Lionel Vision Line GG1

A review of Lionel's Vision Line GG1 Electric Locomotive. More videos on the Eric's Trains youtube channel and at www.ericstrains.com

[@chestypuller4591]

When my grandfather passed, he left all of his O gauge trains to me. I have a post war GG-1, number 2340 dating from the late 40's very early 50's. Still running and pulling hard around the track. I also have steam locomotives from him as well that date back into the 30's and they still run with a little coaxing and tune up. Cool to see them!

[@ronsingley9659]

I love watching these videos. I can only imagine how much money these people have warped up in there layouts, the average Jo can't afford this hobby anymore. Twenty years ago you could buy a Rivarossi engine for around $200.00 dollars and were considered top of the line. Now junk HO engines go for $ 500.00 To $ 700.00 dollars, pricing the hobby out of most peoples pocket book. It is sad but it's become a rich mans world.

[@Slideyslide]

A six figure income is now mandatory for a basic middle class life.

[@drpeerless1]

Love your videos Eric!! The smoke simulates the pop valves from the GG1s steam generator for the steam heat on the passenger cars. Im glad Lionel added this feature as it is very prototypical of the GG1 locomotive. Once again, great review!!

[@Stokjockey]

Thank You Eric, that was ELECTRIFYING !

[@zacharyholmes1466]

More like SHOCKINGLY interesting

[@seargentvader8874]

Ba-dum-tsssssss

[@retrokingranch]

@Destroya snowflake

[@diesel10rules23]

Dad jokes brought to you by stokjockey

[@captainmorgan757]

@@retrokingranch aww, you're no pun. Where's your sense of humor?

[@billbraden4874]

I love the lighting effect on the gg1

[@kenbtheman]

I've always been a fan of the GG1. I'm lucky and old enough to have seen these engines in action when I was in my teens (the real ones).

[@TrainTracker911]

Likewise.

[@michaelroark3263]

I grew up with the GG-1 in the 50s and 60s. My grandmother and aunts lived across the street from the New York-Washington line while my other grandparents lived in Washington DC. We almost always went to and from Wilmington DE, where the platforms were low, unlike in Philly and Washington. I vividly recall from early childhood how HUGE they seemed as they eased by the platform at Wilmington, and when waiting for the local to Philly at Moore/Prospect Park, how terrifying the expresses seemed as they roared by at 75 mph. By my time I think all the grade crossings had been done away with other than at Newark DE and Aberdeen MD. I'd listen for the sound of that gorgeous horn, unlike anything on other locomotives. Altogether I think the GG-1 is the best industrial design of anything ever. I was astonished when I learned the design was pre-WWII.

[@UnionPacificBNSF]

They were the SD40-2 of elctric power, Hauled freight and passengers last nearly 50 years and were reliable.

[@andrewtreece3708]

it's the sound of the traction motors taking a load. and also the Constant noise you hear is the traction motor blower fans.

[@georgemurphy2579]

Congratulations, Eric! On all of your accomlishments (train and otherwise!)

[@rickpalo1]

What a great review.

[@king-xerxus7040]

I used to watch the GG1’s in action at the New Jersey City transit yard towing box cars in 1987.

[@ejne2]

Looks great and you do a wonderful job of introducing it.

[@BNSF_101]

i have a running post war gg1 in amazing condition

[@benjaminokon-uribe9218]

Cool

[@DelcoImagery]

That’s awesome

[@thatoneguy611]

Wow. It’s hard to find those in decent shape

[@mariebcfhs9491]

I love a true scale model in O scale along with toy-like models that are more artistic

[@williammeszaros1671]

A beautiful engine I remember as a youngster in 1955 when lionel came out with the congreional set

[@TobyPasman]

I love this video. This video has inspired me to find an original 2332. For me, when it comes to finding a Postwar engine, I’d want to find one that’s in operating condition.

[@scrubstrainsmechascrub4028]

Gotta love the silky smooth low speed operation...

[@ravenhawk6910]

Great video Eric! Coming from someone who owns one of these as well they are amazing models! I got one of the "Old Rivets" models.

[@stevewilliams9255]

Raymond Lowey redesigned the GG1 without rivets, so they were more aero-dynamic and more sleek. They were redesigned with an all welded body.

