PRR GG1 4859 - Harrisburg, PA - Locomotives on Waymarking.com

PRR GG-1 Electric locomotive #4859 was built at the Altoona Works in 1937. It was one of 139 such locomotives built between 1934 and 1943.

From Wikipedia:

Technical description

The GG1 was 79 feet 6 inches (24.23 m) long and weighed 475,000 pounds (215,000 kg).[2] The frame of the locomotive was in two halves joined with a ball and socket joint, allowing the locomotive to negotiate sharper curves.[3] The body rested on the frame and was clad in welded steel plates. The control cabs were near the center of the locomotive on each side of the main oil-cooled transformer and oil-fired train-heating boiler. This arrangement, first used on the Modified P5 class, provided for greater crew safety in a collision and for bi-directional operation of the locomotive.[4] A pantograph on each end of the locomotive body was used to collect the 25 Hz, 11,000 V alternating current (AC) from the overhead lines. In operation the leading pantograph was usually kept lowered and the trailing raised to collect current, since if the rear pantograph failed it would not strike the forward pantograph. Transformers between the two cabs stepped down the 11,000 V to the voltages needed for the traction motors and other equipment.[4]
Twelve 385-horsepower (287 kW) GEA-627-A1 traction motors drove the GG1's 57-inch (1,448 mm) diameter driving wheels on six axles using a quill drive. Four unpowered leading/trailing wheels were mounted on each end of the locomotive. The traction motors were six-pole, 400 volts, 25 Hz rated at 385 hp (287 kW), with the 12 motors mounted in pairs over each of the six driving axles. Each motor was geared to what is called a "quill," a shroud around the axle itself, and the quill was connected to the drivers by means of a spring and cup arrangement. The motors were mounted on each frame which provided a flexible suspension system to provide full and equal traction for each of the drivers regardless of track condition. Using Whyte notation for steam locomotives, each frame is a 4-6-0 locomotive, which in the Pennsylvania Railroad classification system is a "G". The GG1 has two such frames back to back, 4-6-0+0-6-4. The related AAR wheel arrangement classification is 2-C+C-2. This means one frame consisting of a set of two axles unpowered (the "2") and three axles powered (the "C") hinged with the ball and socket to another frame of the same design (the +). The unpowered "2" axles are at either end of the locomotive."

4859 was originally assigned to passenger service. It completed those assignments until 1964, when it was shifted to freight service. At that time it was reengineered to a top speed of 90 mph. It remained in service until 1979, when, in Conrail colours, it pulled its last freight to Edgemoor, DE.

After retirement, it was sold to the Harrisburg Chapter of the NHRS and donated to the Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority. It was sent to the PA Railroad Museum in nearby Strasburg, where it was restored to 1938 livery, drained of PCB coolants and readied for display.

It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 while still in Strasburg. In 1984 it was moved to Harrisburg, and dedicated as the official state electric locomotive of Pennsylvania. It was relisted on the NRHP in 2004. In 2014 4859 and its accompanying caboose were moved to a siding and covered while Amrtrak completed construction on the trainshed. In late 2018, 4859 and its caboose were again under the trainshed, however ongoing construction has limited public access until completion.

The locomotive is viewable from the end of the passenger waiting area and from side windows.

Locomotive Type: (required): Electric Do you need to pay an entrance fee to view this locomotive? (required): No How accessible is this locomotive display? (Required): Display is behind a fence, access is limited to viewing only. If "other" what is the engine type? (optional): Not listed If a fee is required what is the approximate cost for admittance? (optional): Not listed

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