Tag Archives: #GG1

My Photo Class: From PRR to PC to Conrail

At 9am, Tuesday, April 14, 2026, my third railroad photography class of the Spring season convened at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg, Pa.

I had enthusiastic participants. Following a brief introduction, by Museum Director Pat Morrison, I gave a concise 15 minute slide presentation, and we adjourned to the Museum to make photographs.

To make use of the fine Spring weather, initially we all went outside into the yard to photograph the locomotives and rolling stock on exhibit there, and to observe construction of the new roundhouse that is being built toward the west end of the Museum’s grounds.

Afterward, we returned inside, where Pat and I spoke with participants. I answered questions and made a variety of photos.

Among the benefits of the class is that we can take down some of the steel barriers to allow for unobstructed photography of key exhibits. In addition, Pat opened up several locomotives for exploration, photography and for use as viewing platforms.

I discussed photography, cameras and technique with many of the participants, while exposing dozens of photos using my Nikon Z-series mirrorless cameras.

Among the lenses I worked with was my old Nikkor f2.0 135mm ‘defocus’ prime telephoto.

Although I’ve made dozens of visits to the Museum, everytime I go, I make different photos, and that is one of the points of the classes: ‘learning to see.’

Nikon Z6 with Nikkor f2.0 135mm prime telephoto-focused manually.
Roundhouse construction.
Nikon Z6 with Nikkor f2.0 135mm prime telephoto-focused manually.
Nikon Z6 with Nikkor f2.0 135mm prime telephoto-focused manually.
E44 detail.
Museum Director Pat Morrison with GG1 4935. Exposed with Nikon Z6-III with Nikkor Z-series 24-70mm lens.
Nikon Z6 with Nikkor f2.0 135mm prime telephoto-focused manually.
Nikon Z6 with Nikkor f2.0 135mm prime telephoto-focused manually.
Exposed with Nikon Z6-III with Nikkor Z-series 24-70mm lens.

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View from a GG1

During my class last week at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, Museum Director Patrick Morrison offered to open up some of the locomotives. I asked if we could visit former Pennsylvania Railroad GG1 electric 4935.

I made these fireman’s side views with my Lumix LX7.

It was pretty neat to explore the steam-era streamlined electric locomotive. While at the museum I bought my dad a GG1 4935 T-shirt which I delivered to him in Massachusetts a couple of days later.

On January 1, 1980, Pop, my brother Sean and I photographed this classic machine together at New Haven, Connecticut.

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Visiting the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania.

Yesterday morning I paid a visit to the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania.

My principal objective was to perform a dry run of the illustrated program on Steam Locomotive that I will present today to the Museum’s members.

Afterward, I wandered around looking at all my favorite exhibits.

I made these photos using my Lumix LX7.

One of the great things about where we live is that the museum is only about a 15 minute drive from our house.

4876 Up close

On this day (January 15th) in 1953, Pennsylvania Railroad GG1 4876 electric was leading The Federal (Boston to Washington D.C.) when the train suffered an airbrake failure as it approached Washington Union Terminal at speed.

The train crashed spectacularly with the locomotive ending up in the concourse of the station, which then collapsed under the excessive weight of the engine. This event made front page news all across the nation.

The locomotive, or parts thereof, were reassembled (or remanufactured) by the railroad. The engine kept its famous number.

In 1982, old 4876 was owned by the New Jersey Department of Transportaion and routinely assigned to work New York & Long Branch trains (also known as the North Jersey Coast Line) between Penn Station in Manhattan and South Amboy, New Jersey.

Scan of a black & white print.

In 1982, My father and I caught up with the battle-weary famous electric at Rahway Junction, NJ., where I made this black & white photo using my vintage Leica 3A, a camera that was even older than the vintage electric locomotive.

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Visiting the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania with Wayne.

Two weeks ago, Kris and I accompanied Wayne Duffett of TEC Associates on a detailed tour of railroad equipment, artifacts and models displayed at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg.

This is just a great place. I’m never bored amoung the beautifully restored and displayed engines and cars. Everytime I visit, I find something I’d never seen before. and I can never tire of seeing a magnificent GG1 electric dressed in the classic Loewy stripes. (And recall the New Year’s morning 43 years ago, when my dad, brother and I inspected this very same GG1 on the ready tracks at New Haven, Connecticut.)

We spend several hours gazing in awe at all the great relics of railroading past.

The airbrake training car was a real treat. I never knew that this restored in fully operational condition!

Somehow, I made more than 300 photos, working with my Nikon Z6 and Kris’s Fujifilm XT4.

I made a bunch of side by side comparisons between the Nikon and Fuji cameras, but I’ll display those images in a future post.

Fujifilm XT4 with Fujinon 16-55mm zoom lens.
Nikon Z6 with Nikkor 24-70mm lens.
Fujifilm XT4 with Fujinon 16-55mm zoom lens.
Fujifilm XT4 with Fujinon 16-55mm zoom lens.
Fujifilm XT4 with Fujinon 16-55mm zoom lens.
Nikon Z6 with Nikkor 24-70mm lens.
Fujifilm XT4 with Fujinon 16-55mm zoom lens.
Fujifilm XT4 with Fujinon 16-55mm zoom lens.
Nikon Z6 with Nikkor 24-70mm lens.
Fujifilm XT4 with Fujinon 16-55mm zoom lens.
Fujifilm XT4 photo by Kris Sabbatino.
Fujifilm XT4 with Fujinon 16-55mm zoom lens.
Fujifilm XT4 with Fujinon 16-55mm zoom lens.
Nikon Z6 with Nikkor 24-70mm lens.
Nikon Z6 with Nikkor 24-70mm lens.
Nikon Z6 with Nikkor 24-70mm lens.
Nikon Z6 with Nikkor 24-70mm lens.
Nikon Z6 with Nikkor 24-70mm lens.
Fujifilm XT4 with Fujinon 16-55mm zoom lens.
Nikon Z6 with Nikkor 24-70mm lens.
Nikon Z6 with Nikkor 24-70mm lens.
Nikon Z6 with Nikkor 24-70mm lens.

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