pennsy wrote:Hi All,
Interesting question, and one that was brought up some time ago. I imagine there are those that might even suggest I was the one that started that thread. Memory fails me on that one. Possibly I did. At any rate let's see what we have to add;
Electric engines have a continuous horsepower rating and a short term overload horsepower rating. GG-1's have been known to deliver up to 10,000 hp for a few minutes. The 7,000 hp rating for the AEM-7 is of course short term. Continuous horsepower is similar to continuous HP for the GG-1, about 4200 hp. Still and all, a single GG-1 routinely hauled around 18 passenger cars, at speed, and the AEM-7 routinely hauled about half of that, about 8 cars, at speed. When you see 18 cars behind an AEM-7, you also see a second AEM-7 behind it. I have been in the cab of both engines, and needless to say, the AEM-7 is a comfort cab, really nice. The GG-1 must be compared to the cab of a steamer, in which case it is also really nice. If you compare the cabs of both engines together, the AEM-7 wins hands down. Difficult to make a GG-1 slip, not too hard for an AEM-7. Lots more weight on the drive axles for the GG-1.
Gearing: The GG-1's came in two colors for PRR. Tuscan Red and Brunswick Green. Brunswick Green was made by adding one gallon of bright green paint to a 55 gallon drum of black paint. Old PRR joke, but the Brunswick Green easily passed for black. The Tuscan Red GG-1's were used for passenger service, and geared for 120 mph. The Brunswick Green GG-1's were generally found on freights and were geared for 100 mph. When I rode the Congressional I usually caught the Tuscan Reds, especially on the Stainless Steel cars. The Brunswick Green engines were usually found on the old six axled heavyweights.
That is "nuff for now.
On the contrary, the GG-1's were quite slippery under certain conditions.
I was not out of the ordinary to experience wheel slipping on Hell Gate
Bridge, West Haven Hill or leaving a station with a big train.
I recall a couple of times going over Hell Gate Bridge westbound when I
really had to baby the engine to make the grade over the bridge. Never
had that problem with an AEM-7 or a New Haven 370 class either for that
matter.
I am not saying that the GG-1's were not a good engine but they had
their shortcomings and were not perfect.
Noel Weaver