DR Class 01.5
Encyclopedia
The DR Class 01.5 was the designation given by the Deutsche Reichsbahn in East Germany to express train
locomotives that were 'reconstructed' from those of the pre-war DRG Class 01
.
engines. At that time the locomotives were still vital for heavy passenger train duties, but the locomotive frame
and boiler
were so worn that it was essential to replace them. Like the DB
rebuilds in West Germany
after the Second World War, only those locomotives with more powerful brakes (i.e. those from no. 01 102 onwards) and 1000 mm carrying wheels
were converted.
The rebuild did not just involve the installation of a new boiler; the entire locomotive underwent modification. The most obvious external change was the steam space cover running the length of the boiler barrel and copied from the ČSD Class 477.0, which lent the locomotives a sleek, modern appearance. The large smoke deflectors too were replaced by smaller ones with the upper front corners clipped off at an angle.
The new boiler made the so-called Reko-01 (Reko is short for Rekolokomotive) into the most powerful German express train steam locomotive. In addition to a combustion chamber
and the well-known IfS mixer-preheater, the 01.5's boiler was fitted with three full bore boiler safety valves (Ackermann valves, nominal width 60). The engines were given Trofimoff valves and, apart from 01 501 and 01 520, new welded cylinders. The new boiler came with a new, welded driver's cab with upholstered seats, side-pull regulator and other improvements to the working conditions of the locomotive crew, as well as an Indusi system. The latter was required for the border-crossing traffic to Bebra
and Hamburg-Altona and services on the Dresden
-Berlin
line. Because the coupled wheelsets on many engines had to be replaced due to fractured spokes, eight examples were fitted with Boxpok wheels made of cast iron, like those already used in the Soviet Union
and the USA. These did not prove themselves, however, due to manufacturing defects and were later swapped out for spoked wheels from retired 01s. In order to hide the ugly wheelsets, the Boxpok locomotives and several other vehicles were fitted with full skirts.
From locomotive number 01 519, all the locomotives were given oil-firing systems when rebuilt, which enabled a further increase in performance. Apart from the seven engines at Berlin Ostbahnhof locomotive depot, all the other engines were later converted to primary oil-firing. The tenders could carry 13.5 tonnes of heavy oil
. During the course of the oil crisis in the early 1980s all the oil-fired locomotives were withdrawn. All of the locomotives were originally meant to remain in service for two maintenance periods (each of 6 years), however every locomotive exceeded this. After they were withdrawn from active duty, several engines were used as heating locomotives. Number 01 519 was refurbished in 1990-91 from being a heating engine, and was made fully operational by the DR. It was not taken out of service until 1991.
station due to a lack of water. This was the last boiler explosion in Germany. Such a mishap had been seen at the time as inconceivable because the technical condition of the boilers was checked thoroughly and it was believed that appropriately trained crews - not least for their own interests - would follow the proper safety procedures.
On a similar journey with experienced staff in spring 1978 an attempt was made to investigate the circumstances of the accident. The DR's investigation report, which was not made public, showed that the regular engine driver was being retrained as an electric locomotive driver and had been replaced by a engine driver who was more actively involved in everything. Because the stoker formed a close-knit team with his regular driver and was not used to this situation, a lack of communication led to a shortage of water on the approach to Bitterfeld station.
The accident had no knock-on effect on the employment of steam locomotives in the GDR.
Express train
Express trains are a form of rail service. Express trains make only a small number of stops, instead of stopping at every single station...
locomotives that were 'reconstructed' from those of the pre-war DRG Class 01
DRG Class 01
The Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft's BR 01 steam locomotives were the first standardised steam express passenger locomotives built by the unified German railway system. They were of 4-6-2 "Pacific" wheel arrangement in the Whyte notation, or 2′C1′ h2 in the UIC classification. The idea of...
.
