# Advice on USA GG1



## N1CW (Jan 3, 2008)

Hello MLS fountain of knowledge

I have done my homework by doing a search thru the MLS Archive stacks.
So now it time to get out of the darkness and back into the sunshine.

FYI - I have a FLAT elevated dual main line loops of 140' of 20'diam SS track.
          I took over the Mrs. garden space (with HER permission)/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/crying.gif

USA GG1 owners - Are you glad/sad that you have a hernia from the 90 lb box?/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/sick.gif
Any problems/concerns/want-2-sell-it issues that your willing to share here?

How much room is inside the cab?
Have you removed the QSI electronics an installed your own/dcs/rcs/te/etc?
Have you upgraded the QSI firmware to V7 chipset?

The_Other_Ray


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## Guest (Feb 18, 2008)

Mine has run flawless for about a year now with the installed QSI, haven't had any issues at all. just a dam fine engine is all i can say./DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/hehe.gif
Nick


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## Guest (Feb 20, 2008)

Now come on you Grumpy farts i can't be the only one that owns this loco???
Nick...


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## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

Nick,


You might be one of the few!  I checked, and I still don't have one.  This is another case of "I wish USA had made these out of plastic" for me.  I think both LGB and USA missed most of the potential market by making it out of metal instead of plastic.  Its too bad that the MTH GG1 is going to be too small for the rest of my trains (plus their proprietary control and sound).  

However, from what I have seen, this is a nice looking, well made locomotive.  

Mark


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## Guest (Feb 20, 2008)

Mark,
I wish  i new some of the guys who have the layouts at eclsts because i woud love to bring it and run it, but i don't know any of the the club members, i also wouln't mind bringing my 14 car usa nyc passenger set with either my 2 hudsons or my 3 f-3's abb units, impressive looking train, i also heard Tom H.  is bringing his 50 cars csx coal train how cool wood it look with my 50 also!!!!! 100 CAR COAL TRAIN OUTSTANDING I'D SAY../DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/hehe.gif
Nick


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## Ltotis (Jan 3, 2008)

One of the members of the CCTGG has the USA GG1 and has run it on another groups layout at the Amherst Show in Springfield. I don't know anyone else who owns one. I agree with Mark that if either USA or LGB had made them in plastic they would have sold lots more. 
LAO


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## Chillicharlie (Jan 2, 2008)

I have the USA green five stripe and being a steam type of guy it suprised me how much i have enjoyed the GG1 and would recommend it as a good buy. 

Chillicharlie


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## Rayman4449 (Jan 2, 2008)

Mark,  What control system do you use with your engines or are you straight track power?


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## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

Ray,

I use straight track power, controlling with an aristo TE.  Have to keep it in Linear mode due to my two LGB sound units.  

Mark

PS - Stay away from me, you DCS pusher!! You're as bad as the RS-3 Conspiracy or the Battery Mafia!! /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/hehe.gif (DCS Pusher?  Maybe we can come up with something better than that...)


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## planenut (Jan 4, 2008)

You cany go wrong with this engineI had gotten one when they first came out although not to much run time its a 1St class runner like all of USa engines,It will pull anything you throw at it 
Jon


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## N1CW (Jan 3, 2008)

*WTB USA GG-1 in Wanted classified shopping. 
*
USA GG-1 - Used - Want 2 run it - Not 2 B a shelf Queen

*LINK*


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

I have had mine since they first hit the shelves, my all time favorate loco. It still is pure stock and the only thing I changed is the V-Max and Throttle Mode settings on the QSI. Very happy with it. Nick Jr


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## Ltotis (Jan 3, 2008)

I did purchase one for myself. Tuscan 5 stripe! 
LAO


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## Guest (Oct 12, 2008)

Ray,
Ive now seen LGB, MTH and USA'S GG-1, all i can say is you will NOT be dissapointed if you get the USA version, a bit more than the MTH version but well worth the investment. out of all 3 the nicest in my opionion...
Nick


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I do not have one, but having a pivoting pilot like a postwar lionel loco would spoil it for me, and I believe the MTH and the LGB have them. Of course if you really wanted a GG-1 and had tight curves, you might have to compromise. 

Regards, Greg


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## Guest (Oct 12, 2008)

Yup Greg,
The MTH and LGB version will go on tighter curves, i tried mine on 10ft dia and it went with no problems. i just like the real look of the USA version. all in all nicely done...








Nick...


