DB Class VT 24
Encyclopedia
Class 624 and class 634 are types of diesel multiple unit
, originally operated by Deutsche Bahn
.
the focus of the Deutsche Bundesbahn
was on repairs of rolling stock, lines and buildings, with the beginning of the 1950s attention shifted to renewal of the trains. For passenger services on not electrified lines, the first prototypes of main line diesel locomotives such as the class 220
were commissioned in 1953. Subsequently DB ordered the rail industry to develop new DMUs in order to replace pre-war classes and steam traction.
In 1961 MAN and Waggonfabrik Uerdingen both delivered two prototypes each. Even though they were quite similar, they can be distinguished easily by the different front design. DB put the prototypes into service as class VT 23.5 (MAN) and class VT 24.5 (Uerdingen). After the new numbering scheme
the prototypes were listed as class 624 together with the regular units. The prototypes underwent intensive tests, including comparison to conventional push/pull trains with DB Class V 100
.
The regular trainsets were delivered from 1964–1968 and were produced jointly by both manufacturers. Only minor changes were made to the prototype design. A total of 80 front cars and 55 middle cars were delivered, allowing the use of 40 three-part or two-part trainsets. Starting in 1968, a number of units were equipped with penumatic shock absorption and passive tilting
systems. These units were listed as class 634 and approved for a higher speed of 140 km/h. As the tilting system turned out to be of limited use, clearance allowing only very limited tilting, in 1979 the tilting system was removed .
In 1970 a number of trainsets derived from class 624 were delivered to Yugoslavia (Slovenia) as SŽ class 711. They are still in use by Slovenian Railways.
region was carried out almost exclusively by these trainsets.
Whereas the successor class 614
units supplemented DB's DMU fleet, the class 628.2
regular types coming into service after 1986 began to displace class 624 into subordinate services. Retirement of class 624/634 trainsets started in 2003, when DB lost a couple of tender procedures to private companies and modern light-weight DMUs came into service in large numbers. The last class 624/634 units were retired in 2005.
14 trainsets were sold to Poland's PKP
as class SA110 and have been in use in regional and local service.
The passenger compartment's layout was derived from the so-called Silberling
(silverling) polished stainless steel short-line passenger coaches, with open-plan compartments. The trains had oil heating.
Class 624/634 was compatible with its successor DB Class 614
, so all units could be in mixed plans, including mixed use of middle cars.
Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
, originally operated by Deutsche Bahn
Deutsche Bahn
Deutsche Bahn AG is the German national railway company, a private joint stock company . Headquartered in Berlin, it came into existence in 1994 as the successor to the former state railways of Germany, the Deutsche Bundesbahn of West Germany and the Deutsche Reichsbahn of East Germany...
.
Development
Whereas during the first years after World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the focus of the Deutsche Bundesbahn
Deutsche Bundesbahn
The Deutsche Bundesbahn or DB was formed as the state railway of the newly established Federal Republic of Germany on September 7, 1949 as a successor of the Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft '...
was on repairs of rolling stock, lines and buildings, with the beginning of the 1950s attention shifted to renewal of the trains. For passenger services on not electrified lines, the first prototypes of main line diesel locomotives such as the class 220
DB class V 200
DB Class V 200.0 was one of the first diesel-hydraulic express locomotives of the German Deutsche Bundesbahn and - as Am 4/4 - of the SBB-CFF-FFS in Switzerland.-DB Service:...
were commissioned in 1953. Subsequently DB ordered the rail industry to develop new DMUs in order to replace pre-war classes and steam traction.