[@ironhorsehistorian9871]

Your Layout looks extremely realistic when the lights are off and it looks cool

[@CoalChrome]

What the 2332 has what could be described as the most realistic weathering ever applied to a locomotive

[@steffenrosmus1864]

What weathering ???

[@zacharymichael6897]

@@steffenrosmus1864 The decails and paint rubbing off, and fading over time

[@steffenrosmus1864]

That is not weathering that is called deterioration 😁

[@joedaylight]

@@steffenrosmus1864 we know it's deteration but with are imagination it looks like weathering.

[@steffenrosmus1864]

@@joedaylight so the real weathering 1.0😉😉

[@njandparailfan6332]

Wow, your lucky to have two of the GG1’s. I’ve now switched to HO so maybe I got have 2 Bachmann GG1’s

[@AmityBlightAndSP4449Fan]

Can you do the Amtrak x996, the Rc-4s, the e60s, the aem-7s, all different kinds of Amtrak turboliners, the Amtrak ice train and x2000 the Amtrak Acela Express, the hhp8s, the acs64s and the SC44s, and do Canadian pacific and Canadian national steam locomotives, diesel locomotives, and do GTW 6407 and CN 6400

[@larryrogers7216]

I like the arc effect too.

[@miltoncallan1471]

Would love to see a close-up of the back lit gauges you mentioned.

[@Rocketman1583]

Great video Eric! Now I hope the next loco will be a CB&Q E5

[@billbraden4874]

Great sound's of the gg1 tell Lionel that they did a great job of the sound

[@lifewithroscoe6513]

Very nice! Wish my American Models GG-1 had the arc light effect.

[@mathewdempsey16]

That panto lighting effect is pretty cool

[@ron5935]

I got to see the engineers seat in a GG1 in the Pennsy Museum . Loco is enormous. Place for engineer is small and cramped like an airline bathroom. The “fireman” chair to the left is a narrow crooked aisle.

[@kenmunozatmmrrailroad6853]

“Roger, Roger.” “Clearance, Clarence.” “Over, Over.” “Huh?”

[@stevewilliams9255]

We have a GG1 at the Museum of the American Railroad in Frisco Texas. Our was one that pulled Bobby Kennedy Funeral Train, when he was shot in California and flown to NY City. Bobby Kennedy funeral train went from NY City to Washington DC and he was laid to rest at Arlington Virginia, next to his brother John who was assassinated in Dallas Tx. Sadly when the Funeral train was running, there were people on the tracks and were killed by a train running in the opposite direction. Also the GG1 has no front or back, it has two fronts and can run in either direction. Also it pulled passengers and freight as well and our ran over 40 years before being retired.

[@nathanielcruz6675]

Not only the GG1's were legendary, but they also made history. For example, in 1945, a Pennsy GG1 pulled the funeral train of President Franklin D. Roosevelt from Washington, D.C.'s Union Station to New York City's Pennsylvania Station. Another example is on June 8, 1968, Penn Central GG1s #4901 and #4903 pulled Robert F. Kennedy's funeral train. The 3rd example is during the Flying Scotsman's American Tour in 1969, which was hauled by a Penn Central GG1 through Pennsylvania.

[@MatN1988]

more post-war trains please! I love the comparison great video thanks.

[@bradenkilby]

Amazing review good idea to include pictures Too

[@spadesofpaintstudios1719]

That’s an amazing engine if only things with this quality did not cost about 500-100 bucks I would by a t1-4444 duplex if I had the money great review and nice engine by the way

[@hamburgrailfan7620]

GG1 4913 is at the Railroaders Memorial Museum in Altoona, Pa

[@Thunderbolt_1000_Siren]

16 survive actually because the prototype 4800 lives too

[@ishirotanaka]

If you think about it, the GG-1 is GE's version of the 4-6-6-4 Challenger. If the PRR ever order there own steam challenger locomotives, i'm sure they would be classified as GG-2. If the Milwaukee Road ever owned their own GG-1's I'm sure they would classify them as EC-1's EC standing for Electric Challenger.

