Bavarian EP 5
Encyclopedia
The Bavarian Class EP 5 (from 1927: DRG Class E 52) was an electric locomotive
used for heavy passenger train services with the Deutsche Reichsbahn
(DRG) and Deutsche Bundesbahn
(DB).
The first procurement programme for new locomotives set up by the Bavarian Group Administration
of the Deutsche Reichsbahn included plans for an electric locomotive for heavy passenger train duties on electrified lines in Bavaria
. From the numerous designs put forward, it was decided to opt for a 2'BB2' locomotive, which would be fitted with the same motors as another electric goods train locomotive in the programme, the DRG Class E 91
.
This new design departed from the previous approach of building electric locomotives with a slow running, large motor and went for four smaller electric motors. The drive was divided into two groups within a single frame. Each group had two motors, that drove a common countershaft using cogs. The countershaft drove a jackshaft via inclined driving rods which was coupled to two driving axles with coupling rods. In order to ensure that the permitted axle load was not exceeded the engines were given a leading and trailing bogie. The locomotive body with its two driver's cabs was built on the frame. The vehicle components were manufactured by Maffei and the electrical equipment by WASSEG, a joint venture of AEG
and SSW.
The manufacturers delivered the locomotives in 1924 and 1925 to the DRG, who took them into service, still as Class EP 5, with the numbers 21 501 - 535. In 1927 they were designated as E 52 01 - 35. The vehicles were exclusively based at Bavarian depots. By 1945, numbers E 52 02, 31 and 35 were retired. The DB took over the rest of the engines, but by 1950 numbers E 52 01, 29 and 32 had also retired. The remaining 29 machines were given the designation Class 152 in 1968. As new, powerful standard electric locomotives were available in large numbers as part of the DB's new construction programme, these heavy machines were soon redundant. In February 1973 the last engine of this class, number 152 014, was withdrawn from service. The Bavarian EP 5 was the heaviest electric locomotive ever to run in Germany, not the DRG Class E 95 as is often asserted.
.
Electric locomotive
An electric locomotive is a locomotive powered by electricity from overhead lines, a third rail or an on-board energy storage device...
used for heavy passenger train services with the Deutsche Reichsbahn
Deutsche Reichsbahn
Deutsche Reichsbahn was the name of the following two companies:* Deutsche Reichsbahn, the German Imperial Railways during the Weimar Republic, the Third Reich and the immediate aftermath...
(DRG) and Deutsche Bundesbahn
Deutsche Bundesbahn
The Deutsche Bundesbahn or DB was formed as the state railway of the newly established Federal Republic of Germany on September 7, 1949 as a successor of the Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft '...
(DB).
The first procurement programme for new locomotives set up by the Bavarian Group Administration
Bavarian Group Administration
The Bavarian Group Administration or Gruppenverwaltung Bayern was a largely autonomous railway administration within the Deutsche Reichsbahn between the two world wars...
of the Deutsche Reichsbahn included plans for an electric locomotive for heavy passenger train duties on electrified lines in Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
. From the numerous designs put forward, it was decided to opt for a 2'BB2' locomotive, which would be fitted with the same motors as another electric goods train locomotive in the programme, the DRG Class E 91
DRG Class E 91
Three different types of German electric goods train locomotive belonged to the Deutsche Reichsbahn's DRG Class E 91. In addition to the standard locomotives described below there was also a Prussian class that was given the designation E 913 in 1927.-History:As early as 1922 the first order was...
.
This new design departed from the previous approach of building electric locomotives with a slow running, large motor and went for four smaller electric motors. The drive was divided into two groups within a single frame. Each group had two motors, that drove a common countershaft using cogs. The countershaft drove a jackshaft via inclined driving rods which was coupled to two driving axles with coupling rods. In order to ensure that the permitted axle load was not exceeded the engines were given a leading and trailing bogie. The locomotive body with its two driver's cabs was built on the frame. The vehicle components were manufactured by Maffei and the electrical equipment by WASSEG, a joint venture of AEG
AEG
Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft was a German producer of electrical equipment founded in 1883 by Emil Rathenau....
and SSW.
The manufacturers delivered the locomotives in 1924 and 1925 to the DRG, who took them into service, still as Class EP 5, with the numbers 21 501 - 535. In 1927 they were designated as E 52 01 - 35. The vehicles were exclusively based at Bavarian depots. By 1945, numbers E 52 02, 31 and 35 were retired. The DB took over the rest of the engines, but by 1950 numbers E 52 01, 29 and 32 had also retired. The remaining 29 machines were given the designation Class 152 in 1968. As new, powerful standard electric locomotives were available in large numbers as part of the DB's new construction programme, these heavy machines were soon redundant. In February 1973 the last engine of this class, number 152 014, was withdrawn from service. The Bavarian EP 5 was the heaviest electric locomotive ever to run in Germany, not the DRG Class E 95 as is often asserted.
Preserved locomotives
Of the 35 Class E 52 locos built, only one has been preserved. E 52 34 may be found today in the livery of Bavarian EP 5 21 534, non-operational, in the Nuremberg Transport MuseumNuremberg Transport Museum
The Nuremberg Transport Museum is based in Nuremberg, Germany, and consists of the Deutsche Bahn's own DB Museum and the Museum of Communications . It also has two satellite museums at Koblenz-Lützel and Halle...
.
Literature
- Horst J. Obermayer: Taschenbuch Deutsche Elektrolokomotiven. 7. Auflage, Franckh 'sche Verlagshandlung, Stuttgart 1986; ISBN 3-440-03754-1
See also
- Royal Bavarian State RailwaysRoyal Bavarian State RailwaysAs a nation-state, Germany did not come into being until the creation of the German Empire in 1871 from the various German-speaking states such as Prussia, Bavaria, Saxony, Baden and Württemberg. By then each of the major states had formed its own state railway and these continued to remain...
- List of DB locomotives and railbuses
- List of DRG locomotives and railbuses
- List of Bavarian locomotives and railbuses
External links
- There is a relevant English-language forum at Railways of Germany