Vorbild • Prototype • Exploitation dans le réel • Grootbedrijf
3
Information about the prototype
The Bavarian class S 3/6 express locomotive is one of
the most popular steam locomotives for many railroad fans.
According to the Bavarian shorthand for locomotive classi-
fication this is a fast passenger locomotive with 3 powered
axles and a total of 6 axles. The axles on the tender are not
counted in this classification method.
The S 3/6 incorporates three advantages. It was more
than just successful and very elegant in its appearance; it
also shined with both very good running characteristics as
well as prototypical efficiency. It was therefore no wonder
that this model was continuously refined and developed
further even by the German State Railroad in a version that
was purchased up to 1931.
After World War I a group of these Bavarian locomotives
were transferred to the French and Belgian railroads. This
successful design thereby became well known far beyond
the borders of Bavaria.
In addition to the variations resulting from various eras for
this locomotive in Bavarian provincial railroad, German State
Railroad and German Federal Railroad color schemes, there
are also yet other special ver-sions that are well known and
favorites among railroad fans.
One of the most popular special variations of the S 3/6
is the version that was used on the German State Railroad
on the point of the famous “Rheingold” deluxe train. The
paint and lettering scheme on this version was changed to
correspond to the high quality level of this train.
There are chiefly 2 special versions known from the
Bavarian era. The one is the ochre colored version for the
Bavarian royal train. No less impressive is the blue version
that was put on display at an exhibition in Munich at the
beginning of the 20th century.
In 1960 the last unit of the original S 3/6 version with
the slanted engineer’s cab was retired. Later versions were
taken out of service by the end of the 1960s.
