of the drive wheels, and a spring arrangement transmitted torque from the quill to the driver spokes.  These springs could break and/or become flying objects. and needed to be inspected and repaired/replaced as needed.

The 3rd photo above shows spare sets of drive wheels with the springs, the quill surrounding the axle and the bull gear.

The purpose of the quill drive was to reduce shocks of unspring weight from damaging the traction motors.  The "nose" suspension method is used on diesels today, instead.

-LD



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/04/21 09:52 by LarryDoyle.

Great choice to do these in black and white! Brings out the boldness and makes a striking composition.....In general, I wasn't a fan of the PC black, but in B&W photos - it looks great!

4th picture- at Wilmington- what is that unit in the background?  Looks like Amtrak.

BB

rantoul Wrote:
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> Great collection.  Since they did not need fuel
> what daily maintenenace was required?

Sand and the replacement for the JATO :-)
 

It's X446, the French Alsthom-built electric locomotive Amtrak briefly tested.

bbaker Wrote:
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> 4th picture- at Wilmington- what is that unit in
> the background?  Looks like Amtrak.
>
> BB

Direct hit! Fine series.