GG1 An American Classic 2of4

A 1983 Documentary that depicts the final operations of NJT's GG1 fleet focussing on Ol' Big Red 4877. Depicts the engine change at South Amboy, New Jersey and features many on locomotive views. In short, if you wanted to know what an operating GG1 is like, this film shows it.

[@johnhauser4589]

Trivia: at speed, GG1's were impossible to communicate in. Full yells in the operators ear were barely audible. The noise was so tremendous, the rail road stopped hearing tests because of the pervasive deafness.

[@WBDE]

Speaking of the size of the GG-1 wheels, after the GG-1's were retired, a tourist railroad was in need of replacement tires for their steam locomotive. It turned out that some leftover GG-1 tires at the Wilmington Shops fit the steam locomotive fine.

[@fleetwin1]

old trains are really beautiful

[@eles214]

Raymond Loewy designed a real piece of railroad that people still are in awe of.

[@d.e.b.b5788]

Always give credit where credit is due; Loewy DID NOT design the GG1. That credit goes to Donald Roscoe Dohner. All Loewy did was provide the final touches, such as the elimination of all the riviting of the steel body. Dohner designed the locomotive.

[@smwca123]

Loewy's first styling assignment for the PRR was...don't laugh... the trash cans in NYP station.

[@JawTooth]

Man I love the old stuff like the GG1! Give it a thumbs up!

[@highmountainflyer]

Eugene was the fastest engineer that we had here on the Pennsylvania railroad

[@fighterpilot5105]

"Lay right in there, steady as a rock"...

[@christopherorourke6362]

The first time I seen a GG-1 electric locomotive was early 1963 it was pulling a Northbound freight through Ridley Park going past the SEPTA Crum Lynn station, I would see many more of the GG-1's pulling many freights, passenger trains such as The Broadway Limited, Silver Meteror, the Congressionals, the Florida Special, Silver Star on the Pennsylvania, later Penn Central, Amtrak. My very first Amtrak train ride was on the Silver Meteror from Richmond, VA to WIlmington, DE on 1/31/1974. from Washington, DC & on North to New York City the GG-1 would pull the trains. That was a great engine. Electric railroads is the smart way to go for high speed freight, passenger and commuter service.

[@towringer]

Famous folks have rode behind her--Plain ones done it, too.There's congressmen & presidents--She got them all through. When Navy's played Army, her trains brought quite a few, But everywhere she goes is great when she takes me & you. Ol' Big Red--Speeding up & down the line. Ol' Big Red--Gets her people there on time. She's a mighty GG1--my favorite, you see. Her 50 years of service won a place in history.

[@gordonvincent731]

I was a student engineer on the PC NJ Div starting in 1974. I swear that this is the late Cliff Underwood. I worked with him on many REL jobs out of Waverley 5. He and his brother where from Tennessee.

[@CNJGeep]

This is indeed Cliff Underwood

[@CNJGeep]

He also wrote the song you hear at the beginning and end of each part

[@smwca123]

What is/was REL?

[@gordonvincent731]

@@smwca123 It was a relief job. We ran transfers from Waverley Yd. over to the Meadows, Harsimus Cove, North Bergen, Weehawken, plus relieve road trains that went "on the law" out on the main line. We would get on them and run them to their final terminal.

[@HOTRAILProductions]

The large driver wheels were the characteristic that first attracted me to the GG1 as a toddler.

[@towringer]

At 5:30 She's pulled long & regal trains and had her share of lore. The Broadway, The Crescent, The Silver Meteor. They're a part of this great land, they're a lasting legend. Racing down the mainline with the 4877. BTW, the stone arch bridge at 5:14 is in Elizabeth, NJ. The clock tower in the background (Elizabeth train station) is now restored.

[@MidnightAspec]

Wow! Look at the Arrows when they were nice and new. Those are still dying a slow death.

[@kitchenjail3546]

"The GG1 is the DC-3 of the locomotive indusrry"

[@CNJGeep]

"Give her twenty-five lbs and when she quits exhausting notch her back to the second notch. And she'd rock up there and stop as beautiful as you please."

[@vcsaturn214]

Thanks for Posting this Treasure Olbidred4877 :)

[@towringer]

@157RANDOM According to the end credits on the last part, the vocalist was Altha Lynn Cook.

[@smwca123]

Was she really Cliff Underwood's daughter?

[@eles214]

Yes, the designers of the GGs used a NH EP-3 as the inspiration for the engine!!!

[@wrailfan]

Beautiful!

[@bocilkematianz_2727]

The most oldest comment i have Never Seen

[@fleetwin1]

those GG1s are beautiful

[@emosean66]

Thanks this is so great!i can’t stop watching !❤️🙌🏻🔥

[@sausagefingers2885]

3:07 look at the suspension movement!