[@ashtonjohnson7083]

Hello I am a big fan of you keep up the good work thank you

[@Steven_Williams]

Great video Eric! I believe that maxrailroad has a video of the Lionel VL GG1 on a catenary setup.

[@thatoneguy611]

I didn’t notice the seam until you pointed it out

[@drby0788]

Love driving this thing in TS.

[@christinaeneroth675]

Love the difference in proportions between the 2 versions. Had to pause and show it to my friend. It’s really like comparing a person in a live action show with one in an anime.

[@TobyPasman]

At 33:59, when the dispatcher says, The train will be ready at 1730”, it means the train will be ready at 5:30PM, for those of you wondering.

[@mariebcfhs9491]

What can I say more about the arc lighting effects... It's perfect! The only way I can make it more realistic is to strap a taser onto that pantograph xD

[@Ericstrains]

Marie BCFHS 😀

[@PowerTrain611]

The GG1 will probably never run again. Aside from the re-vamped electrification issue, One of the main reasons they were retired was due to serious repeated cracking on the truck frames. When they retired these engines, they were OLD. In fact, when NJ Transit retired 4877, it had almost no cab floor. The engineer's feet were dangling into a void during it's last runs...

[@AmityBlightAndSP4449Fan]

And can you buy the NYC M-497 Jet Train, Wabash E1 1009, New Haven FL9 2019, NJT Football Train, MARC AEM-7 & HHP8, MARC GP40-CH, Houstanic Railroad GP95, Metro North P32ACDM 220, Metro North BL20GH 111, New Haven BL20GH 125, Metro North GP40-CH, Amtrak Veterans Unit 42, ACS-64 Veterans Unit 642, Houstanic Railroad GP40-CH Amtrak P30CH, Amtrak SDP40F, Metra Highliners, Amtrak Metroliner, Septa Silverliner IV, PRR K4 1361 Pennsylvania Boxcab, & More Trains From America & Do Mexican Trains, South America Trains, Eroupean Trains, Asisian Trains, African Trains, & Aulstrailian Trains

[@Porschedude8]

I love this GG1! Thanks loads Eric!

[@TobyPasman]

I’m bummed they didn’t offer the Tuscan Red five-stripe version to be numbered 4890. I remember seeing PRR 4890 at the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

[@sinisatadic1959]

The GG1 Locomotive design is simply beautiful! I myself have always been a train lover. I love the way You explained and the presented this model. Thank You for this video!

[@tom7601]

Very cool!

[@railroadkid8218]

love the sound

[@kenmunoz8517]

Hey Eric... I hope you get a chance to read this. Just a friendly tip: As a photographer if you want smoke to be visible in any visual medium, it requires a backlit source. Any source brighter than the ambient light. So grab yourself any desk lamp, flash light (focus light), or bare-bulb light source and place out of lens sight and behind the smoke and your locomotive smoke should be beautifully visible. Hope this helps. Aaaallll abooooard...!!!

[@Gebauer1414]

There's an additional two GG-1's in Cooperstown Junction, NY about 6 miles east of the city of Oneonta on NY-7. They've moved off the track paralleling the D&H (now Norfolk Southern), and across NY-7 onto a spur that eventually leads to the village of Cooperstown on the Cooperstown & Charlotte Valley, paralleling Otsego County Road 35. Worth a trip! Both are still PC black, and carry their Amtrak road numbers, and a faded PC stencil can still be seen on the southern most unit. I want to say their road numbers are 4912 and 4934 if memory serves. Enjoy!

[@anthonysantavicca421]

great job Eric, thanks for all the videos they're all just amazing, keep up the good work :)

[@maxwelled]

Eric, Thank You again. Another hour of pure entertainment and features. It is funny I always know which feature you are going to like best, it is in your voice in the review. The likely hood that I will ever be able to put up a layout of this scale if not high. I am an n scale man. Boy do I enjoy all of the things you outline. I will make a strange request, I would like to see you do a "dark" video. A night view of your layout with your favorite engine. (By the way, the sound of the GG1 arc sound it is very real. I have never seen a GG1 run, but I live right on the Harrisburg PA, Station, and let me tell you looking down on a "toaster" during an ice storm several years ago, you could see the flash and hear the arc! Vaporizing the ice on the lines in a flash of blue white light).

