Rare photographs of early DRG diesel train sets

[michael blunck]

For those of you interested in railway history.

ATM, SPON has a couple of historic photos of the "Flying Hamburger" diesel train set(s) which can´t be found easily elsewhere:

http://einestages.spiegel.de/static/top ... sbahn.html

regards
Michael

[Niek]

Those are some very beautiful trains. And the Flying Hamburger looks so modern still, amazing.

[michael blunck]

[...] the Flying Hamburger looks so modern still, amazing.

Well, yes. However, it should be also of interest that only in 1997 a modern ICE achieved a shorter travel time from Hamburg to Berlin - by just one minute - and only after tracks had been upgraded for 4.5 billion D-Mark.

And it´s only since 2004 that the ICE is significantly faster, doing it in 90 minutes rather than in 138 as usual in 1933.

regards
Michael

[athanasios]

So, will these be included in the next version of DB set?

[Ameecher]

So, will these be included in the next version of DB set?

What do you mean the next, one of them, unless I am very much mistaken, is already in v0.8.

[michael blunck]

In DRG times there were four different types of SVTs (express diesel train sets):

- SVT 877, the prototypical "Flying Hamburger". This one has always been in the various DB sets, but has been totally remodeled for version 0.9. It´s a two-part diesel-electric train set with a powered Jacob´s bogie.

- SVT 137 type "Hamburg", derived from the prototype above with only little modifications. The DRG used 13 of them. The remodeled SVT 137 in v0.9 now represents this one.

- SVT 137 type "Leipzig", a three-part train set using two powered Jacob´s bogies. The DRG had four of them, two with diesel-electric drive and two with a diesel-hydraulic drive.

- SVT 137 type "Köln", another three-part train set, but w/o Jacob´s bogies, hence more flexible w. regards to add/remove middle cars. The DRG had 14 of them, two of them being of the diesel-hydraulic type.

- SVT 137 type "Berlin", a four-part train set, with one car acting as an "engine car", containing the diesel engines, the generators and the mail and luggage compartments. The DRG had two of these train sets and an extra engine car.

regards
Michael

[athanasios]

Anticipation grows... Thanks Michael.

[Toni Babelony]

And then the Japanese came and copied the whole thing:


JNR Class KIHA 07 DMU;


JNR Class 52 EMU;


Meitetsu Class 3400 EMU;

The KIHA 07 and Class 52 will be included in the Japan Train Set.

Oh the Dutch also had their share:


NS DE-3 Mat' 34


NS Mat' 41

[michael blunck]

And then the Japanese came and copied the whole thing:[...]

Mmh, I can´t see much similarity? OTOH, those NS MUs are quite related to their DRG counterparts, that´s right.

regards
Michael

[Toni Babelony]

The thing is with the Japanese trains is that they actually are Japanese interpretations of the 'Fliegende Hamburger' as stated by the designers at that time.

Wikipedia states that. (Finding the word 'Fliegende Hamburger' shouldn't be that hard ) However, these kinds of streamlined trains were a trend that began around 1930s and continued until the 1950s and can be found all over the world actually.

[threadhijack]
Also a nice little fact to know is the reason why the Japanese use so many Multiple Units: they've copied designs and mass produced MUs like in the Netherlands and Germany from the 1930s on.

Later the Dutch paid 'em back with copying the 'Koploper' trains from the Japanese:


Class 183 (1973) Note the Samurai helmet like front decoration and the typical Japanese destination sign.


Koploper (1977) Unfortnately the dutch didn't choose for the ultra cool destination sign... Not even with the recent refurbishments. (There can be done so much fun with it).
[/threadhijack]

[michael blunck]

The thing is with the Japanese trains is that they actually are Japanese interpretations of the 'Fliegende Hamburger' as stated by the designers at that time. Wikipedia states that.

Seems to be misleading to me. I don´t know anything about the usage of those JNR MUs posted but they seem to have been used in commuter (or regional) services, but not in long-distance express service, like the german SVTs have been built for. (They´re reminding to some of the german VT 137s, though ...)

However, these kinds of streamlined trains were a trend that began around 1930s and continued until the 1950s and can be found all over the world actually.

Well, yes, in principal. Although I wouldn´t describe those japanese MUs as "streamlined". The "Hamburger", OTOH, was - although not to such a degree as could be seen with streamlined steamers of that time. And yes, I confess that the "Hamburger" was an example for a new generation of DMUs, which had been recognized by many other railway companies worldwide.

Back in those years, the DRG was very innovative ...

Interesting thing with the dutch "koplooper"!

regards
Michael

[Toni Babelony]

The Class KIHA 07 was used on local lines only and had a low speed. Class 52 was mostly used on the Iida-line which has a lot of curved tracks and where speeds aren't particularly high. The Iida-line is a single track mainline through the difficult Japanese mountains. Max speeds of the Class 52 was thus an appalling 95km/h. Still, that's pretty fast for a narrow gauge train.

Mind you that most Japanese tracks are 1067mm Cape Gauge and speeds up to max. 120km/h are normal. Most of the local lines though have speed restrictions of 80~100km/h Today there are some examples of busy mainlines where 130km/h can be reached. One exception is the Hoku Hoku Kyûkô where speeds of 160km/h are being reached on Cape Gauge.

Anyway, the Japanese only copied the looks of the trains and not the capabilities.

And yes, the DRG was very innovative, but there's a good reason for that too

[DeMoraatz]

In my opinion, the Dutch trains look the best

*whistle* i am in no way dutch