Conrail 4800 (originally Pennsylvania Railroad 4899) was the prototype GG1 built by a consortium between Baldwin and GE in August 1934 to test the locomotive's design before actual construction of the series began. It came to be known in the railfan community as "Old Rivets" in honor of the large rivets used instead of welded steel. Here Conrail 4800 has been repainted in one of Conrail's Bicentennial schemes celebrating our nation's 200th birthday in 1976. 4800 was one of seven Conrail locomotives painted for the occasion.
Location: Kearny, NJ
Photo Date: 5-76
Photographer: Joe Testagrose     Added: August 10, 2021

Conrail 4800 was repainted Conrail shortly after the creation of the railroad in 1976. Note the spelling of "CON RAIL" on the side panels. Originally, this was to be the official spelling of the railroad, as in ConRail. It was probably changed to plain Conrail when some in the marketing department realized that "con" was slang for convict--not exactly the image they wanted to portray to the public, especially in those financially trying times of 1976.
Location: Unknown
Photo Date: 5-76
Photographer: Joe Testagrose     Added: August 10, 2021

Conrail 4800 was repainted shortly after the Bicentennial ended.
Location: Harrisburg, PA
Photo Date: 7-4-76
Photographer: Joe Testagrose     Added: August 10, 2021

After the Bicentennial was over, Conrail repainted all their specially decorated locomotives into the standard blue scheme. Conrail 4800 had the honors of being the only GG1 to be fully painted blue. Here we see it still in service.
Location: Wilmington, DE
Photo Date: 10-16-77
Photographer: Joe Testagrose     Added: August 10, 2021

When Conrail retired the GG1, they donated 4800 to the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Ronks, PA. Here it's still painted in its blue scheme. Eventually, the museum repainted the locomotive in its original Pennsylvania Brunswick green livery and number.
Location: Strasburg, PA
Photo Date: 7-6-80
Photographer: Joe Testagrose     Added: August 10, 2021

From the bright Bicentennial colors and blue scheme of Conrail 4800, we move to the rest of Conrail's GG1 fleet. Even though these units never saw blue, they were painted in a variety of CR-stencil schemes. Various schemes from the Pennsylvania Railroad and Penn Central survived under the guise of CR stencils. Conrail 4801 suffered such a stenciling, with the entire midsection painted black with small CR stencils. This seems to have been Conrail's favorite method of eliminating the large PC logo in that area.
Location: Kearny, NJ
Photo Date: 10-11-76
Photographer: Joe Testagrose     Added: August 10, 2021

Most of the GG1's were built by a variety of consortiums between PRR and General Electric or Westinghouse, with some help from Baldwin. Conrail 4802 was only one of seven GG1's built solely by GE (PRR/PC/CR 4801-488). It had been working non-stop since 1935 when this photo was taken, but only two more years of service were in its future.
Location: Kearny, NJ
Photo Date: 8-6-77
Photographer: Joe Testagrose     Added: October 29, 1999

The GG1 quickly became synonymous with modern styling and the Pennsylvania Railroad, thanks to industrial designer Raymond Loewy. Originally envisioned strictly as a passenger locomotive, re-gearing proved them to be reliable freight locomotives as well. No one knows for sure how many more years these motors could have worked if Conrail hadn't turned off the juice and retired them in 1979.
Location: Camden, NJ
Photo Date: 6-24-77
Photographer: Arnie Morscher     Added: May 12, 1999

A number of Penn Central GG1's retained their Pennsylvania Railroad stripes straight into the Conrail merger. Conrail 4808 was typical of such units.
Location: Kearny, NJ
Photo Date: 8-76
Photographer: Joe Testagrose     Added: August 10, 2021

This unit was typical of many of the former Penn Central GG1's that were stenciled into Conrail markings--painted out logo with PC numbers remaining.
Location: Kearney, NJ
Photo Date: 11-24-77
Photographer: Joe Testagrose     Added: August 10, 2021

Conrail originally received 76 units from PC but transferred 10 over to Amtrak on June 1, 1976 (CR 4930-4939) in order to bolster their passenger service. CR 4815 was one of the units Conrail retained for freight service.
Location: Kearny, NJ
Photo Date: 9-17-77
Photographer: Joe Testagrose     Added: August 10, 2021

Yet another stenciled unit, though this one had been in full Penn Central colors prior to the paint shop crews applying CR stencils to the unit.
Location: Kearny, NJ
Photo Date: 10-10-77
Photographer: Joe Testagrose     Added: August 10, 2021

This surely is not how the PRR envisioned them looking when Loewy was designing them on his drawing boards. A far cry from the glory days of passenger service between Penn Station and Washington, when numerous dignitaries would ride in sleek passenger trains behind polished GG1's.
Location: Meadows, NJ
Photo Date: 7-798
Photographer: Bob Dobrowolski     Added: October 23, 1999

This shot gives a good look at the Multiple Unit hook ups and the extended pantograph.
Location: Kearny, NJ
Photo Date: 2-12-77
Photographer: Joe Testagrose     Added: August 10, 2021

Wearing the PC logo with the old PRR stripe and numbers.
Location: Enola, PA (Day Tower)
Photo Date: 6-76
Photographer: Steve Geisler     Added: February 6, 2000

Two former Penn Central GG1's are mated with an E44, awaiting a freight.
Location: Kearny, NJ
Photo Date: 3-18-78
Photographer: Joe Testagrose     Added: August 10, 2021

Conrail 4856 was captured shortly after the paint shop boys had repainted the center section black and had applied CR stencils. Notice how the paint shines. It was most likely done by the shop crews at Enola, where this photo was taken.
Location: Enola, PA
Photo Date: 7-78
Photographer: Joe Testagrose     Added: August 10, 2021

Location: Kearny, NJ
Photo Date: 2-6-77
Photographer: Joe Testagrose     Added: August 10, 2021

Location: Rahway, NJ
Photo Date: 12-23-76
Photographer: Paul DeLuca     Added: November 15, 2019

Penn Central 4874 is pulling a collection of old Penn Central and PRR coaches.
Location: South Amboy, NJ
Photo Date: 2-26-78
Photographer: Joe Testagrose     Added: November 15, 2019

While still in college, Andrew shot Conrail 4885 south of Enola as he was hiking with a friend. Note the number's older Roman font.
Location: Enola, PA
Photo Date: ?-81
Photographer: Andrew Jones     Added: March 13, 2004

This unit, like several others, retains its old PRR-styling numbers but has CR stencils.
Location: Wilmington, DE
Photo Date: 5-14-77
Photographer: Joe Testagrose     Added: August 10, 2021

A gray day with black GG1's with CR stencils did not make for dramatic photography, but this is the way it was back in the late 70s.
Location: Kearny, NJ
Photo Date: 2-5-78
Photographer: Joe Testagrose     Added: August 10, 2021