[@amtraklover]

wow a clip of 3985 when it still burned coal lol

[@calvin_847]

Idk why people didn’t talk about those things that I just noticed, so let me just put the timestamps so you know what I’m talking about Amtrak AEM-7 pass by on the left side of the NJT GG1 locomotive 3:34 NJT Arrow III MU locomotive pass by on the right side of the NJT GG1 locomotive 4:26 Newark Penn Station in 1983 8:18 The Passaic River of Newark, and the Dock Bridge’s original color paint scheme in 1983 9:15

[@RaptureandZune]

The PRR/PC/SEPTA Silverliner II/IIIs served even longer than the GG1...

[@RaptureandZune]

Many locomotives share the same chassis - Under the Alco C628 is a PRR E44!!!

[@king-xerxus7040]

Mind blowing video.

[@tacoblend3246]

3:33 AEM-7

[@StocktonSubber]

yep

[@KaciCooperations]

Yes

[@towringer]

@157RANDOM The song's name is Old Big Red.

[@nielspemberton9004]

I hope Alstom in Belfort France will produce a GG-1 look-alike in 2035 for the SNCF in European Berne loading gauge parameters able to use 25KV AC 50HZ, 15KV AC 16.7HZ. 1.5 KV DC and 3KV DC. It would be the perfect homage to the original GG-1.

[@Motorheadbanger93]

Anyone else notice UP's 3985 thundering down the line around 1:18?

[@cats0182]

I believe built by the American Locomotive Company in Schenectady, NY

[@jvdm5412]

Yeah

[@generationll]

That FDR at 0:15

[@ReadingAreaRailfan]

No no no, the EMD F7 is the American classics

[@CRFProductions2023]

The B&O Railroad Museum has it's sister, 4876, which is awaiting restoration. Sadly, she has fallen victim to the elements and vandals.

[@nukinfuts1000]

@warszawianka Same I hate those "flying toasters" fro Amtrak

[@anasiacameronelijahedcpndc4324]

I wish there was a gg1 going 185mph

[@nikerailfanningttm9046]

1:24 very rare footage of 3985 running on coal. She ran on coal after her restoration for a few years before she was officially switched to Bunker No.5 Fuel Oil.

[@SweetSunrising]

This film’s 1983 so that was 3985 practically fresh out of restoration too!

[@UCSPanther20]

It appears electric rail lines are rather rare in North America these days. The only electric line in Canada that I know of was the old Tumbler Ridge sub on the BCR, run by GMD GF6C locomotives. It was not a passenger service, but rather for hauling coal trains from the mines in Tumbler Ridge.

[@tacoblend3246]

UCSPanther20 They're only rare because of our damned government, lol.

[@cookode]

+UCSPanther20 AMT in Montreal has an electric commuter line

[@allenbooth7033]

As far as I know, you never saw an electric locomotive south of Virginia.

[@smwca123]

Not any more: That line was de-electrified in 2000; all but one of the 7 locos were scrapped.

[@glenatkinson1230]

Montreal has an electric commuter service from Central to Deux Montagnes. Until 1995 it was run with antique box cabs from English Electric, GE steeplecabs and EMUs from 1952. It was modernized in 1995.

[@anasiacameronelijahedcpndc4324]

And also In the United railroad historical society of new jersey, gg1 #4879 will be restored and it will be painted into a new jersey transit gg1 And it will be a reliable gg1 And new wheels and pantograph as the acs-64s and top speed up to 180mph and it can travel up to 170mph in prinction junction and in mamaroneck is from 85mph to 135mph and it will be pulling 4 coaches and one cab car will have a new top speed up to 180mph and it can travel up to 170mph too. And

[@smwca123]

4879 is where you say, in Brunswick green with the single broad stripe, beside 4877 in Brunswick green with pinstripes. On the last run, after 4877 conked out at Elmora Tower in Elizabeth, 4879 rescued the train, hauling it from Linden (where 4877 had rolled to a stop) back to Matawan.

[@lineshaftrestorations7903]

I never got to see one actually move but saw some as a kid that were in service near Washington DC.

[@turbo1431]

@warszawianka spoken like a true railroader

[@richhood9934]

Has anyone uploaded the entire opening song?

[@anasiacameronelijahedcpndc4324]

3:56 How Did The Camera Was Looking Up At The GG1?

[@157RANDOM]

@towringer thanks

[@AlexanderMoore5133]

jersey central clock tower at 5:15

[@warszawianka]

I'll take a GG-1 over an HHP-8 or a Swedish Meatball any day.

[@WhiteCamry]

How did that film camera survive @ :03?

