GG-1 Poll

rfranzosa · Posted: Sat Aug 16, 2008 9:20 pm Post subject: GG-1 Poll

The Cowen GG-1 lighting section includes a 'spark' effect where the pantograph meets the wire. There are three things that bother me about it.

1) The spark effect happens whether the pan is up or not

2) It only works with the rear pan

3) Most importantly, if you have multiple GG-1s together, THEY ALL spark in unison....

I was thinking of removing the sparking effect...

Any thoughts on that??

Rick

Steamwhistle · Joined: 21 Sep 2007 Posts: 2

Rick,

I also noticed two other unrealistic characteristics regarding the spark.

1. The spark can be viewed from the cab...it's rather bright.
2. The spark works while the units are sitting still.

It wouldn't bother me if you removed the spark.

Bill

dcarleton · Joined: 15 May 2008 Posts: 60

How about separate eng files for sparks and no sparks?

If you keep some with the sparks, use very long time intervals between sparks. Also, use a different value for the time interval for each unit so that they don't all light up at the same time.

On the other hand, they didn't really spark much. Sparks meant momentary loss of contact, and the people in charge really didn't like to see that. Also, no sparks while standing still. You could get sparks while running through interlockings, etc., but while running down the line sparking was unusual. Also, on the Pennsylvania Railroad they ran their pantographs with much greater uplift (or whatever it is that they call the pounds of pressure holding the shoe of the pan to the wire) than on a typical modern electrification system, something like twice as much! So, sparking wasn't supposed to happen. But in later years, after Conrail, frequently there would be runs of catanary that had come loose and would sag; and the pans would bounce up and down making a big bright spark every time. I remember seeing a Metroliner coming through North Elizabeth doing that. Couldn't have been good for the equipment....

David Carleton

PS: When they did spark, it was lightening bright.

TheSchwede · Joined: 18 Apr 2008 Posts: 94

I think it has something with the route to do, some European routes have the same sparks.

Bert aka The Schwede

samofire · Joined: 04 Oct 2007 Posts: 2

I like the effect...for what it's worth. Thanks, as well, for putting this set out there, it's obvious that you put a lot of effort into these models, and they're great, inside and out. Great work!

Samofire