Information about the Prototype
The prototype of this locomotive model belongs to the family of German
standard design locomotives. Behind these projects was the DRG’s task in
the 1920s to develop new locomotive families that were to consist of as
many common parts as possible to enable lower manufacturing costs and
maintenance costs. Finally, this point was one of the problem areas for the
DRG whose motive power roster consisted of a wildly thrown together group
of locomotives from different sources. In addition, there was the difficulty that
even models of a class could differ greatly from one another. A good example
for this is the legendary class T3 tank locomotive, whose designation con-
cealed locomotives of the most varied origins. The result was that it was very
labor-intensive and expensive to maintain the motive power roster rationally.
The class 01 was delivered starting in 1926. This elegant new design had to
compete with the simultaneously developed class 02 that differed from the
two-cylinder running gear of the 01 mainly in the use of four-cylinder running
gear. The winner remained the sufficiently powerful but also easier to service
class 01. The models of the class 02 were subsequently also converted to
the running gear of the class 01 and were taken into the numbering sequence
of the class 01. The class 01 quickly became one of the most popular DRG
locomotives. Over 240 units of this locomotive design were built by 1938 in
several production runs that were constantly improved (including the rebuilt
versions of the class 02). The last units of this steam dinosaur were used
on the German Federal Railroad until late in the 1970s. On the East German
State Railroad, the last regularly scheduled use of these locomotives ended
a decade later. Fortunately, several models of this class were saved from the
cutting torch and can be seen in museums or admired at the front of special
excursion trains.
The locomotives with road numbers up to 01 101 had 850 mm / 33-1/2” pilot
wheels. These models were designed for a maximum speed of 120 km/h or
75 mph. The driving wheels had a diameter of 2,000 mm / 78-3/4”. The loco-
motive’s power was 2,240 hp (approx. 1650 kilowatts).
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Prototype
Summary of Contents for baureihe 01
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