"Old Rivets" in her Golden YearsPRR #4800 is located at the Pennsylvania Railroad Museum in Strasburg, PA. The engine itself was purchased from Conrail by the Lancaster Chapter of the NRHS in 1980 and consequently donated to the Museum in 2000. She was the first of her class and built in 1934 by GE, though Baldwin built the frame. The design specifications for this 1934 engine was that it have a lighter axle load and more power than the P5a, be capable of at least 100 miles per hour, be a streamlined body design and have a single (central) control cab.
Styling of the prototype body shell is attributed to Westinghouse industrial designer Donald Roscoe Dohner though the PRR subsequently hired Raymond Loewy to enhance the GG1's aesthetics. Loewy recommended the use of a smooth, welded body instead of riveted one used in the prototype. He also added five gold pinstripes and a Brunswick green paint scheme. It is due to the rivets on the prototype that the engine is affectionately known as "Old Rivets".
"Old Rivets" scored a speed record on January 28th, 1935 hitting 102 mph in Landover, MD traveling from Washington D.C. to Philadelphia, PA. The trip that day saw passengers get to their destination 12 minutes faster then all of Amtrak's trains today except the Acela which would save passengers an extra 15 minutes (assuming they were willing to wait 66 years, lol). An amazing piece of equipment. She ran for the PRR, PC and eventually Conrail until retired in 1979. A cosmetic restoration in the 80's by the Museum had her looking pretty sweet though she's due for some love once more.
