Epoch III

Introduction
A new start
The first trains after the war
The first network of long-distance trains
Moving forward, more trains, more comfort, more regularity
Pre war rolling stock again in service
The start of an international long-distance network
The blue network of fast express trains
The modern era, the rise of electric locomotives
The modern diesel locomotive is coming
A new class of coaches
The third class is abandoned
The last new steam engine
A new prestious network, the Trans Europ Express
The Rheingold, from 1962 again exclusive
A new star on rails, the electric locomotive E 03

The modern era, the rise of electric locomotives

Short after the war the development and manufacturing of electric locomotives was slowly started. In the western occupied zones the development were earlier started than in the Sovjet zone. In the Sovjet zone roughly the whole AC catenary network was removed and transported to the Sovjet Union. Because of the compensation payments, all electric locomotives, traction installations, catenary installations and cables were transported in 1946 to the Petschora area between Kotlas en Workuta in the former Sovjet Union. The Russians used the installations to take tests with an AC network, this - what mostly everyone assume - leaded to the decision of the Russians to build an AC catenary network in the Sovjet Union.

In the southern part of Germany there was a different situation. Here the electric catenary network was still intact. Anyway many installations and locomotives were heavily damaged by bombardments during the war. The railway company in the western zones, from 1949 officially called "Deutsche Bundesbahn", had only in the southern part of Germany a electrical network, with a couple of branches to middle Germany.

In the beginning there were many electric locomotives in service from epoch II. Many of these locomotives were repaired. Also the DB ordered a couple of new locomotives of the same epoch II types, the locomotives were built from parts which were still in stock at the manufacturers. The locomotives of class E 44 and E 94 and later the class E 18 locomotives are examples of former DRG locomotives from which some locomotives are also built in epoch III.

In 1950 the SWDE (Südwestdeutschen Eisenbahnen) brought a two part electrical trainset (ET 255 01) and an electric locomotive E 244 22 in service on request of the French occupation forces. The trainset and locomotive had service on the Höllental and Drieseen lines. These were electrified with 50 Hz AC current.

In 1948 the former RZA (Reichsbahn Zentral Amt) in München, from 1949 BZA (Bundesbahn Zentral Amt) setup a cooperation with the German locomotive and electro manufacturers. The cooperation had as goal to work out a plan which was developed at the DRG in 1940 for a heavy Bo'Bo' locomotive which was based on the E 44 locomotive, this new locomotive had as type indication E 46. The engineers examined carefully the Swiss locomotive Ae 4/4, this Swiss locomotive had only powered axles and was provided with two powered bogies. This locomotive had motors which were elastically hung in the bogies.

The new E 46 locomotive must be capable of pulling fast passenger trains with speeds of 120 km/h, middle heavy freight trains. After the locomotive industry had presented a couple of designs, the DB changed the specifications for the locomotive, the top speed was raised to 130 km/h. The type indication was changed to E 10.

From the beginning of the fifties four prototype locomotives of class E 10 were ordered. They had the numbers E 10 001 upto 004. The four locomotives were equiped with different motors and transmissions to test the different concepts and to make comparisons between the four locomotives. At the end of 1950 a fifth locomotive was ordered, the E 10 005.

The prototype locomotives were equiped with different elastically hanging driving motors. The motors put their power direct onto the axle without the intervention of for example driving rods. To switch the current of the driving motors, locomotive E 10 001 made use of a low tension switch, the other prototype locomotives had a high tension switch for the current. In an extensive testing program the transmission, motors and current switch systems were tested. The E 44 038 and some E 94 locomotives which were built after the war were also available for testing mainly critical components.

With the experiences done with the five prototype locomotives, the BZA München set up a big project for building new electric locomotives. The project anticipated in modern electric locomotives without carrying wheels and with two bogies where all axles were powered. The project was divided in four standard design types which were together sufficient for all purposes of that time. There were four different types planned:

• Express train locomotive
  Maximumspeed: 150 km/h
  Indication: E 10.1 (the prototype locomotives had already the indication E 10.0, therefore E 10.1)
  Axle layout: Bo'Bo'
  Power: 3240 kW
  
• Light freight locomotive
  Maximumspeed: 100 km/h
  Indication: E 40
  Axle layout: Bo'Bo'
  Power: 3240 kW
  
• Light passenger locomotive
  Maximumspeed: 120 km/h
  Indication: E 41
  Axle layout: Bo'Bo'
  Power: 2200 kW
  
• Heavy freight locomotive
  Maximumspeed: 100 km/h
  Indication: E 50
  Axle layout: Co'Co'
  Power: 4350 kW

In this project the German locomotive industry built from 1957 until 1973 all together 1933 electric locomotives. All locomotives had components in common with each other. Except for the first 25 built E 50 locomotives which were equiped with the so-called "Tatzlager" transmissions, all locomotives were equiped with the so-called "SSW-Gummiringfederantrieb". This transmission was proved as best in the testing stage. For switching the tension of the driving motors all locomotives, except the E 41, had a high tension switching system. Also the cabins and upper constructions were in many respects the same. Because of the long time the locomotives are built and delivered there are mutual differences between the locomotives.

For this website the electric locomotive of class E 10 is of course interesting because of it's service in the long-distance trains. In October 1954 the first 31 locomotives E 10 were ordered by the DB, the E 10 101 - 131. On 4 December 1956 the first locomotive, the E 10 101 was deliverd to the DB. The locomotives were firstly entering service in the long-distance trains on the first electrified mainlines. These locomotives were also indicated as class E 10.1.

The E 10 250 passes an express train with pre-war coaches Bauart 35

The special built Rheingold locomotives were as far as their appearance concerned the same as the locomotives f class E 10.3, but the Rheingold locomotives had different bogies which were capable of speeds of 160 km/h. In 1963 and 1964 a second serie of Rheingold locomotives followed, the E 10 1308 - 1312, these were meant for the Rheinpfeil. And in 1969 a third serie was built and already provided with the new EDV numbers, these were the locomotives 112 485 - 504. The second and third series had also service in TEE trains and were painted in ivory/red livery for this purpose. The Rheingold/TEE locomotives were also indicated as class E 10.12-13. In total there are built 5 prototypes and 510 standard design locomotives of class E 10.