DRG Class 61
| Industry | Locomotive manufacturing |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Germany |
| Products | Steam locomotives, including DRG Class 61 |
{{Infobox locomotive
name =
- DRB 61 002
bgcolor =
- A00
color =
- FFF
image =
- DRG_61002-museum-dresden.jpg
alt = caption =
- O-scale replica of unit 61 002 exhibited at the Dresden Transport Museum
powertype =
- Steam
designer = builder =
ordernumber = serialnumber =
- 23515
buildmodel = builddate =
- 1939
totalproduction = rebuilder = rebuilddate = numberrebuilt = whytetype =
- {{whyte 4-6-6 T}}
uicclass =
- 2′C3′ h3t
DRGtype =
- St 38.19
driver =
- Divided drive: inner cylinder powers first coupled axle, outer cylinders drive second axle
gauge =
- {{track gauge sg}}
leadingdiameter =
- {{convert 1100 mm ftin frac 8 abbr on}}
driverdiameter =
- {{convert 2300 mm ftin frac 8 abbr on}}
trailingdiameter =
- {{convert 1100 mm ftin frac 8 abbr on}}
minimumcurve = wheelbase = wheelspacing =
- {{ubl
{{convert 2350 mm ftin frac 8 abbr on}} +| {{convert 2100 mm ftin frac 8 abbr on}} +| {{convert 2550 mm ftin frac 8 abbr on}} +| {{convert 2550 mm ftin frac 8 abbr on}} +| {{convert 2475 mm ftin frac 8 abbr on}} +| {{convert 1500 mm ftin frac 8 abbr on}} +| {{convert 1500 mm ftin frac 8 abbr on}} =}}
engine total =
- {{convert 15025 mm ft in frac 8 abbr on}}
leading = drivers = coupled = trailing = length = over headstocks=
- {{convert 17525 mm ft in frac 8 abbr on}}
over buffers =
- {{convert 18825 mm ft in frac 8 abbr on}}
width = height =
- {{convert 4500 mm ft in frac 8 abbr on}}
frametype = axleload =
- {{convert 18.75 t abbr on}}
leadingbogie/pony= coupled all = coupled 1 = coupled 2 = coupled 3 = trail bogie/pony= tenderbogieload= tenderaxle = weightondrivers=
- {{convert 56.29 t abbr on}}
emptyweight =
- {{convert 112.9 t abbr on}}
serviceweight =
- {{convert 146.29 t abbr on}}
locoweight = fueltype = coal fuelcap =
- {{convert 6 t abbr on}}
watercap =
- {{convert 21 m3 impgal usgal sigfig 3 abbr on}}
tendercap = sandcap = fireboxtype = firearea =
- {{convert 2.79 m2 abbr on}}
boiler = boilertype = pitch =
- {{convert 3060 mm ftin frac 8 abbr on}}
diameterinside = lengthinside =
- {{convert 5000 mm ftin frac 8 sigfig 3 abbr on}}
smalltubediameter=
- {{convert 54 mm in frac16 abbr on}}, eighty tubes
largetubediameter=
- {{convert 143 mm in frac16 abbr on}}, thirty-five tubes
boilerpressure =
- {{convert 20 bar kgf/cm2 psi sigfig3 abbr on}}
safetyvalvetype = feedwaterheater = fireboxarea =
- {{convert 14.3 m2 abbr on}}
tubearea =
- {{convert 61.5 m2 abbr on}}
archarea = fluearea =
- {{convert 74.2 m2 abbr on}}
tubesandflues = totalsurface =
- {{convert 150.0 m2 abbr on}}
superheatertype = superheaterarea =
- {{convert 73.4 m2 abbr on}}
cylindercount = Three cylindersize =
- {{convert 390 x660 mm in frac16 abbr on}}
cylinderpressure = valvegear = Walschaerts valve gear (Heusinger) valvetype = valvetravel = valvelap = valvelead = transmission = trainheating = locobrakes = Knorr Bremse Hildebrand-Knorr automatic Schnellbahnbremse with auxiliary and counterweight brake, acting bilaterally on all Coupled wheel and carrying wheels. locobrakeforce = trainbrakes = safety = coupling = maxspeed =
- {{convert 175 km/h mph0 abbr on}}
indicatedpower = poweroutput = tractiveeffort = factorofadhesion = operator = * Deutsche Reichsbahn * Deutsche Reichsbahn (GDR) operatorclass = powerclass = numinclass = fleetnumbers = *61 002 officialname = nicknames = axleloadclass => locale => deliverydate => firstrundate => lastrundate => retiredate => withdrawndate => preservedunits => restoredate => scrapdate => currentowner => disposition => Reconstructed as DR_18_201 in the year1961 notes =>
}}
The German DRG Class 61 locomotives consisted of two steam-powered express engines constructed by Henschel expressly for the Henschel-Wegmann train, operated by the Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft. This Henschel-Wegmann project represented a collaborative effort within Germany's locomotive manufacturing sector aimed at showcasing a high-performance steam locomotive-hauled train as a counterpart to the newly introduced express diesel multiple units such as the DRG Class SVT_877 known as the Hamburg Flyer.