[@TobyPasman]

I recently got an HO scale model of one of these GG1s. The one I got is PRR 4890. The reason being that is that that’s the first GG1 I got to see in person.

[@DrVaults]

I want them to restore the one in Elkhart Indiana at the New York central museum cause I live 10 mins away from it. Amazing engine to see for sure.

[@trainfan-ks5hk]

Unfortunately that wouldn’t be possible due to several needs of modifications and overall completion of the GG1s

[@DrVaults]

@@trainfan-ks5hk that's sad man.

[@IAmMisterTterevel]

The Pennsy's letter assignment is much like the one used by the UK's London and North Eastern Railway (LNER)

[@TonyFleetwood]

another awesome video! i was wondering, when you do the passenger car video for the gg1's could you show us the interior lighting stuff? im sure its not easy to get with a camera but love to see details like that. this video was worth the wait regardless!

[@thomasweekley9209]

I personally hope the next visionline product will be an SP E9-A

[@Rocketman1583]

Or A CB&Q E5

[@byates59]

This is Eric Siegel at his finest! Awesome video bro! Awesome engine! Thanks bro!

[@BM-xe9si]

North Carolina bill

[@byates59]

yep

[@BM-xe9si]

Where's the new videos Bill. I keep looking and nothing new. You got to make them videos

[@byates59]

I am work camping in Altoona Iowa at Adventureland, I am over 1000 miles away from my trains! And I probably won't be back home until Christmas!

[@MrKenlong]

Hi Eric You need a small fashlight to black parts

[@twhuning6352]

Thanks for the extended action 'footage'.

[@Geo3Rail]

AWESOME VIDEO! Thank you for taking so much time to present such a complete review. You really are the best!!!

[@Phillyrail]

I'm considering getting a used one rather that pre-order a new one... any long term issues come out of these? I've heard they have motor problems, any truth to that?

[@APOTwixx]

Such beautiful locomotives. It is such a shame that no real GG1's are currently operational.

[@AuroraDorealus]

Hey Eric! Great Video man! you should do a review of the Lionel PRR T1 Duplex, it would be nice to see, since you already made a review on the S1.

[@vincentandhimi6990]

And k4

[@doubleutubefan5]

Wow the size difference is crazy

[@oxolotleman7226]

one of the gg1s is a few hours away from me, right next to a big boy

[@kiwitrainguy]

A GG1 AND a Big Boy? That's the place I want to go to.

[@johnebert8326]

great, great review Eric! Fact-packed and interesting a always! Thanks again for all your hard work.

[@zeeeman8744]

Eric, great vid as always ! Congrats to your son and his team , you must be really proud, what position does he play ?

[@robertswickard8355]

That sound is the traction motor and blower whine

[@SRRC245]

AMTRAK!

[@TheOneTrueDragonKing]

ALL ABOARD! The siren call of the rails echoes across the country once again!

[@marcdunord]

what's the green shorter-gg1-like engine in the presentation screen?

[@ralphmiller2265]

Lionel's postwar, MPC and Richard Kuhn era GG1s were all built with scale height and width but was shortened to be only 2/3rds the length of a scale model as can be seen when the two are side by side in your video. Even back in the 1940's, Lionel was aware of scale proportions and determined that it would have been too long or heavy for young children to handle, much the same as the prewar standard gauge 381e. When you pointed out that 'seem' down the middle of the GG1 over the headlights, I examined my JLC model and they addressed that seem perfectly. That's weird that Lionel, while their earlier JLC models casting seem was completely removed, their Legacy/Vision Line version actually still had this casting 'flaw'.

[@johnnyrobberts45]

Yea---sorry it wasn't meant as whats Up with the exlamation Pts/Sorry, Is that Lionels Train, Vidios sometimes wash out--it looks more like Plastic-no offense - You Right THOUGH/ I really Wish I could see Your set up in person.. It really IS GORGEOUS / YOUR A FANTASTIC MODELER.......Johnny

[@jleoneleone8760]

Nice vid hey could you do a tutorial on how to hang the pantograph wire like it would have been run?

[@wadepenley6913]

NYC it was was beautiful, Penncentral it was beautiful. Even under the blue dress of Conrail it was beautiful but it became ugly with Amtrak's nasty paint!! That's my opinion.

