Which N scale GG1?

[Doug G.]

Another thread reminded me that the Arnold GG1 will actually run off of overhead wire.

Yes, that's why they made the carbody so easy to remove. One screw and it pops right off to get to the rotary switch to change it from two rail to one rail and catenary.

Doug

[peteski]

Yes, that's why they made the carbody so easy to remove. One screw and it pops right off to get to the rotary switch to change it from two rail to one rail and catenary.

Doug

I don't have my Arnold GG1 handy but wasn't the selector screw exposed on the roof so there was no need to even take the shell off?  I have many European prototype locos and many had the selector switch readily available, either as a screw head on the roof, or a switch under the model.

[Doug G.]

The selector screw is hidden by the roof so the body has to be removed to change the ;pickup scheme. The screw visible, externally on the roof, is the screw to remove the body.

Doug

[Stolen Moment]

I actually ran my Arnold GG1 under wire, powered by the wire, years ago when the NMRA convention was in town and someone's NTrak module had powered wire.  I believe that the screw on the roof *is* the selector.

[Point353]

The top loco is the GG1.

The external screw, which retains the body shell, threads into the hole near the center of the metal weight.

The switch that enables power pick-up from the pantographs can be seen on the circuit board just to the left of that weight.

[peteski]

Wow, that's a blast from the past!  These used selenium disks as diodes for directional headlights.

[u18b]

A while back I was on the lookout for an Arnold GG1.   I figured with modern options, I could find one cheap.

But no.  Dang.   They consistently sold for 70-100 bucks.
Don't know what they go for now.

[Doug G.]

Once and for all, the exposed screw on top of an Arnold GG1 is NOT the switch to change the current pickup mode. The body MUST be removed to change the mode.

Doug

[nkalanaga]

Are those discs diodes, or are they capacitors, to comply with German radio-interference laws?  My Marklin Z stuff has them for that purpose.

[Stolen Moment]

Ouch!  Ok, my memory of this was not only BC, but BK, so something like 30 years ago.  I stand (well, sit) corrected!

Yeah, NMRA history says 1986, so almost 40 years ago.

[dem34]

A while back I was on the lookout for an Arnold GG1.   I figured with modern options, I could find one cheap.

But no.  Dang.   They consistently sold for 70-100 bucks.
Don't know what they go for now.

You underestimate the SPFs.
Thats what I see them for at Greeneberg shows. Personally not a fan of the paint but people that do model the corridor are also the types that are going to want a fleet of them zipping around their racetrack.

[peteski]

Are those discs diodes, or are they capacitors, to comply with German radio-interference laws?  My Marklin Z stuff has them for that purpose.

Those are selenium rectifiers (these were used before silicon semiconductor diodes were developed). For more details how they work see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selenium_rectifier  Those two discs in GG1 are connected in series with each light bulb for directional lighting.

I remember selenium rectifiers being used in older (early to mid 20th century) radios and TV sets.

You are probably referring to ceramic disc capacitors which can be used as bare (undercoated) and lead-less disc. Those will be installed in parallel with the motor leads and they are used to reduce RFI caused by the arcing of the commutator.  Those disc capacitors do look similar to those bare selenium rectifier discs.

[Doug G.]

Silicon diodes were well available in the era of the Arnold GG1 but I guess it is not to say Arnold would not have used selenium. Those discs definitely ARE the diodes for the headlight lamps, however.

Doug

[peteski]

Silicon diodes were well available in the era of the Arnold GG1 but I guess it is not to say Arnold would not have used selenium. Those discs definitely ARE the diodes for the headlight lamps, however.

Doug

It might be that Arnold used those in their H0 scale models from earlier times and they decided to just use that proven technology in their N scale models.  It might also be that those disk rectifiers were less expensive than still relatively new silicon diodes.  I guess it is not very relevant today, but it was still interesting to see the old-school design again.

[Missaberoad]

The guitar player in me says it's to give the GG1 better tone!