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## Guest (Oct 14, 2008)

Ray,
I didnt even notice you were from Mass, why dont you pop over to charlies and ask if they have any scatch or dents sales on any GG-1's, i know a few people who have gotten a really sweet deal if you didnt mind touching up a few scatchs on there steamers!!!! just a thought.. by the way i put a small nick in mine putting it away in the wood box... i really pissed myself off that day








Nick


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## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

Greg,
GG1's have a pivoting pilot!


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yahoo! I learn something every day! 

Well, that settles the prototypical appearance question. So, from all the comments I have heard, why rag on MTH and LGB? Did they just not do as good an appearance job? Or is it that they were often photographed on tighter curves? 

Inquiring minds want to know! 

Regards, Greg


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## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

ChiliCharlie
What is this about a live steam guy and GG1, sounds very familiar










Powered by RCS


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## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

Greg,

The LGB was upwards of $4000 when it came out, was Brass and made by Aster (I think), was to a funky scale (too tall, too short in length) but would navigate an R1 curve.
The MTH is just now available, but its 1/32, so all the folks with those beautiful 1/29 USA trains streamliners or Aristo heavyweight coaches might be hesitant to use the MTH unit due to its small appearance. ( From the website, the dimensions they list scale out pretty close to the 1:1 GG1. Within a foot any direction, anyway). 
The USA is die cast, and is a beauty but at $1500, is beyond what most people are willing to shell out. I think USA could have sold a lot more had they stuck to their diesel marketing plan: Make it plastic, and sell more units cheaper.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I agree Mark. Did not know the LGB was that expensive, so understand people's disappointment, would expect more fidelity to scale for that price. (But compromises to meet the LGB creedo of R1 navigation should NOT have been a surprise!) 

The MTH might look good with the Aristo HW's, they appear to be scale, but for some reason look ok with an MTH challenger, not too large. 

I do wish that USAT would have found a way to make thier premimum locos a bit less expensive, but they have sold them all out, so they apparently achieved their goal. 

Regards, Greg


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## Guest (Oct 17, 2008)

I dont think anyone was raggen on the others gg-1's but forming an opioion based on what they saw, LGB was weird lookin didnt have the wright look to it. also i didnt know it was made of brass just looked at it thru the glass window in display case to much $ for me. got to see a MTH version couple of weeks ago and it was nice lookin but was alot smaller than my USA version, didnt look right behind 1/29th passenger cars. also could only pull 7 cars before wheels slipped. the USA version has been done to scale perfection and weighs alot and can so far pull anything ive thrown at it.i think if USA did them in plastic they still would have come in about 800.00 to 1000.00 anyway so save a little longerand go with the diecast if you want 1/29th. the other thing you pay for when you buy USA diecast is quality... theres something to be said for removing a loco from its box and putting on the track and it runs EVERY time....... i have no problem paying extra for working lococmotives, im not going to beat a dead horse Here but the other 1/29th scale company cant get anything they make to work wright out of the box and even when you send to them to fix they seem not to be able to fix there own product.............this is why i think USA train will win the day because quality comes 1st.
Nick


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## Chucks_Trains (Jan 2, 2008)

Just buy some MTH passenger cars to go behind a MTH GG-1!!
Infact the MTH passenger cars are longer than Aristo's butchered passenger cars..another fine prodct that Aristo screwed up..why does that company always go 90% then stop?
MTH passenger cars are 28" long which is 74.5' in 1/32 scale.
Aristo passenger cars are 27.5" long which is 66.5' in 1/29 scale..what car builder made 66.5' passenger cars?


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Apparently there was an obscure prototype that was shorter... I have to look on the Aristo forum, but it appears so. 

That said, they look short... but not as toylike as the really short streamliners. 

Regards, Greg


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## Chucks_Trains (Jan 2, 2008)

Greg, I learn something every day..








A year ago I had a pair of Aristo S.F. E8's and a set of 5 or 6 of the new Aristo S.F. streamliners and personally I didn't like the looks of that train...the cars were shorter than the E8's and I didn't like the dull red paint that Aristo used on the nose on those Warbonnets..so I sold everything on Ebay and actually made a little $$$ on them!


