
After at least 15 years of hard service, many TB11 12-cylinder 218 series diesel engines were coming to the end of their useful life. From 1996, MTU switched the production of locomotive diesel motors to the Type 4000, which was available with eight, twelve and 16 cylinders and was much more compact than the massive TB10 and TB11. In the 218, the 16-cylinder MTU 16V 4000 R40 and R41 was used for repowering, of which DB AG ordered 80 units. The engines are set for an output of 2682 hp at 1800 more…

In order to rationalize shunting operations at larger stations, the Zentralamt of German DB developed a two-axle diesel locomotive with hydrodynamic transmission together with the locomotive manufacturer Gmeinder. The first 300 copies still had a power transmission with chains, the others had a cardan shaft drive. The proven 240 hp RHS 518 from MWM was used as the engine for the series locomotives. The pre-series locomotives later classified as class 331 initially had to be content with a more…

Starting in 2002, Vossloh developed the four-axle diesel-hydraulic G1700-2 BB for heavy shunting and medium-duty freight train service. The Caterpillar 3512B diesel engine was customized to deliver 1700 kW at 1800 rpm. The transmission came from the more powerful G2000 with only two converters and a mechanical shift stage. With a top speed of 100 km/h, the owners of the four-axle locomotives are also happy to use the locomotives for main line service. Vossloh was able to sell 31 copies in more…

After stricter exhaust gas values had been in effect since the early 1990s, it was clear that the 218 that were due for reengineering can no longer be equipped with the exhaust-optimized 12-cylinder diesel engine 12 V 956 TB11, as this no longer complied with the limit values. MTU therefore took the previous engine block from the TB11 and changed the electronics. The blue paintwork also makes the new motor look different from its gray predecessor. The soundscape of the two TB11 versions differs more…

From 1950 the German Deutsche Bundesbahn (DB) started trials with road-rail trucks and omnibuses, including buses from the Northwest German Vehicle Works NWF. In 1953, these attempts resulted in an order for 50 rail-road buses, each with two separate biaxial rail bogies. The latter was made by Waggon- und Maschinenbau Donauwörth WMD. In addition to the brake system with an additional air compressor, the installation of a second reverse gear designed for speeds of up to 40 km/h was a major more…

Even during the series production of the V160, the German Federal Railroad DB was considering heating trains on non-electrified lines electrically instead of with steam, as was previously the case. In order not to have to divert power for the operation of the generator from the main diesel engine MTU MB 16 V 652 TB (1900 HP) taken over from the V160, it was decided to use the 12-cylinder engine MAN/MTU D 3650 HM 3 U with an output of 500 HP as a heating diesel engine, which had proven itself more…

The history of the small locomotives in the Kö I family goes back to 1933. To move fewer wagons or to operate smaller works connections, many locomotive factories built two-axle locomotives with diesel engines, mechanical gearboxes and chain drives that were able to travel at a maximum speed of 23 km / h. The Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft DRG ordered machines of the so-called reinforced standard design, some of which were delivered with two or three-cylinder Deutz engines. After the Second more…

The history of the small shunting locomotives in the Kö I family goes back to 1933. To move few wagons or to operate smaller works connections, many locomotive factories built two-axle locomotives with diesel engines, mechanical gearboxes and chain drives that were able to travel at a maximum speed of 23 km/h. The Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft DRG ordered machines of the so-called standard design, most of which were equipped with a 30 or 39 hp Kaelble F125 engine. The locomotives were used more…

Zu Beginn der 1950er-Jahre musste die junge Deutsche Bundesbahn (DB) ihre Lokomotivflotte erneuern. Neben Streckenloks kamen auch Rangierloks auf die Reißbretter. Für den leichten Rangierdienst gab es etwa 500 Exemplare der Kleinloks der Typen Kö/Köf. Die modernsten, speziell für den leichten und mittelschweren Verschiebedienst beschafften Einheits-Dampflok-Baureihen BR 80 und 81 waren nur in einer bescheidenen Stückzahl von zusammen 27 Exemplaren vorhanden. Den schweren Rangierdienst more…