# Pennsy Pantograph Testing



## Madman (Aug 22, 2020)

The latest issue from the Pennsylvania Railroad Technical & Historical Society arrived a few days ago. The front cover has a picture of GG1 4899. Nice shot, I thought, but as I looked alittle closer I noticed that something didn't look quite right with the rear pantograph.

Inside the front cover was a description. The Pennsy was testing the new, to this side of the pond, Fairley Pantographs that would be used on the Metroliners. The photo was taken in 1960. 

I learned something new. The Fairley pantograph just doesn't look right on a GG1, to me.


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## Lehigh74 (Sep 25, 2015)

It looks OK to me. It’s a sleeker design than the normal pan. And the GG1 was a sleeker design than the usual box cab motor.


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## Gramps (Feb 28, 2016)

It reminds me of a knee replacement on a senior citizen.


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## Madman (Aug 22, 2020)

Lehigh74 said:


> It looks OK to me. It’s a sleeker design than the normal pan. And the GG1 was a sleeker design than the usual box cab motor.


Beauty is in the ye of the beholder. Perhaps is the design was original to the locomotive, it might be more acceptable, to me anyway.


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

Deutsche Bahn and ÖBB did this with a number of older locomotives when upgrading the electrics in them. The ÖBB 1110, 1143, and others, and the DB Br.111, Br.151, are just a few that had these conversions.

Fewer moving parts, lighter weight, and easier mounting were some of the reasons for the newer models. Overseas there are almost as many different variation of these pans as there are locomotives.


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## J.Albert1949 (Feb 3, 2018)

I don't believe I ever saw a GG-1 back in my working days on the RR that had a Faively pan.
They must have reckoned the replacement costs weren't worth any benefit...


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## Madman (Aug 22, 2020)

J.Albert1949 said:


> I don't believe I ever saw a GG-1 back in my working days on the RR that had a Faively pan.
> They must have reckoned the replacement costs weren't worth any benefit...


The caption, on the inside cover of the magazine said nothing about converting the pans on GG1s. Instead, GG1 4899 was being used as a test vehicle for the new pantographs.


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