Express Steam Locomotive with a Tender

90 Years of the Class 01 Express Steam Locomotives The class 01 was the epitome of German express steam locomotives for many years almost up to the end of steam motive power in both German states. Neither lay people nor experts could escape the fascination of these locomotives and the manner in which they delivered power, elegance, and speed. A two-cylinder and a four-cylinder compound express locomotive was included in the first type plan for the DRG established in 1920. These units were…

90 Years of the Class 01 Express Steam Locomotives The class 01 was the epitome of German express steam locomotives for many years almost up to the end of steam motive power in both German states. Neither lay people nor experts could escape the fascination of these locomotives and the manner in which they delivered power, elegance, and speed. A two-cylinder and a four-cylinder compound express locomotive was included in the first type plan for the DRG established in 1920. These units were identical in all other parts. Starting in 1926 exhaustive comparison runs were done with ten each of the two classes that ended up in favor of the two-cylinder units. Regular production of the twin locomotives began with road number 01 012 starting in 1927. Procurement of them did not end until 1938. They were built over a period of more than twelve years which almost inevitably resulted in different design changes. After World War II 171 units remained with the later DB and 70 came to the later DR. Five DB units were equipped in 1950/51 with Henschel mixed preheaters and all of the DB 01 units gave up their large smoke deflectors in favor of the small Witte units. Both German state railroads decided at the end of the Fifties to update or rebuild part of their 01 locomotives. On the DB 50 units were equipped starting in 1957 with new welded high-efficiency boilers. The DR's rebuilding program changed 35 locomotives fundamentally as the new class 01.5. Numerous locomotives remain preserved and at least one example of each class are even operational.