[@DanielBrody]

Eric great overview, I am back at restoring the family O-gauge postwar trains. The question seems all Vision line is 0-72 sized which is too big for tube rails I am running 031 036 042. Can you run on any of the newer reproductions trains on tube rail like min and with ZW transformers

[@zerocool46]

Why would they have a smoke effect on an electric train

[@Ericstrains]

Bmiller because the GG1’s had a small steam generator on board for heating. The smoke effect simulates the steam being released

[@zerocool46]

@@Ericstrains as I sat here at work freezing my butt off cause my heater broke and asking that question it didn't occur to me that it might be for a heater lol

[@spuds6423]

One GG1 in Amtrak livery is at they New York State Fairgrounds near Syracuse. Of course, it never ran on the Water Level Route (NYC Main Line) but it still looks cool.

[@motherlandone6300]

Is the Lionel as tall and as wide as the scale model? Lionel had this marketing term known as “scale detail.” The Lionel though far shortened for O gauge curves does have most of the realistic styling; and it is totally recognizable as a GG1. A more detailed comparison might be fun.

[@liketoplaytrains]

I'm a BIG fan of the GG1 locomotive and liked the arcing on the pants but it should only be at high current draw times, like powering up out from a stand or heavy load up hill. Gtert model just the same

[@luvindemtrains]

Very nice review as usual. The thing that sticks out to me is how you get over 3000 views overnight. Who gets that for model trains? You're like an O Scale star or something, lol. Well done!

[@robertnielsen2461]

I really enjoy your reviews.Having spent time in tv back in the day I want to thank you for your well thought out presentations.

[@Ericstrains]

Robert Nielsen Thanks!

[@allegheny48]

Hi Eric! Thanks for a very informative video. Lionel really outdid themselves with the new GG1 even with the errant mold line. I've often wondered if the GG1, first built in 1934, came about in part due to the Cleveland Union Terminal (CUT) P1a electrics which possessed the same wheel arrangement and were built by ALCO & GE in 1929. Although the CUT electrics lacked the streamlined carbody of the GG1's they shared a lot of similarities. Thanks again for the video and all the hard work that made it possible. It is greatly appreciated.

[@kiwitrainguy]

That wheel arrangement was also used on the New Haven electrics of the same era and the Pennsy borrowed one of them during the design phase of the GG1.

[@allegheny48]

kiwitrainguy You are correct. I do believe that the New Haven electrics preceded the Pennsy GG1 by a few years. I guess that CUT, GE and ALCO came up with a winner and the GG1 was the icing on the cake.

[@WarbonnetProductions]

Are you going to get the Lionel S2 and SD60M when they come out?

[@lionel2035]

thanks Eric that was another great review and run session!

[@Hendo56]

I used to drive out to the Northeast Corridor stretch that ran to and from Baltimore. Would watch these go by.. I loved the horn on them.

[@stevintyska2449]

as you were pointing out the seem, I couldnt help but notice the grab irons around the door looks to have heavy paint , almost drip like. Is this the case or am I wrong?

[@catreader9733]

I thought the use of letters vs. numbers for denoting wheel arrangement was more of a steam vs. electric, rather than everyone else vs. PRR.

[@TobyPasman]

Which button on the Legacy remote do you press for the startup sequence?

[@russdemocker3815]

Oh wow I was not expecting to see the legendary Amtrak gg1 I've literally seen the irl Amtrak gg1 not to long ago

[@ctskifreaks]

I saw 4935 at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. What a cool locomotive.

[@SidsTrains]

Nice video. How come your center section of your legacy remotes touch pad is only showing half of whats displayed on it?

[@wulfbytez136]

Elkhart Indiana has a GG-1 at their train museum with a NYC 4-8-2 Mowhawk.

[@rondaxen88]

Amtrak 926 is the same one that is at the NY State Fair!

[@pokemonpreadythepokemonmaniac]

I met that engine myself.

[@rondaxen88]

@@pokemonpreadythepokemonmaniac Same here.

[@MilwaukeeF40C]

The traditional size GG1 looks like the street railway version next to the scale model.