New Zealand DB class locomotive

The New Zealand DB class and DBR class locomotive is a type of diesel-electric locomotive built for service on New Zealand's rail network. They were built by General Motors Diesel (GMD) of Canada as a narrow-gauge version of the EMD G8 model, with seventeen locomotives constructed. Ten of these were later rebuilt into the DBR class, of which 4 which are still in service today.

Introduction

The DB class was introduced to the rail network in 1965-66 as a result of a requirement for a modern locomotive that could operate on the North Island lines that the D^A class was excluded from due to their weight and axle load. While these were mainly branch lines, it also applied to the East Coast Main Trunk line, particularly the section beyond Paeroa through the Karangahake and Athenree gorges, until the opening of the Kaimai Tunnel in 1978. The class was virtually indistinguishable externally from the D^A class, being of the same basic design and dimensions, and wearing the same livery. They were some 13 tonnes lighter with a V8 prime as opposed to a V12, though they shared the same A1A-A1A wheel configuration and traction motors for commonality with the D^A fleet.

DRG Class ET 171

The DRG Class ET 171 (since 1968 DB Class 471/871) is a three-car electric multiple unit train built for the Hamburg S-Bahn.

History

The first electric Hamburg S-Bahn trains appeared on the Hamburg-Altona City and Suburban Railway in 1907. In 1937, the main-line railway operator, Deutsche Reichsbahn, decided to switch the current collection method from overhead catenary (AC 6,3 kV/25 Hz) to third rail (DC 1,2 kV). The new Class ET 171 trains were built to replace the old overhead line trains. The first unit appeared in Hamburg in December 1939.

Description

1939-1974

The first 47 trainsets were built from 1939 to 1943. There were to have been 100 units in total, but the World War II interrupted production and it was not resumed until 1954. A further 21 units were built from 1954 to 1955 in order to enable the overhead line traffic to be withdrawn. Additional 5 units (171 082-086) were built in 1958 to service the new line between Hamburg Central Station and Bergedorf.

1975-today

DB Class 724

The Class 724 operated by the German national railway, Deutsche Bundesbahn, was a railway department vehicle used for testing Indusi installations. Only three examples of this class existed.

724 001

After its retirement on 21 June 1963, having clocked up 1,236,000 kilometres, the Uerdingen railbus VT 95 906, one of the original prototypes of its class, was converted in the repair shop (Ausbesserungswerk or Aw) at Kassel into a test vehicle for Indusi railway installations. Designated as 6205 Wt it began its new duties on 25 February 1964 at Bahnbetriebswerk (Bw) Wuppertal and replaced the measurement draisine previously used for this task. On 1 January 1968 it was given the number 724 001-3. The installation of testing magnets on both sides of the vehicle in 1971 considerably improved its utility, making it possible to test station entry and exit signals in one pass. Number 724 001 was retired on 18 January 1986 at Bw Heidelberg. Since then the vehicle was left by itself for many years and eventually stood in a very dilapidated state in front of Worms locomotive shed. In 2007 the railbus was bought up by the Vulkaneifelbahn and taken away to Gerolstein, where the intention is to restore it in the medium-term.