Blue Sky and Spirit!

e*Train Issue: Dec 2022 | Posted in: 1970-now Modern Era

By John S. Halajko, TCA# 84-29653 Winter 2023 e*Train

Perhaps the most prolific toy train engine ever produced is a model of the PRR GG1. It appears in almost all gauges (there is no LIONEL OO Version to my knowledge), and in the author’s opinion it is the most produced toy train locomotive in O-Gauge. The link below details its many paint schemes.

GG1 Paint Schemes (spikesys.com)

Our son, David, and I used to play toy trains on the floor of one of our bedrooms in our Lawrenceville, NJ home. Our favorite motive power was to double head a pair of early Williams GG1s. David’s Lego collection and a part of my train collection were on the wall. The single twin bed served as a super tunnel, and the areas next to the walls became a great place to locate building and accessories. The door bottom had enough clearance to guide over the tracks. All was well for many years; until my knees went south forcing me to build a layout in the basement.

Why did we pick the GG1 to run on the bedroom floor with the potential of unexpected door openings? Simple, the front truck would impact the door if opened by accident, causing damage to the door and not the locomotive. It is a lot easier to repaint and door bottom than a GG1 body.

When preparing this article, the author discovered that the star pattern of my early MTH Premier GG1 did not match the star pattern of my Post Card Image of Spirit sold by the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. I also discovered that the Lionel Vision Line GG1 does not match either.

Unfortunately, I could not locate a Vision Line GG1 to confirm paint colors against the MTH version.

The Star pattern of the early MTH scale GG1 does not agree with the post card photo, side 1.

The Star pattern of the early MTH scale GG1 does not agree with the post card photo, side 2.

Carefully examine the star pattern of the Vision Line locomotive against the Post Card which follows. Conclusion, star patterns do not agree with Post Card Photo. Note the additional detail of the Lionel piece. The light blue of the Lionel Vision Line GG1 may be a lighting issue.

Photo of Spirit sold as a Post Card by the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania.

Side1 of Lionel Vision Line

Side2 of Lionel Vision Line

Side by side of GG1 Fronts

So why do I favor the Scale GG1s over the Classic Size? (Link takes you to the e*Train article “Amtraking with the GG1s” in the April 2019 edition) Simple, I am hooked on their size and sound systems. Why sound systems? Simple, I served PSEG in a court ordered environmental project in their Jersey City facility. One of my GG1s have a passenger stop at Jersey City.

Shop Amazon and Help TCA

TCA members who shop at Amazon.com can have each of their normal purchases generate a modest payment to TCA! And it won’t cost you anything!

The Train Collectors Association is now a participant with AmazonSmile, which is a special website operated by Amazon that lets customers enjoy the same wide selection of products, low prices and convenient shopping features as on Amazon.com.

The difference is that when customers shop at AmazonSmile (smile.amazon.com), the AmazonSmile Foundation donates 0.5% of the price of eligible purchases to the charitable organizations selected by customers.

The process is simple. Just search for and select Train Collectors Association when you sign up and shop at smile.amazon.com.

You use your regular Amazon.com username and password, but when you log in to smile.amazon.com, you’ll see that you are supporting TCA with your purchases:

Note that if you just log in to the regular amazon.com, this benefit does not operate.

There are no costs to either you or TCA, but TCA benefits!

This is a great way for TCA to earn extra cash to offset costs, so sign up today to help support TCA.

* Note: TCA is not a party to any of your Amazon transactions, and does not endorse any products or vendors.

Helping TCA with your ebay purchases when you use PayPal

If you’re an ebay user and have a PayPal account you use to make payments, you can designate a donation for TCA when you’re checking out — any amount, small or large.
If you’re a regular seller on ebay, you can pre-designate a percentage of your sales to be donated automatically in your name to TCA as long as the purchaser pays with their PayPal account.

In both cases, you will receive a donation receipt from the PayPal Giving Fund, and enjoy applicable tax advantages.

How to do it:

Click on the image above, or use this link. This will take you to ebay, where you will see the following page (log in to ebay if you are not already):

This offers TCA as an option. Click on the “Add to My Charities” button where indicated with the red arrow. Thereafter, when you make a purchase, at checkout you will be offered the option to make a donation to TCA in any amount of your choosing. Small amounts add up, larger ones are great! It’s always up to you!

The option will appear at the lower part of your checkout page, something like this:

If you’re a regular seller on ebay, you can allocate a portion of your sales proceeds to be donated to TCA. Look at the green arrow marked “Optional” above to see how to do it. Details on how ebay calculates the donation may be read here. This is a wonderful way to share the financial benefits of your hobby with the organization that promotes it!

An added benefit to TCA is that these donations are not subject to normal processing fees, so that makes your donation work harder!

* Note. TCA is not a party to any of your eBay transactions, and does not endorse any products or vendors. PayPal issues the receipts to you for your donation, not TCA.

Blue Sky and Spirit!

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