E 44

Begin thirties there was no money for new developments, on that moment there arise some fear at the industry to miss the connection with other industries from other countries. Therefore a couple of companies developed on their own account three prototype electric locomotives, which were presented to the DRG. These companies were Wismar/SSW, BMAG/BEW and BMAG/MSW.

The technique which was used was a new way of placing the traction motors in a so called "tram-hanging" inside the bogies. These technique was already in use in Bavarian with some Bavarian electric locomotives like the E 73. In Austria this technique was in use since 1923 with a lot of succes. The base concept of all three prototype locomotives was the same, but between the prototypes there were much differences. We handle here first the prototype locomotives and then the mass produced locomotives.

E 44 70

This prototype locomotive was built by Wismar (constructive part) and SSW (electrical part). This locomotive had no carrying axles. The locomotive had a so called "Tatzlager" drive. In August 1930 the DRG took this locomotive in service at the Bw Magdeburg-Rothensee. In Februar 1931 the service was continued in Schlesien and from March 1931 from the Bw München Hbf. The locomotive was in service in passenger and cargo trains. The locomotive was registered under number E 44 70. The locomotive was performing well enough and it was so reliable that the DRG took over the locomotive in May 1932 as E 44 001.

Due to the good running characteristics, the locomotive was permitted for speed of 90 km/h. At tests they ride only 80 km/h. The tension of the traction motors was adjusted by a hand operated electromagnetic control with transformer which had 19 step with 54 steps in between. In 1940 the control devices from the mass produced E 44 locomotives were installed in this locomotive. The E 44 001 was mainly in service between München and Garmisch-Partenkirchen as well as on the line to Grießen and Reutte in Tirol. Until 1956 the locomotive had as maintenance facilities München Hbf, after 1956 was this Bw Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The locomotive was set aside in 1973 and was preserved as a museumlocomotive.

E 44 80

The second prototype locomotive was derived from the E 75, built by BMAG (contructive part) and BEW (electrical part). The locomotive had no carrying axles, and it was delivered in the beginning of the thirties. The locomotive was brought into service in December 1930 as E 44 80. It had the Bw Magdeburg-Rothensee as maintenance facilities. The locomotive was used in passenger and cargo trains. In March 1931 the locomotive was going to the RBD Breslau, and rode with good result passenger and cargo trains, the cargo trains with a maximum load of 1850 ton. Because of some defects and minor disadvantages the locomotive was never mass produced. For example the bogies were not close coupled and the weight distribution on each axle was different. From January 1932 the locomotive belonged as E 44 201 to the Bw Hirschberg (Schles). The locomotive came in January 1934 to Freilassing and had his service on the line to Berchtesgaden. After a short visit between 1939 and 1941 to München the locomotive returned to Freilassing as E 44 2001. From 1942 the locomotive was only operational in the shunting services. In Oktober 1943 the locomotive was together with some E 44.5 moved to München Ost were they operate in the shunting services around München. The locomotive was damaged in the war and was set aside in 1949.

E 44 90

The third prototype locomotive was also derived from the E 75, the locomotive was built by BMAG (contructive part) and MSW (electrical part). The locomotive entered service in April 1931 in the hilly regions of Schlesien. The locomotive was indicated as E 44 90. One month later the locomotive was moved to the RBD München and was used on the hilly line Freilassing-Berchtesgaden which had also many curves. The locomotive satisfied all demands to ride on steep lines. From the gear installation of this locomotive was later made the standard installation for electric locomotives of the DRG. The trainloads could increased from 90 t to 220 t on the line between Bad Reichenhall and Hallthurm and the speed could increased from 30 km/h to 50 km/h when they made use of this locomotive. The loads and speeds were in comparison with the E 36 and E 36.1 locomotives. When the DRG took over this locomotive in July 1932, they extended the electrical brakes. The locomotive got the indication E 44 101 and remained at the Bw Freilassing.

The mass production

The first in mass-production produced E 44 locomotives were entering service in 1933. The locomotives E 44 002 up to E 44 021 had as maintenance facilities the Bw München Hbf and Bw Stuttgart. The E 44 was used for passenger trains as well as for cargo trains on all electricfied lines in Germany, that was why the locomotive was called "Mädchen für alles". The locomotives had a "Tatzlager" driving installation. To regulate the traction motor tension they made use of a regulator with 15 steps. Until August 1943, 149 locomotives E 44 were brought into service as E 44 002 up to E 44 151.

For the electrified moutain railway lines in Austria the DRG ordered E 44 locomotives with electrical resistance brakes of 370 kW. In May 1943 the E 44 152 and E 44 153 were delivered of the total planned locomotives E 44 152 up to E 44 191. They added a high placed "W" to the indications. Until the end of war there were 10 in Freilassing, 5 in Augsburg and 9 in München E 44 ^W locomotives delivered and brought into service.

For the replacement of the E 36 and E 36.2 the DRG ordered four locomotives by AEG as a result of the prototype locomotive E 44 90 (E 44 101). AEG had took over the equipment of MSW which was went bankrupt. The locomotives E 44 102 up to E 44 105 were entering service in the spring of 1933 in Freilassing. The locomotives were renumbered in 1938 to E 44 501 up to E 44 505. A long time the locomotives had their service on the line of Berchtesgaden. Only in 1943/44 they had their service in München Ost and in 1946/50 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. To replace to E 36 and E 36.2 on the line Freilassing-Berchtesgaden the DRG ordered another four locomotives by AEG. The locomotives were different in comparison with the E 44 102 up to E 44 105, they had for example more powerful traction motors (EKB 725), and the length of the locomotives was increased from 13.150 mm to 14.300 mm. The appearance was characterized by the straight fronts without extensions. The running characteristics were so good that the last delivered locomotives were suitable for speeds up to 90 km/h. They were delivered between May 1943 and January 1935 at the Bw Freilassing as E 44 106 up to E 44 109. From 1938 they were renumbered as E 44 506 up to E 44 509. They had mainly service on the line to Berchtesgaden as well as on the line to Salzburg. From September 1966 until May 1968 they belonged together with the locomotives E 44.5 to the Bw Rosenheim, but they were used from the Bw Freilassing. Until they were set aside, the locomotives were again stationed in the Bw Freilassing. They were set aside in 1968 as 144 506 up to 144 509.