History
In 1962 the repair shop (Reichsbahnausbesserungswerk) of RAW Meiningen rebuilt 35 Class 01DRG Class 01
The Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft's BR 01 steam locomotives were the first standardised steam express passenger locomotives built by the unified German railway system. They were of 4-6-2 "Pacific" wheel arrangement in the Whyte notation, or 2′C1′ h2 in the UIC classification. The idea of...
engines. At that time the locomotives were still vital for heavy passenger train duties, but the locomotive frame
Locomotive frame
A locomotive frame is the structure that forms the backbone of the railway locomotive, giving it strength and supporting the superstructure elements such as a cab, boiler or bodywork. The vast majority of locomotives have had a frame structure of some kind...
and boiler
Boiler
A boiler is a closed vessel in which water or other fluid is heated. The heated or vaporized fluid exits the boiler for use in various processes or heating applications.-Materials:...
were so worn that it was essential to replace them. Like the DB
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 '...
rebuilds in West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
after the Second World War, only those locomotives with more powerful brakes (i.e. those from no. 01 102 onwards) and 1000 mm carrying wheels
Carrying wheels
The carrying wheels on a steam locomotive are those wheels that are not driven, i.e. they are uncoupled and run freely, unlike coupled or driving wheels. They are also described as running wheels and their axle may be called a carrying axle. Carrying wheels are referred to as leading wheels if they...
were converted.
The rebuild did not just involve the installation of a new boiler; the entire locomotive underwent modification. The most obvious external change was the steam space cover running the length of the boiler barrel and copied from the ČSD Class 477.0, which lent the locomotives a sleek, modern appearance. The large smoke deflectors too were replaced by smaller ones with the upper front corners clipped off at an angle.
The new boiler made the so-called Reko-01 (Reko is short for Rekolokomotive) into the most powerful German express train steam locomotive. In addition to a combustion chamber
Combustion chamber
A combustion chamber is the part of an engine in which fuel is burned.-Internal combustion engine:The hot gases produced by the combustion occupy a far greater volume than the original fuel, thus creating an increase in pressure within the limited volume of the chamber...
and the well-known IfS mixer-preheater, the 01.5's boiler was fitted with three full bore boiler safety valves (Ackermann valves, nominal width 60). The engines were given Trofimoff valves and, apart from 01 501 and 01 520, new welded cylinders. The new boiler came with a new, welded driver's cab with upholstered seats, side-pull regulator and other improvements to the working conditions of the locomotive crew, as well as an Indusi system. The latter was required for the border-crossing traffic to Bebra
Bebra
Bebra is a small town in Hersfeld-Rotenburg district in northeastern Hesse, Germany.-Location:Bebra lies some 45 km south of Kassel on the Fulda. The town is easy to find on most maps thanks to its prominent location on the Fuldaknie...
and Hamburg-Altona and services on the Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
-Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
line. Because the coupled wheelsets on many engines had to be replaced due to fractured spokes, eight examples were fitted with Boxpok wheels made of cast iron, like those already used in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and the USA. These did not prove themselves, however, due to manufacturing defects and were later swapped out for spoked wheels from retired 01s. In order to hide the ugly wheelsets, the Boxpok locomotives and several other vehicles were fitted with full skirts.
From locomotive number 01 519, all the locomotives were given oil-firing systems when rebuilt, which enabled a further increase in performance. Apart from the seven engines at Berlin Ostbahnhof locomotive depot, all the other engines were later converted to primary oil-firing. The tenders could carry 13.5 tonnes of heavy oil
Heavy oil
Heavy oil may refer to:*Fuel oil that contains residual oil left over from distillation.*Heavy crude oil, viscous crude oil.*Coal tar creosote, a wood preservative and waterproofing agent....
. During the course of the oil crisis in the early 1980s all the oil-fired locomotives were withdrawn. All of the locomotives were originally meant to remain in service for two maintenance periods (each of 6 years), however every locomotive exceeded this. After they were withdrawn from active duty, several engines were used as heating locomotives. Number 01 519 was refurbished in 1990-91 from being a heating engine, and was made fully operational by the DR. It was not taken out of service until 1991.
Accident
Number 01 516, at the time already sporting its computer number 01 1516-2, achieved regrettable notoriety, when on 7 November 1977 its boiler exploded at BitterfeldBitterfeld
Bitterfeld is a town in the district Anhalt-Bitterfeld, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 July 2007 it has been part of the town Bitterfeld-Wolfen. It is situated approx. 25 km south of Dessau, and 30 km northeast of Halle...
station due to a lack of water. This was the last boiler explosion in Germany. Such a mishap had been seen at the time as inconceivable because the technical condition of the boilers was checked thoroughly and it was believed that appropriately trained crews - not least for their own interests - would follow the proper safety procedures.