[@normanrowe2831]

WhiteCamry, probably an old cameraman trick. Using angled mirrors to film oncoming items. Google it.

[@nickelstew]

What is the song and artist that we hear at the beginning?

[@157RANDOM]

@towringer wuts the name of that song

[@iron1349]

The only GG1's ive ever seen were a static preserved units. (IF you count model,s I have a red Rivarossi one that I don't know how/.if it can accept Kadee couplers to pull my cars

[@157RANDOM]

@towringer who sings it

[@smwca123]

A thought: If a G were to haul the Chattanooga Choo-Choo NYP-WAS, as would have been likely in the 1940s, would you have time to finish your magazine by the time you hit Baltimore?

[@HOTRAILProductions]

@MrCagivaman Swiss Crocodiles?

[@mitchdakelman4470]

Did you use the 16mm or VHS as sold by the Autorino's? I bought a 16mm from MIke in 1984 and it is a prized film in my collection. Always a hit when it is shown to groups

[@samueladams7]

So, where is 4877 today?

[@matthewbodman1542]

She is in a Railroad Museum in North Jersey.

[@sonofjabba]

You know they would be brutal on the Concrete ties. The modern concrete ties couldn't handle an E-60 Which like the GG1 although the E-60 is UGLY, they both were VERY heavy. I think the AEM7's Swedish Meatballs. even as utilitarian built they are lighter and have far better power to weight than the old monsters.

[@d.e.b.b5788]

There was no modern traction control when the GG1 was designed. To improve tractive effore, sheer weight was used. Something like 220 TONS.

[@russellgxy2905]

I'm pretty sure wood would break easier than concrete, so if the GG1's could run the NEC back then at 100 mph or 110 mph, they should be able to handle concrete ties. Besides, you're forgetting that freight trains still traverse the corridor as well. Maybe a few modifications here and there to "fit the standard," but I can bet 4877 would handle the NEC today just as well as she did here.

[@jorgesabater8640]

I had no idea that the GG1 was so noisy. Why was that?

[@A1l2l2e2n4]

@BigRichMann Well, that particular engineer thought the GG-1 was "an engineer's engine".

[@andybowe]

is this avabile on DVD? this is just classic wow one of the best locomotives ever built

[@malachimuhammad-dy2ow]

Isn't the GG1 is the express engine for New Jersey Transit?

[@cybertrain92]

is there any way to download that song? I cant find it on the web anywhere.

[@hohobbyist1098]

I see it's been quite a while, but here you go if you're interested: kzbin.info/www/bejne/r2abi6Z5bNmlnc0

[@alexanderson3602]

Yo that camera is gone. 0:03

[@AlcoholicSemenStain]

I'm a vampire.

[@anasiacameronelijahedcpndc4324]

pantograph at 3:51

[@andypettit5869]

Steam locomotive by itself I think was a challenger?

[@MrCagivaman]

@ma7799 Check out swiss crocodile locomotive here and now on You Tube

[@MrCagivaman]

The Swiss Crocodiles were still operating when this was made. So the large driving wheels story is wrong.

[@anasiacameronelijahedcpndc4324]

4877 is going to run again?

[@kevinhoward9593]

it was designed to run on DC power. Amtrak switched to AC in the 80s making the GG1 useless.

[@JessicaKasumi1990]

@@kevinhoward9593 The NEC has always been AC since the PRR electrified the NEC. There was a plan by Amtrak to convert to 60 Hz, but, that never materialized.

[@harrimanfox8961]

No

[@smwca123]

4877's transformer blew during the last run on October 29, 1983, forcing 4879 to rescue the train and haul it back to Matawan. After retirement the transformers of all Gs were removed. The cooling oil in those transformers contained cancer-causing PCBs.

[@PravahanSalunke]

I agree. The WCG1 series of locomotives which were based on the swiss crocodiles were being actively used in 1983 in the Mumbai suburban area of Indian Railways mostly as switchers and for light freight operations.

[@johnloring3887]

Underneath it's a New Haven Railroad EP-3.

[@anasiacameronelijahedcpndc4324]

but soon, PRR/Acela #4859 will reach 185mph in prinction junction and Harrison and soon it will reach 190mph this year

[@harrimanfox8961]

Yeah... No

[@anasiacameronelijahedcpndc4324]

and it will go under a restoration from February to march and it's very very very fast restoration

[@harrimanfox8961]

Please stop posting fantasy comment.

[@BigRichMann]

"...en engineers engine?!? The last former GG-1 engineer i talked to (who works Amtrak) said they sucked to see out of, the seats (if you could call them that) were hard as he plywood they were made out of etc. He had nothing good to say about it... I love the engine but tell the truth!..

[@rearspeaker6364]

safe and fast, not comfortable.