phillyrube wrote: ↑Wed May 13, 2020 5:01 pm Gotta say GG1..Gotta agree with this poster; my first 'real' railroad trip was from N. Philadelphia to NYC, when I was 5 or 6. My dad had worked for the PRR during the war as a high schooler. This giant, streamlined locomotive captured my attention, as the sound of high voltage hummed away. When we got on the train, it pulled away like no other train I've ever been on. Of course, that trip included several 'firsts' for me; first ride on a subway car (both Philadelphia and NYC), first visit to an automat, first time up the Empire State Bldg, and on the trip out, the first (and only) trip on the Hoboken ferry.
North Phila. Station, my grandfather holding me up to talk to engineer. Hot air blowing out the window. The railroad smell. The closeness of the High Voltage signs next to the pantograph.
I still saw a GG1 working in NJ in the mid 80's. These locomotives lasted a half century in regular service. The were so far ahead of their time when they were introduced. They even outlasted the P44's that were meant to replace them. I'd bet that a couple of them would STILL be working if the 25hz catenary still existed!