In 1961 MAN and Waggonfabrik Uerdingen both delivered two prototypes each. Even though they were quite similar, they can be distinguished easily by the different front design. DB put the prototypes into service as class VT 23.5 (MAN) and class VT 24.5 (Uerdingen). After the new numbering scheme
Numbering scheme of the German railways
The different railway companies in Germany have used various schemes to classify their rolling stock.-From the beginning:As widely known the first few locomotives had names. The first locomotive in public service in Germany from 1835 was named Adler. The first railway lines were built by privately...
the prototypes were listed as class 624 together with the regular units. The prototypes underwent intensive tests, including comparison to conventional push/pull trains with DB Class V 100
DB Class V 100
These DB Class V 100 diesel locomotives were produced in the late 1950s by the Deutsche Bundesbahn for non-electrified branch lines as a replacement for steam locomotives...
.
The regular trainsets were delivered from 1964–1968 and were produced jointly by both manufacturers. Only minor changes were made to the prototype design. A total of 80 front cars and 55 middle cars were delivered, allowing the use of 40 three-part or two-part trainsets. Starting in 1968, a number of units were equipped with penumatic shock absorption and passive tilting
Tilting train
A tilting train is a train that has a mechanism enabling increased speed on regular rail tracks. As a train rounds a curve at speed, objects inside the train experience centrifugal force. This can cause packages to slide about or seated passengers to feel squashed by the outboard armrest due to...
systems. These units were listed as class 634 and approved for a higher speed of 140 km/h. As the tilting system turned out to be of limited use, clearance allowing only very limited tilting, in 1979 the tilting system was removed .
In 1970 a number of trainsets derived from class 624 were delivered to Yugoslavia (Slovenia) as SŽ class 711. They are still in use by Slovenian Railways.
Service
Upon entering service the new class 624 units were often used for fast regional and express trains in various parts of Germany. This changed gradually and by 1980 nearly all of the units were based in Osnabrück und Braunschweig, performing duties on regional and local lines. Regional and local passenger traffic in the HarzHarz
The Harz is the highest mountain range in northern Germany and its rugged terrain extends across parts of Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. The name Harz derives from the Middle High German word Hardt or Hart , latinized as Hercynia. The legendary Brocken is the highest summit in the Harz...
region was carried out almost exclusively by these trainsets.
Whereas the successor class 614
DB Class 614
The DB Class 614s are German diesel multiple units operated by the Deutsche Bundesbahn, comprising two Class 614 driving units and up to two Class 914 centre cars...
units supplemented DB's DMU fleet, the class 628.2
DB Class 628
The DB Class 628 is a twin-car, diesel multiple unit operated by the Deutsche Bahn AG for local passenger rail services.- Design :...
regular types coming into service after 1986 began to displace class 624 into subordinate services. Retirement of class 624/634 trainsets started in 2003, when DB lost a couple of tender procedures to private companies and modern light-weight DMUs came into service in large numbers. The last class 624/634 units were retired in 2005.
14 trainsets were sold to Poland's PKP
Polskie Koleje Panstwowe
is the dominant railway operator in Poland.The company was founded when the former state-owned operator was divided into several units based on the requirements laid down by the European Union...
as class SA110 and have been in use in regional and local service.
Technical information
Because only the front cars were motorized, the trainsets could be assembled either with or without up to two middle cars. Up to three trainsets (ie. six engines) could be operated as multiple traction, connected by Scharfenberg couplers, which were also used to connect front and middle cars. Each front car is equipped with a 331 kW MAN diesel engine. The power is transferred hydro-dynamically to the front-end bogey.The passenger compartment's layout was derived from the so-called Silberling
Silberling
Silberling is the colloquial name for the n-coaches of the Deutsche Bundesbahn, a type of regional passenger coach of which more than 7,000 units were built from 1958 to 1981...
(silverling) polished stainless steel short-line passenger coaches, with open-plan compartments. The trains had oil heating.
Class 624/634 was compatible with its successor DB Class 614
DB Class 614
The DB Class 614s are German diesel multiple units operated by the Deutsche Bundesbahn, comprising two Class 614 driving units and up to two Class 914 centre cars...
, so all units could be in mixed plans, including mixed use of middle cars.