The German term Rekonstruktionslokomotive (abbreviated to: Rekolokomotive or Rekolok) meant 'reconstruction locomotive' and was introduced in 1957 by the Deutsche Reichsbahn in the German Democratic Republic (GDR).
Class 41 Rekolokomotive
The term was used for classes of steam locomotive that underwent considerable rebuilding in order to improve performance, rectify design faults and redress wartime austerity features. At the same time, repairs were carried out. The 'reconstruction' included, as a minimum, the installation of a new high performance steam generation system. Consequently, a characteristic feature of these Rekoloks is a combustion chamber boiler with rectangular mixing chamber (Mischkasten) in front of the chimney.
On individual classes (Class 58.30), completely new driver's cabs were built, instead of just fitting the new end walls needed after the boiler had been replaced. The worn cast cylinder blocks were sometimes replaced by welded cylinders. Unlike the Deutsche Bundesbahn's conversion programme, the boilers were not matched to the individual locomotive classes, but the locomotives were matched to the new boilers. The price paid for the easy interchangeability of the steam generation system thus achieved, was the extensive changes now required to the locomotive frame.
Also reconstructed were selected vehicles of those locomotive classes that could not be done away with and from which a long period of operational life was expected.
The first Rekolok, number 50 3501, left Stendal Reichsbahn repair shop (Reichsbahnausbesserungswerk or RAW), which had carried out the work, on 12 November 1957. The first Reko 50, from then on designated as Class 50.35, was assigned to Güsten locomotive shed (Bahnbetriebswerk or Bw). With the delivery of 01 535 by RAW Meiningen on 31 May 1965 the Reko programme was initially declared as finished, but in fact it wasn't. For in 1968 the state and party leadership of the GDR tasked the Reichsbahn, to produce a strategic reserve of 45 Class 03 express train locomotives with an 18-ton average axle load. From 1968 to 1972, not just the required 45, but as many as 52 locomotives of this class were fitted with Reko boilers in RAW Meiningen from the largely retired Class 22 (formerly Class 39, Prussian P 10) engines. The Class 58.30 Rekolokomotives were, due to their age and the very extensive repairs and work required on the donor vehicles, the most expensive conversions of the whole programme.
The following normal gauge steam locomotive classes were reconstructed by the Deutsche Reichsbahn and regrouped into a new class or sub-class:
The Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft's BR 01 steam locomotives were the first standardised (Einheitsdampflokomotive) steam express passenger locomotives built by the unified German railway system. They were of 4-6-2 "Pacific" wheel arrangement in the Whyte notation, or 2′C1′ h2 in the UIC classification. The idea of standardisation was that it would reduce maintenance costs; i.e. if a BR 01 whose engine shop was in, say, Berlin broke down in Dresden, instead of having to ship the necessary part from Berlin and take the locomotive out of service, a part from the Dresden shop could be used as all of the engines, parts, and workings were exactly the same and produced nationwide. Thus it was a "standard" product for engine shops.
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 German Class 41 steam locomotives were standard goods train engines (Einheitslokomotiven) operated by the Deutsche Reichsbahn (DRB) and built from 1937 to 1941.
The German Class 23 engines of the Deutsche Reichsbahn (DRG) were standard (Einheitslokomotiven) steam engines that were conceived as a replacement for the Prussian P 8 by the Schichau Works. They were given the same boiler as the Class 50s which were developed in parallel and, like them, the newly developed 2'2' T 26 tender with its front wall that protected train crews during reverse running.
The two German DRG Class 61 steam engines were express train locomotives specifically built by Henschel for the Henschel-Wegmann train in service with the Deutsche Reichsbahn. The Henschel-Wegmann train was an initiative of the German locomotive construction industry, intended to be able to demonstrate a powerful steam locomotive-hauled train alongside the emerging express diesel multiple units, such as the Hamburg Flyer.
The German Class 03.10 engines were standard steam locomotives (Einheitsdampflokomotiven) belonging to the Deutsche Reichsbahn and designed for hauling express trains.
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 Meiningen Steam Locomotive Works is a railway repair shop in Meiningen, Germany. It is owned by Deutsche Bahn and has specialised in the maintenance of museum steam locomotives since 1990, having extensive experience in maintaining steam engines. Today, customers of the factory include railway museums and museum railways from all over Europe. The factory is responsible for the safety inspections of all operational German steam locomotives.
The Prussian G 12 is a 1'E 2-10-0 goods train locomotive built for the Prussian state railways.
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 steam locomotives of DR Class 22 were reconstructed passenger train locomotives in service with the Deutsche Reichsbahn in East Germany after the Second World War.
The steam locomotives of DR Class 99.77–79 were ordered by the Deutsche Reichsbahn in East Germany after the Second World War. They were narrow gauge locomotives with a 750 mm rail gauge and were built for the narrow gauge lines in Saxony. The locomotives were largely identical to the DRG Class 99.73–76 standard locomotives (Einheitslokomotiven) built in the 1930s. To differentiate them from their predecessors they were described as Neubaulokomotiven or newly designed engines.
After the Second World War, the Deutsche Reichsbahn in East Germany had a requirement for powerful goods train locomotives with a 15-18 tonne axle load for routes in the Mittelgebirge, the mountainous areas in the south of the country. As a result, the DR Class 58.30 emerged, as part of the so-called 'reconstruction programme', based on rebuilds of the former Prussian G 12 locomotives. Between 1958 and 1962, 56 locomotives, originally from various state railways were converted at the former repair shop, RAW Zwickau.
The DR Class 01.5 was the designation given by the Deutsche Reichsbahn in East Germany to express train locomotives that were 'reconstructed' from those of the pre-war DRG Class 01.
The Prussian Class S 10 included all express train locomotives in the Prussian state railways that had a 4-6-0 wheel arrangement. There were four sub-classes: the S 10, S 10.1 and S 10.2.
The Prussian Class T 11 were passenger tank locomotives produced between 1903 and 1910 in the service of the Prussian state railways for duties on the Berlin Stadtbahn.
The Prussian T 9 was a class of German steam locomotive which included several types of tank engine, all with six coupled wheels and two carrying wheels operated by the Prussian state railways.
The Saxon VI K were a class of 750-mm gauge 0-10-0T locomotives of the Royal Saxon States Railways with a gauge of 750 mm. In 1925 the Deutsche Reichsbahn (DRG) grouped the locomotives into class 99.64–65; from 1923 to 1927 the procured more locomotives of this type which were grouped in to class 99.67–71.
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