The Deutsche Reichsbahn, also known as the German National Railway, the German State Railway, German Reich Railway, and the German Imperial Railway, was the German national railway system created after the end of World War I from the regional railways of the individual states of the German Empire. The Deutsche Reichsbahn has been described as "the largest enterprise in the capitalist world in the years between 1920 and 1932"; nevertheless its importance "arises primarily from the fact that the Reichsbahn was at the center of events in a period of great turmoil in German history".
The Deutsche Reichsbahn's Class 52 is a German steam locomotive built in large numbers during the Second World War. It was the most produced type of the so-called Kriegslokomotiven or Kriegsloks. The Class 52 was a wartime development of the pre-war DRG Class 50, using fewer parts and less expensive materials to speed production. They were designed by Richard Wagner who was Chief Engineer of the Central Design Office at the Locomotive Standards Bureau of the DRG. About a dozen classes of locomotive were referred to as Kriegslokomotiven; however, the three main classes were the Class 52, 50 and 42. They were numbered 52 1-52 7794. A total of 20 are preserved in Germany.
The DRB Class 50 is a German class of 2-10-0 locomotive, built from 1939 as a standard locomotive (Einheitsdampflokomotive) for hauling goods trains. It had one leading axle and five coupled axles and was one of the most successful designs produced for the Deutsche Reichsbahn.
The DRB Class 42 was a type of steam locomotive produced for the Deutsche Reichsbahn. It is one of the three main classes of the so-called war locomotives (Kriegslokomotiven), the other two being class 50 and 52.
The Übergangskriegslokomotiven were austere versions of standard locomotives (Einheitslokomotiven) built by Germany during the Second World War in order to accelerate their production. They are often just called 'ÜK' locomotives.
The German Steam Locomotive Museum or DDM is located at the foot of the famous Schiefe Ebene ramp on the Ludwig South-North Railway in Neuenmarkt, Upper Franconia. This region is in northern Bavaria, Germany. The DDM was founded in 1977.
The German term Rekonstruktionslokomotive meant 'reconstruction locomotive' and was introduced in 1957 by the Deutsche Reichsbahn in the GDR.
The Einheitsdampflokomotiven, sometimes shortened to Einheitslokomotiven or Einheitsloks, were the standardized steam locomotives built in Germany after 1925 under the direction of the Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft. Their manufacture made extensive use of standard design features and components.
German Kleinlokomotiven like the DRG Kö II were developed as locomotives with a low weight and driving power for light shunting duties. There were two classes, based on engine power. The Class II were engines which developed more than 40 HP.
The Prussian G 12 is a 1'E 2-10-0 goods train locomotive built for the Prussian state railways.
The locomotive type (Gattungszeichen) of a German steam locomotive was a secondary classification system introduced after 1924 by the Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft (DRG) and comprised four parts:
- A letter from the adjacent table, that specified the type of locomotive.
- A number, usually two-digit, the first digit indicating the number of coupled axles and the second the total number of axles on the locomotive. Tender axles were not included.
- The permitted axle load in tonnes was given next, after a full stop separating it from the preceding axle information.
- If parts of the locomotive exceeded the loading gauge, this was indicated with a triangle over the axle load. If this was simply a removable chimney fitting, this was indicated with an additional bar above the point of the triangle.
The DR locomotive classification scheme in East Germany in the initial post-war period used the DRG system, consisting of a class number (Baureihennummer) followed by a serial number (Ordnungsnummer). With the introduction of computerised (EDP) numbers in 1970 as part of the UIC framework, the system was fundamentally changed for the first time.
The Prussian T 13 was a series of tank locomotives built in large numbers for the various German state railways, notably the Prussian state railways, and the Deutsche Reichsbahn during the early part of the 20th century.
The Rekolokomotives of DR Class 52.80 first appeared in 1960 in service with the Deutsche Reichsbahn in East Germany as extensive rebuilds of the wartime locomotives or Kriegslokomotiven of the DRB Class 52 built by Nazi Germany. This modernisation, described as 'reconstruction', extended to almost all of the components and systems on the engine.
The Mecklenburg T 4 was a German steam locomotive built for the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg Friedrich-Franz Railway as a goods train 2-6-0T with a leading axle and three coupled axles. In 1925 it was incorporated in the renumbering plan of the Deutsche Reichsbahn as DRG Class 91.19.
The Prussian state railways grouped a variety of different types of passenger tank locomotive into its Prussian Class T 5. Several examples of the sub-classes T 5.1 and T 5.2 transferred into the Deutsche Reichsbahn as DRG Classes 71.0 and 72.0.
The Saxon Class V K were German 0-8-0T narrow gauge steam locomotives operated by the Royal Saxon State Railways which had been primarily intended for the Müglitztalbahn. In 1925 the Deutsche Reichsbahn incorporated arranged these locomotives as DRG Class 99.61.
A Kleinlokomotive or Kleinlok is a German locomotive of small size and low power for light shunting duties at railway stations and on industrial railways. Most are powered by diesel engines, but Kleinloks with steam, petrol, or electric engines were also produced.
