| GG-1 4876 -- a 1939 product of the Pennsylvania Railroads Altoona Shops -- heads south after leaving Elizabeth, New Jersey. Elizabeths famous speed-restricted S-curve lies just ahead. 4876 is one of the most famous GG-1s because in 1953 it crashed through the floor of Washingtons Union Station. The incident, which became known as the "Wreck of the Federal Express," was caused by malfunctioning braking equipment in the train. Miraculously, there were no fatalities. After the wreck, 4876 was simply cut up into pieces by PRR engineers, rebuilt, and returned to service. She served the Pennsylvania, Penn Central, Amtrak, and New Jersey Transit for many years afterward and was among a handful of GG-1s that ended the GG-1s reign in 1983, faithfully delivering passengers to and from Penn Station and South Amboy. This photo was taken in the Spring of 1983 -- a few months before the end. |