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GG1's - Surviving GG1s
The GG1 was designed by the Pennsylvania Railroad based on the need for a locomotive that could pull more than 12 to 14 passenger cars. The railroad thought it had designed the perfect electric passenger locomotive, the P-5a, but as the P-5a locomotives arrived, it became necessary to double head them on many trains in order to protect schedules. Two other factors were involved in the development of the GG1. The chassis and wheel arrangement were a result of experiments with a leased New Haven EP3a and the streamlined body and center crew cab were an outcome of concern for crew safety. A tragic grade crossing accident in which a box cab P-5a hit a truck killing the engineer, reinforced the need for better protection for the crew. After the accident, a hold was put on further manufacture of the box cab P-5a and the locomotive was redesigned to include a center crew cab. The GG1 was given a sculptured carbody with contoured hoods that were tapered to provide visibility for the enginemen.
As a result, a very aesthetically pleasing design evolved. Raymond Loewy, the renowned industrial designer, reviewed the prototype and recommended welding the shell rather than using rivets. He then suggested adding the famous pin stripes, making the design an award winner.
The railroad built 139 units (4800 through 4938) between the years 1934 and 1943. Many of them were built at the Juniata Locomotive Shop in Altoona, PA.
Info: URL: http://www.steamlocomotive.com/GG1/ (Added: 12-Jun-2000)
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LUDINOVOTEPLOVOZ (Ludinovo Locomotive Plant)
The locomotives wearing the ËÒÇ trademark are recognized for their high technical design. They are sold not only in Russia and the former USSR, but also in France, Korea, Egypt, Iran, Pakistan, Yugoslavia, Turky, Mongolia, Bulgaria, Cuba, etc. More that 700 units were exported. After 1990 the plant started production of railway speciality, passenger diesel trains, tanker wagons for oil products.
Info: URL: http://admobl.kaluga.ru/New/Industry/Engind/LTZ/defaulte.htm (Added: 4-Jun-2001)
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Surviving Centennials
The Union Pacific Railroad earned a reputation for using very large and powerful steam locomotives and in 1941 began using the largest of them all, the Big Boy, to carry freight over the Rocky Mountains.
In the diesel era, the tradition continued with the use of the most powerful locomotives available. In 1969 UP purchased the very largest and most powerful diesel ever built, the DDA40X, with 6600 HP provided by two diesel engines (prime movers) mounted on one frame.
These 270 ton, 98 foot long behemoths were built by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors Corp. (EMD) and were named "Centennial" in honor of the 100th anniversary of the "Driving of the Golden Spike Ceremony" (May 10, 1869). In all, 47 units were purchased (numbered 6900-6946) beginning in May of 1969 with deliveries continuing through 1971. They were numbered using the "6900" series to mark the '69 dates.
The "Centennials" were designed for high-speed freight and by 1980 had successfully run up an average of 2 million miles a piece. With the decline of freight movement in 1980 the fleet of DDA40Xs were taken out of service and put in desert storage at Yermo, CA. Then in March of 1984 an economic recovery brought a demand for more motive power and 25 were returned to service. However, high maintenance costs caused the retirement of most of them by the close of 1986.
Today 13 of these double diesel locomotives survive and can be visited as shown below. One unit #6936 has recently had a major overhaul and is still owned and regularly operated by the UPRR.
Info: URL: http://www.steamlocomotive.com/centennials/ (Added: 12-Jun-2000)
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