LBE Nos. 1 to 3
Encyclopedia
Locomotive numbers 1 to 3 on the Lübeck-Büchen railway (Lübeck-Büchener Eisenbahn or LBE) in Germany
were streamlined
tank locomotive
s. The locomotives had a 2-4-2
wheel arrangement, a two-cylinder, superheated engine and were capable of push-pull
operations. In order to ensure a symmetrical running gear, both carrying axles were built as Bissel bogie
s, which were fitted with return devices for improved running.
In order to run faster passenger train services between Hamburg
and Lübeck
, the LBE ordered the construction of three engines in 1935 from the locomotive works of Henschel in Kassel
. At the same time, the coach building firms of WUMAG in Görlitz
and Linke-Hofmann in Breslau were tasked to manufacture the double-decker coaches to go with the locomotives.
Locomotives LBE 1 and 2 were delivered in 1936; LBE 3, which with its larger water tank and boiler appeared somewhat heavier, followed one year later. The engines had a top speed of 120 km/h and were used in push-pull
services. Due to their appearance and grey livery they were soon nicknamed "Micky Mouse".
On the nationalisation of the LBE on 1 January 1938 the locomotives were incorporated into the Reichsbahn's numbering scheme as DRG Class 60 with numbers 60 001 to 60 003 and homed in Lübeck locomotive depot (Bahnbetriebswerk
) in Reichsbahndirektion Schwerin
. Nevertheless their duties did not change until the outbreak of war in 1939. Then express services were withdrawn and the three engines were to be retired.
There were attempts to sell the engines to the Frankfurt-Königstein railway, but these locomotives were designed for express services on the north German plain and not for the Königsteiner Bahn, which had very steep sections. During the trial only two of the 14 wagons attached at Frankfurt-Höchst arrived at Königstein
, the rest had to be uncoupled en route.
Number 60 001 was used as a heating engine and went missing during the war. The other two ended up in the Deutsche Reichsbahn in the GDR. Number 60 002 worked in the area of Berlin
until 1958 and was scrapped in 1962 at Leipzig
. Number 60 003 remained in service until 1954 at Stralsund
locomotive depot.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
were streamlined
Streamliner
A streamliner is a vehicle incorporating streamlining in a shape providing reduced air resistance. The term is applied to high-speed railway trainsets of the 1930s to 1950s, and to their successor "bullet trains". Less commonly, the term is applied to fully faired recumbent bicycles...
tank locomotive
Tank locomotive
A tank locomotive or tank engine is a steam locomotive that carries its water in one or more on-board water tanks, instead of pulling it behind it in a tender. It will most likely also have some kind of bunker to hold the fuel. There are several different types of tank locomotive dependent upon...
s. The locomotives had a 2-4-2
2-4-2
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-4-2 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle...
wheel arrangement, a two-cylinder, superheated engine and were capable of push-pull
Push-pull
Push–pull may refer to:In electronic technology:*Push–pull output, type of electronic circuit*Push–pull converter, in electronics, is a type of DC to DC converter that uses a transformer*Push–pull connector, an electronic cable connector...
operations. In order to ensure a symmetrical running gear, both carrying axles were built as Bissel bogie
Bissel bogie
A Bissel truck is a very simple and commonly used way of designing a carrying axle on a steam locomotive to enable it to negotiate curves more easily. The design uses a single-axled bogie, usually known as a pony truck, whose pivot is towards the centre of the locomotive...
s, which were fitted with return devices for improved running.
In order to run faster passenger train services between Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
and Lübeck
Lübeck
The Hanseatic City of Lübeck is the second-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein, in northern Germany, and one of the major ports of Germany. It was for several centuries the "capital" of the Hanseatic League and, because of its Brick Gothic architectural heritage, is listed by UNESCO as a World...
, the LBE ordered the construction of three engines in 1935 from the locomotive works of Henschel in Kassel
Kassel
Kassel is a town located on the Fulda River in northern Hesse, Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Kassel Regierungsbezirk and the Kreis of the same name and has approximately 195,000 inhabitants.- History :...
. At the same time, the coach building firms of WUMAG in Görlitz
Görlitz
Görlitz is a town in Germany. It is the easternmost town in the country, located on the Lusatian Neisse River in the Bundesland of Saxony. It is opposite the Polish town of Zgorzelec, which was a part of Görlitz until 1945. Historically, Görlitz was in the region of Upper Lusatia...
and Linke-Hofmann in Breslau were tasked to manufacture the double-decker coaches to go with the locomotives.
Locomotives LBE 1 and 2 were delivered in 1936; LBE 3, which with its larger water tank and boiler appeared somewhat heavier, followed one year later. The engines had a top speed of 120 km/h and were used in push-pull
Push-pull
Push–pull may refer to:In electronic technology:*Push–pull output, type of electronic circuit*Push–pull converter, in electronics, is a type of DC to DC converter that uses a transformer*Push–pull connector, an electronic cable connector...
services. Due to their appearance and grey livery they were soon nicknamed "Micky Mouse".
On the nationalisation of the LBE on 1 January 1938 the locomotives were incorporated into the Reichsbahn's numbering scheme as DRG Class 60 with numbers 60 001 to 60 003 and homed in Lübeck locomotive depot (Bahnbetriebswerk
Bahnbetriebswerk
A Bahnbetriebswerk is the equivalent of a locomotive depot on the German and Austrian railways. It is an installation that carries out the maintenance, minor repairs, refuelling and cleaning of locomotives and other motive power. In addition it organises the deployment of locomotives and crews...
) in Reichsbahndirektion Schwerin
Schwerin
Schwerin is the capital and second-largest city of the northern German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The population, as of end of 2009, was 95,041.-History:...
. Nevertheless their duties did not change until the outbreak of war in 1939. Then express services were withdrawn and the three engines were to be retired.
There were attempts to sell the engines to the Frankfurt-Königstein railway, but these locomotives were designed for express services on the north German plain and not for the Königsteiner Bahn, which had very steep sections. During the trial only two of the 14 wagons attached at Frankfurt-Höchst arrived at Königstein
Königstein
The term Königstein can refer to several places in Germany and Namibia:Germany:* Königstein im Taunus, town in Hesse* Königstein, Saxony** Festung Königstein, castle near Königstein in Saxony* Königstein, Bavaria...
, the rest had to be uncoupled en route.
Number 60 001 was used as a heating engine and went missing during the war. The other two ended up in the Deutsche Reichsbahn in the GDR. Number 60 002 worked in the area of Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
until 1958 and was scrapped in 1962 at Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
. Number 60 003 remained in service until 1954 at Stralsund
Stralsund
- Main sights :* The Brick Gothic historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.* The heart of the old town is the Old Market Square , with the Gothic Town Hall . Behind the town hall stands the imposing Nikolaikirche , built in 1270-1360...
locomotive depot.
Literature
- Rüdiger Otahal: Die Lübeck-Büchener Eisenbahn. GeraMond Verlag, München 2002 ISBN 3-7654-7130-5