and he notes - The problem with the GG1s shutting down in blowing snow wasn't electrical as the catenary is more than 20 feet above the rails. The cause was the air intake grills sucking in snow and sleet kicked up by the locomotive running at high speeds. Although it happened occasionally, it became a major problem during a blizzard back in the 70s which effectively closed the NY/Washington corridor. To alleviate the problem Pennsy began shopping the beasts and moved the air intake to an area just below the pantographs.
The Central didn't have this problem as they never ran their glorified toaster ovens at speeds higher than 70 mph. The GG1s were rated at 100 mph and often ran higher. The catenary was rated at 120 mph tand a few were clocked at a hundred and ten! You can see the relocated grills on the loco shown below: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:PRR_GG1_4890_at_NRM%2C_Green_Bay%2C_20040426.jpg Raleigh in Maine where it's cold! At 03:40 PM 11/19/2007, Edward Loizeaux wrote: >I always thought the jagged "lightning stripes" signified running in fits >and starts. >Jim "chuckling on the Keystone Main" Lyle > >Jim...I think you are confused with that curveball GG-1 that actually got >stopped dead in it's tracks by some small powdery snowflakes. A big fit >with no start. With the NYC's superior under-da-3rd-rail contact system, >that never happened in the electrified territory just north of Grand Central >Terminial. The heat from the lightning stripes melted all the problems >away. Ed (tongue starting to hurt) L. Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