Construction
Since the train was intended to operate shuttle services adhering to a strict timetable, it was essential for the locomotive to maintain top speeds in both directions. This requirement led to the adoption of a tank locomotive design instead of the typical tender locomotive commonly used for long-distance high-speed routes. To achieve the targeted high performance, both the locomotives and coaches were engineered to be particularly lightweight, while still carrying enough coal and water for a one-way journey along the designated route.
During construction, many components from the Deutsche Reichsbahn's standard steam locomotives (Einheitsdampflokomotiven) were incorporated wherever feasible, although several parts were replaced with alternative designs. The boiler operated at an elevated pressure of 20 atm (293.9 psi), higher than the 16 atm (235.1 psi) typical of standard models. Both engines featured streamlined casings. The water tank tapered toward the front, providing excellent visibility for both the driver and stoker. Additionally, "cover plates" fully enclosed the drive mechanism.
The second locomotive, 61 002, which was constructed after 61 001, differed by having a three-cylinder drive and larger supply tanks. To accommodate these increased capacities, its rear carrying bogie was lengthened to include three axles. The enhanced powertrain improved service punctuality, which had been less reliable with 61 001. Moreover, 61 002 was equipped with smoke deflectors positioned adjacent to the smoke exhaust on top—a feature absent on 61 001.
Operation
The locomotive’s 2,300-millimetre (90.55-inch) driving wheels enabled it to reach its intended speed of 175 km/h (109 mph) without difficulty; however, when pulling its streamlined trainset, maximum velocity was limited to 160 km/h (99 mph). Despite this, the scheduled service between Dresden and Berlin was reliably maintained, completing the 176-kilometre (109 mi) route in just 102 minutes—a record that remains unbeaten on this corridor even with modern electric locomotives in the 21st century. Nevertheless, operational demands required rapid turnarounds in Dresden as the locomotive needed to be turned around and replenished with coal and water within a short timeframe.
When 61 001 was unavailable or undergoing maintenance, trains were sometimes hauled by either a DRG Class 01 or DRG Class 03 locomotive; however, these could only achieve maximum speeds of around 130 kilometres per hour (81 mph).
Shortly after work commenced on 61 001, plans for its variant 61 002 were developed and construction began at the start of 1939. Factory test runs took place in May that year, followed by transfer on 12 June 1939 to the locomotive depot (Bahnbetriebswerk or Bw) at Grunewald. It entered service around late 1939 or early 1940 but likely did not operate regularly with the streamlined train due to wartime conditions and allocation of the Henschel-Wegmann train for Wehrmacht use.
Following cessation of train operations in early 1939, locomotive 61 001 was repurposed for heating duties at Bw Berlin-Grunewald. From December 1940 onward, it returned to Dresden-Altstadt for express train assignments and received standard train and buffer fittings in November 1942. Operational records indicate it saw limited use during this period. Between 1943 and the end of World War II, maintenance responsibility rested with the Reichsbahn repair facility (Reichsbahnsausbesserungswerk or RAW) in Braunschweig. From July 1945 until March 1946, it covered approximately 40,000 kilometres (25,000 mi) while hauling passenger services.
Survival after 1945
At the conclusion of the war, locomotive 61 001 was located within the British Zone and assigned to Bw Hannover, although it saw limited use there. It underwent a comprehensive inspection in 1947 and was subsequently relocated to Bebra on 23 October 1948, where it operated regularly until May 1949. Following a short period out of service, it resumed running distances between 3,000 to 10,000 kilometres (1,900 to 6,200 miles) monthly starting in November 1950. On 2 November 1951, the locomotive sustained significant damage due to an accident in Münster. It was officially withdrawn from service on 14 November 1952 and eventually dismantled in 1957.
Locomotive 61 002 remained stationed in Dresden, where it was utilized for passenger train duties. Being a unique model, it posed challenges for routine deployment. Nonetheless, it attracted interest from the Engineering Trials and Development Unit at Halle (Versuchs- und Entwicklungsstelle für Maschinenwirtschaft or VES-M Halle) under Max Baumberg as an experimental platform for speeds exceeding 160 km/h (99 mph). In 1961, the DR at RAW Meiningen transformed it into a high-speed test locomotive equipped with a tender, reclassifying it as 18 201. Incorporating a modern boiler, the outer cylinders from H 45 024, a newly fabricated inner cylinder, and the carrying axle from the high-pressure H 45 024, this locomotive achieved velocities up to 180 km/h (110 mph). After a complete refurbishment in the Meiningen steam workshop in 2002, number 18 201 is currently owned by Steam Plus (Dampf-Plus GmbH), managed by Christian Goldschagg and Axel Zwingenberger.
See also
- Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft
- List of DRG locomotives and railbuses
- Grunewald Locomotive Research Office
- MÁV Class 242, a Hungarian streamlined 4-4-4T locomotive from the same era and with a similar role
Literature
- Alfred Gottwaldt: Die Baureihe 61 und der Henschel-Wegmann-Zug, EK-Verlag, Freiburg, 2005, ISBN 978-3-88255-161-7 (in German)
- Hütter-60bis91, pages 12–14
- Leonhard Bergsteiner: "175 km/h mit Dampf. 70 Jahre Henschel-Wegmann-Zug", Lok Magazin, issue 283, vol.44, GeraNova Zeitschriftenverlag GmbH, München, 2005, ISSN 0458-1822, pages 68–72 (in German)
- Weisbrod-EFA1.3, pages 12–17, 226–227