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## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

Chuck,
The Aristo streamliner cars (the ribbed ones) were/are really short! I think they made them to go around 5' diameter curves. A lot of folks liked them, and at the time they came out in the late 1990s, they were the only choice if you wanted a streamlined train. The Aristo smoothsides were longer, but sat way too high on their trucks and had no interiors. When the USA brought their streamliner out, that effectively killed the aristo streamliners. For an extra $50, you got a better looking car. A lot of folks who bought the USA found out they had to rebuild their railroads to accomodate the longer cars. However, there's no question in my mind that the USA streamliners are excellent. I just rebuilt my railroad so I could run them. You definetly need the power to pull them, though. I think they are also slightly shorter than proto, right? 

Did you measure your MTH coaches over the carbody or the knuckles? There was an article in GR about taking 3 MTH coaches and making 2 'scale' coaches with them. Maybe they were making 80' cars. 

I like the heavyweight coaches. I think you're only talking about the streamliners, right? Or did you have a bad experience with the hw's too? I have 3 heavyweights and even though they were molded in the late 80s early 90s, I think they are pretty nice. I have repainted them and made them couple up to within 1/4" of each other. Supposedly, they are some Bethlehem Steel car used on the CNJ. At least they didn't do those goofy Harriman roofed Santa Fe coaches or some strange looking Long Island RR coaches. Or worse, the Osgood Bradley "American Flyer" coaches. Even though it would have been specific for my favorite, the New Haven, it would have been inappropriate for all other roads.

As for the GG1s, well, it is kind of in the past for me (meaning: I was really excited when aristo announced they were making one, but then cancelled it, and my hopes of owning one soon after died). The USA and LGB GG1s, that would compliment the rest of my trains and rolling stock, are beyond my means and well beyond my means. The MTH requires too much further investment after the locomotive purchase (DCS system that will only be used for that one locomotive, and a whole new fleet of rolling stock).

Besides, I really only wanted a GG1 so that I could bash it in to a New Haven EP3!! Kind of like the one MTH is making for their Premier O Gauge line!

Mark


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Chuck (I am buying more cars)

These go better together, don't you think? These cars are longer than the e8's!













Regards, Greg


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## Guest (Oct 20, 2008)

Posted By Greg Elmassian on 10/20/2008 12:18 PM
Chuck (I am buying more cars)

These go better together, don't you think? These cars are longer than the e8's!













Regards, Greg 










now that looks rite, check your email..
Nick..


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## rpc7271 (Jan 2, 2008)

I have one. I spent my entier bonus on it. It sits in a case in front of the TV most of the time because I don't have an outside storage facility (yet). I ran it for the open house for the Garden Railways Convention this April in Phoenix. It ran continuous for 8 hours non stop on track power without any problems at all. All locomotives should be this well built!


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Only thing missing is the B-unit







Later RJD


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

You are a troublemaker R.J.! I'm going to ask Rex how much, but I think I need to sit down first! 

Greg


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

It's only money Greg







Go for it. Later RJD


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## Rayman4449 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Greg Elmassian on 10/20/2008 12:18 PM
Chuck (I am buying more cars)

These go better together, don't you think? These cars are longer than the e8's!













Regards, Greg 




Hey Greg,

Those are the USAT passenger cars aren't they? 


Raymond


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yep, new RPO, then sleeper, vista dome, observation... don't make fun of me, I'm ordering more, I know that train is short! 

Regards, Greg


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## Rayman4449 (Jan 2, 2008)

LOL, I won't be making fun... I was just thinking that's the exact matchup I'd like to have... the SF warbonnet Es with the USAT cars. What a great looking set!  


Raymond


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## N1CW (Jan 3, 2008)

Posted By on 13 Oct 2008 08:39 PM 
Ray,
I didnt even notice you were from Mass, why dont you pop over to charlies and ask if they have any scatch or dents sales on any GG-1's, i know a few people who have gotten a really sweet deal if you didnt mind touching up a few scatchs on there steamers!!!! just a thought.. by the way i put a small nick in mine putting it away in the wood box... i really pissed myself off that day








Nick

Nick/et-al[/b]

Well, it turns out that Charlie did take 4 GG1's Dent/Scratch/etc to the Fall ECLSTS.[/b]

I was visiting a Green 5 stripes GG1 (with washer marks/dents and no electronics) today.[/b]
It was hard wired from the pick-up's to the pair of 24 volt Pittman motors.[/b] 

He was able to buy a pair of light boards. 
Each light board has a microprocessor to control lights/pan.[/b]
I will be helping him with the lights and installing some type of DCC/RC and sound.[/b]


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## smcgill (Jan 2, 2008)

Now all you need Ray is an engine hoist to lift it up to your track! 
Sean


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