Ever feel/been Blessed (or whatever the PCF term is)?

[MCL_RDG]

I've been blessed with many opportunities that- despite my dissapointments have made up for the losses.

I have that 30 minute video tape I shot of the New Hope and Ivyland's steamer #40 (I think) getting fired on a bitter Feb morn- steam- a smokin' and screechin' out of evey leaky joint- buried in it I tell you- just a nice rolling boil at 10ø.

I'll never be able to elaborate or convince you the time "we" watched as a couple of DOD flats were humped and the one bashed into the other- not quite having got onto the flat- lifted off it's truck- pin a showin' and dropped back on to it.

'Course there was the tearing down of SF Tower...

Then there are GG-1s.

Did ya ever feel blessed doing what you do best?

Ya might as well elaborate when ya tell all!

 

[Ralph]

Well, look at those! Only time I've been near a GG-1 was at the Green Bay Natonal Railroad Museum. What's the story behind that pic Mark?
Ralph

 

[MCL_RDG]

'tis the season.

Another bitterly cold Sunday train chase with Blake. These bad boys- 10 of 'em, were parked at the Kearny, NJ Locomotive Maintenance Division of NJ Transit. I still didn't own any decent camera equipment, I borrowed the family 110 Instamatic and the cameraman was muh friend- Blake.

I had to have a "me in the cab" shot- just below. That's the shop in the background- that's an E8 in the upper left corner beyond the 2 coaches.

The Gs just got the word- "Out of service" and are awaiting orders to report to museums for display or scrap yards (by highest scrap value bidders).

We went thru all of the Gs- walked right thru end to end- nose to nose. Pitch black inside the long nose- very little light penetrated inside even when the doors were opened. Sitting in the drivers seat was like sitting in a phone booth- very cramped.

I've always loved GG-1s- used to watch 'em race thru Levittown, Pa along the corridor at their 120 MPH pace. On occasion they would take the outside- platform side track and I'd hang onto a light pole as they blasted by as "name" trains- The Senator, etc. Freakin' kewl~~~~~~! (Pardon muh French).

Mark

 

[Woodie]

Those are wierd! Especially those noses. What era are they from?

 

[N Gauger]

Great Stuff - Mark!!

Here's a link to the "Builder's Plate" (archives)

http://www.the-gauge.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=759

It's the Info I posted about the GG-1's

 

[Ralph]

Weird? WEIRD?!? Woodie, please, a little more regard for the graceful powerhouse that was the GG-1, perhaps one of the most beautiful locomotives ever built.
Here I am as close as I've ever gotten to the fantasy of running one of these well crafted machines.
Ralph

 

[interurban]

THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL .
I ALMOST BOUGHT A MODEL OF SAID GG-1 LAST SATURDAY.



I have always liked the big brutes.

 

[sumpter250]

I remember the GG1s in Pennsy livery, I'd see them on the city side of Jamaica station, while riding the "flatwheel express", LIRRs mp54s, out the south shore to Babylon.
Pete