On a similar journey with experienced staff in spring 1978 an attempt was made to investigate the circumstances of the accident. The DR's investigation report, which was not made public, showed that the regular engine driver was being retrained as an electric locomotive driver and had been replaced by a engine driver who was more actively involved in everything. Because the stoker formed a close-knit team with his regular driver and was not used to this situation, a lack of communication led to a shortage of water on the approach to Bitterfeld station.
The accident had no knock-on effect on the employment of steam locomotives in the GDR.
Preserved locomotives
Five DR Class 01.5 steam locomotives have been preserved (as at 08/2008):- 01 509 – Preßnitztalbahn, oil-fired, currently being refurbished at the Meiningen Steam Locomotive WorksMeiningen Steam Locomotive WorksThe Meiningen Steam Locomotive Works is a railway repair shop in Meiningen, Germany. It is owned by Deutsche Bahn and has specialised in the maintenance of museum steam locomotives since 1990, having extensive experience in maintaining steam engines. Today, customers of the factory include...
- 01 514 – Technik Museum SpeyerTechnik Museum SpeyerThe Technik Museum Speyer is a technology museum in Speyer , Germany.- History :The museum was opened in 1991 as a daughter of the Sinsheim Auto & Technik Museum and is run by a registered alliance called "Auto & Technik Museum Sinsheim e.V.". , it has more than 2,000 exhibits and an exhibition...
- 01 519 – Zollernbahn Railway Friends
- 01 531 – DB MuseumNuremberg Transport MuseumThe 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...
; museum loco at ArnstadtArnstadtArnstadt is a town in Ilm-Kreis, Thuringia, Germany, situated on the Gera River. It is one of the oldest towns in Thuringia and is nicknamed Das Tor zum Thüringer Wald, The Gate to the Thuringian Forest....
locomotive depot. - 01 533 – ÖGEG / AustriaAustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
(operational)
Rebuilds
| Number after rebuild | Number before rebuild | Rebuild year | Number after rebuild | Number before rebuild | Rebuild year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 501 | 01 174 | 1962 | 01 519 | 01 186 | 1964 |
| 01 502 | 01 157 | 1962 | 01 520 | 01 162 | 1964 |
| 01 503 | 01 142 | 1962 | 01 521 | 01 144 | 1964 |
| 01 504 | 01 224 | 1962 | 01 522 | 01 184 | 1964 |
| 01 505 | 01 121 | 1962 | 01 523 | 01 191 | 1964 |
| 01 506 | 01 127 | 1962 | 01 524 | 01 129 | 1964 |
| 01 507 | 01 136 | 1962 | 01 525 | 01 219 | 1964 |
| 01 508 | 01 153 | 1963 | 01 526 | 01 163 | 1964 |
| 01 509 | 01 143 | 1963 | 01 527 | 01 225 | 1964 |
| 01 510 | 01 139 | 1963 | 01 528 | 01 119 | 1964 |
| 01 511 | 01 218 | 1963 | 01 529 | 01 205 | 1964 |
| 01 512 | 01 175 | 1963 | 01 530 | 01 221 | 1964 |
| 01 513 | 01 152 | 1963 | 01 531 | 01 158 | 1964 |
| 01 514 | 01 208 | 1963 | 01 532 | 01 135 | 1964 |
| 01 515 | 01 160 | 1963 | 01 533 | 01 116 | 1964 |
| 01 516 | 01 117 | 1963 | 01 534 | 01 203 | 1965 |
| 01 517 | 01 107 | 1963 | 01 535 | 01 156 | 1965 |
| 01 518 | 01 185 | 1963 |
Literature
- Weisbrod, Manfred and Petznick, Wolfgang. Baureihe 01, transpress Verlag, Berlin, 1979
- Großes Lok-Portrait 01.5 – EK-Themen 19, EK-Verlag, Freiburg, 1995
- Lucas, Volker and Schnabel, Heinz, Die Baureihe 01.5. Die legendäre Reko-01 der Deutschen Reichsbahn, EK-Verlag, Freiburg, 2002, ISBN 3-88255-113-5
- Endisch, Dirk, Baureihe 01.5, 1st edition, transpress, Stuttgart, 2001, ISBN 3-613-71167-2
- Weisbrod, Manfred and Rittig, Franz, Reko-Lokomotiven – Eisenbahn-Journal Spezial, Verlagsgruppe Bahn, Fürstenfeldbruck, 2002, ISBN 3-89610-092-0
External links
- There is a relevant English-language forum at Railways of Germany