The Home Machinist!

Former ILS (Illinois) member Don Dixon had wanted a GG-1 locomotive...for 7.5" gauge track. Don started work on the locomotive and changed from metal fabrication to plastic because of blood thinners (still can't figure that one out). Sadly, Don passed away before the locomotive was completed. The family asked ILS members to assist with the disposition of Don's machine tools, railroad book library and the makings of his 7.5" gauge GG-1 locomotive.

At that point, Don had completed the truck frames (made of plastic/PVC with metal spine and equalized drivers) and the body (plastic/PVC as well). The body was built up on a 1/2" square steel frame. Other detail parts had been nearly finished including the ladder steps, pantographs, but that was about it. Don had started to fabricate the parts for the quill drive on the main axles...but that too, was not completed.

ILS member (at that time) Chris Kamin, purchased the locomotive from the Dixon family and proceeded to rescue the classy locomotive. In some cases, it was a matter of one step back to go two steps forward. Together, we worked on different parts of this project all the way thru to completion.

Drivers...Chris generated the needed code to have the wheels CNC machined. Voids were left in the wheel face for the quill drive "hammers". Hammer resin castings were made and glued in place.

Side frames...while the outer side frames for the main drive trucks were plastic...there was a metal tube "spine" to hold the trucks together...and a universal joint between the (2) trucks. There was always a question whether these truck frames would stand up to the abuse on the rail. After all the trial runs...there was never a problem with those.

Gear boxes...Chris made a pattern and poured high strength resin material for the (6) gear boxes needed. These were arranged like the real drives...two motors per axle. Unlike the real GG-1's where there was motor for each direction...the model had (12) 1/2 hp motors for both directions.

Controls...a 300 amp 4QD controller was at the heart of the loco drive with a fan cooled heat sink. Four 6-volt batteries provided power...with additional space for (2) more batteries. Cavities in the fore and aft nose sections were used to mount the controller, air brake compressor and controls, bell, horn and other auxiliaries.

Brakes...while the 4QD controller has braking features, pneumatic controlled brakes were suspended on hangers between various pairs of drivers. Air cylinders were fabricated to fit between the pairs of drivers and apply pressure to the brake beams. Resin casting brake shoes were made to match the driver radius.

Pilot trucks...while visiting another club, a derailment destroyed one of the front pilot truck side frames. 3/4" x 4" alum bar stock was purchased to replace the plastic side frames. Nylon machined "hearts" (fabricated by Don) were used for the swing centers.

Pilots...were fabricated from steel to provide coupler mounts as well as a better looking locomotive end.

Along the way, Mr. Ray Meyers in Miami, FL heard about the locomotive and purchased it for the GG-1 Historic Locomotive Preservation Society. Rays intent was to create a GG-1 museum in Miami. In fact, the society owns a real GG-1 (#4917) some where up in NY state. The society is trying to get it moved to Miami. Ray opted to have the loco painted in Brunswick Green and numbered #4917.

Final track testing was performed at the ILS on June 11, 2011 prior to delivery. It was shame to see the loco leave...no doubt, it was a classy looking locomotive! Enjoy the pix. Carl B.

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Sooner or later, you have to take the bull by the tail...and face the situation!
Life is like a sewer...what you get out of it depends on what you put into it!
I don't walk on water...I just know where some of the stepping stones are!
When it's all said and done...there's nothing left to say or do!

What an innovative construction and a great story! Hopefully, she'll get out and run on occasion. Regarding blood thinners, I understand completely! If you are on warfarin or Plavix, or even vitamin E, a tiny cut of deep scratch can start a massive bleed that takes forever to stop. Plastic would be far less hazardous than sheet metal.
I nice .tiff file photo of this locomotive would be a great submission to the PRRT&HS journal, "The Keystone".

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"Always stopping my train, and risking my ankles, with American made, New Balance sneakers."

On Fathers day, I was lucky enough to get a text that this engine was finially at our club. I wasnt feeling well and had a sinus infection but I still got ready to goto the track. Once there I found out that Ray and Chris brought the GG-1 but werent going to run it. They said they brought it for us to run. Ok by me! We took it around the club track for a few hours. Without passengers at first and then we loaded up a couple of ride on cars. Found out they were only using 2 of the 4 batteries and this thing ran flawless under load. You didnt have to push the throttle very much, only about 1/4 throttle. I did push it to 1/2 without passengers just to see what power it had. I wouldnt go much past that unless it was up a grade with a passenger load. Now here is the good part. Ray is in Miami, the club track is in Coconut Creek aka Northern Fort Lauderdale. He said all we have to do is ask and come get the GG-1 to use and run at the track. Hopefully it will be at the track for the Tradewinds Park Fall Festival in October.

This weekend is our Public Run, 10-4 Saturday and Sunday. We will be running live steam, electric and gas powered locomotives.


Mike Smith
VP of the Tradewinds and Atlantic Railroad.
3600 W Sample Road
Coconut Creek, Florida
Northside of Tradewinds Park
Facebook Tradewinds and Atlantic Railroad and Tradewinds and Atlantic Railroad Doubleheader
www.livesteamers.org

We put 500 Amp correct to scale overhead wire at our club. It was very invigorating.

This shows the control stand of a GG-1 doing 70 mph with a piggy-back train. If you can make it our...the control stand is stenciled "Overload 2750 amps." Working under the wire at 11,000 volts a.c. was also "invigorating...."

Keith