Kato USA N scale Penn Central GG1 electric locomotive and “rainbow fleet” passenger cars

Not too long ago, if a modeler was into N scale and the short-lived Penn Central’s passenger fleet, he would have some painting and decaling projects ahead. Now Kato has released its great-running GG1 electric locomotive and some passenger cars in accurate PC paint schemes.

The brief PC era. On Feb. 1, 1968, the New York Central and the Pennsylvania RR merged to become Penn Central, which at the time was the country’s largest railroad company. In 1969 Penn Central absorbed the New York, New Haven & Hartford RR. Including New Haven rolling stock, Penn Central owned 65 percent of the intercity passenger equipment in the United States.

The cash-strapped PC used simplified paint schemes on its passenger cars, often only adding a new name or number and the PC logo. Likewise, the GG1 electric locomotives that PC inherited from the Pennsy received a Spartan black-and-white paint scheme. Like its predecessor, the PC used GG1s on electrified lines from New York to Harrisburg, Pa., and Philadelphia to Washington, D.C.

In 1971 Penn Central turned over its passenger equipment to Amtrak. The bankrupt PC hung on to its freight business for a few more years until the railroad became part of Conrail in 1976.

GG1. I reviewed the Kato GG1 in the January 2009 Model Railroader. The model’s dimensions match drawings published by Model Railroader in the October 1994 issue. The plastic body shell has sharply molded detail with separately applied cab ladders and window safety bars. The blackened metal pantographs are positionable.

The paint scheme matches prototype photos of PC no. 4885. All the lettering is straight and opaque.

The model has a smooth mechanism. The GG1 crept along at 1.5 scale mph. Its top speed of 131 scale mph is higher than the prototype’s 100 mph top speed.

Removing the press-fit plastic body shell and the plastic cover on top of the split die-cast metal frame reveals the printed-circuit (PC) board. There are two yellow light-emitting diodes (LEDs) on each end of the PC board. These LEDs illuminate the model’s headlights automatically according to the locomotive’s direction, which isn’t prototypical.

Modelers who want to convert the GG1 to Digital Command Control (DCC) have a few options. Board-
replacement decoders are available from Digitrax (part no. DN163K1D) and Train Control Systems (part no. K1D4-NC). A board-replacement DCC sound decoder is available from Model Rectifier Corp. (See the review on the next page).

Kato also sells a GG1 decorated for PC no. 4923, as well as two additional numbers in the black-and-white Amtrak scheme. For those modeling the non-electrified parts of the PC, an Electro-Motive Division E8A diesel decorated for PC is also available. [You’ll find a review of the Kato N scale E8A in the July 2011 MR. – Ed.]

Passenger cars. The models were used in the Kato N scale Broadway Limited and City of Los Angeles trains that I reviewed in the March 2009 and July 2011 issues. The cars have press-fit plastic bodies, and interior lighting kits are available (part no. 11-209).

The four-car Penn Central passenger set includes 44-seat coach no. 3001, 12 duplex roomette-4 double bedroom Connoquenessing Creek, coach no. 1521, and 4 bedroom-4 compartment 2-drawing room sleeper Imperial Trees. The paint schemes of these models match prototype photos in the Penn Central Guide to Freight and Passenger Equipment (Morning Sun Books).

Imperial Trees, Connoquenessing Creek, and coach no. 1521 are ex-PRR cars. Originally built by Budd as a 21-roomette sleeper, no. 1521 was converted into a 64-seat coach before the Penn Central merger. The model incorrectly has the interior for the sleeper.

Penn Central no. 3001 was a 44-seat coach purchased from the Union Pacific by the PC. This coach and the other three cars served on Amtrak after 1971.

It’s hard to model a complete passenger train with only four cars. Modelers may wish to renumber additional cars to make up a complete train.
 
Kato is offering another four-car set consisting of former California Zephyr, El Capitan, and Super Chief passenger equipment decorated in the phase 1 Amtrak paint scheme. Matching Kato GG1 and EMD E8A locomotives are also available. See www.katousa.com for more information.
 
These new paint schemes from Kato make it easier for N scalers to model a unique era in American railroading.

Price: $139 (locomotive), $100 (four-car set)

Manufacturer
Kato USA
100 Remington Road
Schaumburg, IL 60173
katousa.com

Era: 1968 to 1971

Locomotive features

• Blackened metal wheels in gauge
• Can motor with dual brass flywheels
• Electrical pickup on 10 drivers (Two drivers have traction tires)
• Kato knuckle couplers at correct height
• Minimum radius: 93⁄4″
• Weight: 5 ounces
• Passenger car features
• Kato knuckle couplers at correct height
• Low-profile metal wheels in gauge
• Minimum radius: 11″
• Weight: 11⁄4 ounces