The DRB Class 50 is a German class of 2-10-0 locomotive, built from 1939 as a standard locomotive (German translation: Einheitsdampflokomotive) for hauling goods trains. It had one leading axle and five coupled axles and was one of the most successful designs produced for the Deutsche Reichsbahn.
At the end of the steam locomotive era, they became virtually a universal class of mixed-traffic steam locomotives, thanks to their low axle load that could even be employed on branch lines with light track beds.
The Deutsche Bundesbahn (DB) had grouped the locomotives into Classes 050, 051, 052 and 053 from 1968 so that the numbers were computer compatible at that time.
Some members of the class were later used in service by the Polish State Railways (Polish translation: Polskie Koleje Państwowe) (PKP) as type Ty5.
History[]
In spite of wartime losses, a large number of locomotives still remained on the DRG in 1945. No fewer than 2,159 working locomotives were taken over by the Deutsche Bundesbahn alone and for a long period of time, they formed the backbone of goods traffic operations together with the slightly-larger DRG Class 44.
To protect the engine crew when running in reverse, the front of the tender (a 2'2' T 26) was furnished with a protective shield. On many locomotives the Elephant Ear-shaped "Wagner" smoke deflectors were replaced by the more traditional "Witte" smoke deflectors after the war had came to a close. On 735 of the DB machines the tender was fitted with a conductor's cab, which meant that the volume of the coal bunker had to be reduced.
The last DB locomotives were retired from Duisburg-Wedau in 1977.
Only 350 locomotives of the Class 50 had remained in with the Deutsche Reichsbahn in East Germany after the war. Because only a small number of the numerous Class 44 fleet went to East Germany, the DRB Class 52 was the predominant goods train locomotive in many areas there.
Of the Class 50s, 208 examples were rebuilt into Class 50.35-37 locomotives. The original locomotives ran mainly in the south. From the middle of the 1970s they were retired in large numbers, so that in the 1980s they were real rarities. Nevertheless, the last ones ended their active duties in 1987 together with the rebuilds (Rekoloks).
Some of the original locomotives were preserved, including Nos. 50 622 and 50 849.
No. 50 622 is stabled in the Nuremberg Transport Museum in Nuremberg, Germany. Where, on the evening of 17 October 2005, it was badly damaged in the great fire at the locomotive shed. The engine should however be able to be repaired with the aid of donations. No. 50 849 belongs to the Glauchau Railway Society (German translation: Eisenbahnverein Glauchau) and has an Elephant Ear-shaped "Wagner" smoke deflector.
Subclasses[]
DR Class 50.40[]
As well as modern passenger train locomotives, the DR in East Germany needed more goods train locomotives with a 15 t axle load. As a result, a parallel development, like those of the pre-war time, was initiated for a passenger train engine, the DR Class 23.10, and a goods train engine, the DR Class 50.40, in order that many of their components could be interchangeable. The running gear conformed broadly to that of the Einheitslok, but a plate frame had to be used, because bar frames could no longer be worked. The boiler was a new build to modern construction standards with a combustion chamber and a mixer preheater. In terms of performance it was roughly comparable to the standard boiler, but was somewhat more economic in its fuel consumption. The locomotives were also given new tenders, the 2'2' T 28. The 88 engines, which were renumbered from 50 4001 to 50 4088, were delivered between 1956 and 1960. Number 50 4088 was therefore the last standard gauge steam engine to be newly built in Germany. They were permanently stationed on the routes over the plains in the northern railway divisions. Because the plate frame soon proved to be the weakest link (with a high repair bill), the locos were taken out of traction service by 1980, but continued to be used as heating engines.
The Bavarian Railway Museum (Bayerische Eisenbahnmuseum) in Nördlingen has acquired the last preserved engine of this type, number 50 4073. It is currently in the Meiningen Steam Locomotive Works at and is awaiting external refurbishment.
Other railway companies[]
Romanian 150 class loco, DRG 50 class as copied by Resita; near Cluj-Napoca, 1972
After the Second World War several Class 50 locomotives were left in eastern Europe, where some of the railway administrations procured more of them. For example, the Romanian State Railway CFR produced 282 copies of Class 50 locomotives between 1947 and 1959. 40 Romanian 150s were supplied to China in 1958, became class DK5 in 1959 and were numbered 241–280. DK5-250 is preserved at the Shenyang Railway Museum. Some were also supplied to the Korean State Railway in North Korea, where they were numbered in the 150 series.
France[]
After World War 2 and the Liberation of France, 37 engines were taken from the germans during their flight, those engines were taken over by the SNCF which registered them as the class 150-Z. Some of them were given back to Belgium. The locos conserves their DRG number with the addition of the '150-Z' on their register. The Engines were located in the EST Region, and more precisely in Alsace. Their light weight compared to other locomotive series, allowed them to pull trains on branch lines.
The Engines were affected to the depots of Hausbergen, Mulhouse-Nord, and Mulhouse-Île-Napoléon, and were haulled mainly goods trains on the Alsacian Branch lines, messangers trains and sometimes local trains. However the strange presence of the 150-Z at Mulhouse-Île-Napoélon, depot for Express and High speed engines, let suppossed that they were used for passengers services. In 1947, 22 locos were rented to the French Domain Administration, and ran on the French occupation Zone in Germany, during this little return in Germany, some engines get repainted in a black livery during important maintenances, some of them received smoke deflectors type 'Witte'. The units remaining in France, were located at Mulhouse-Nord, and pulled trains from Mulhouse to Belfort, Besançon, and Basel-Munttenz. In 1949, the '150-Z' were reunited after the return of the 22 engines from the French Occupation Zone.
In 1950, the locos received an equipment allowing them to run under the catenary at 25000 kV, because of SNCF's desire to keep them running longer, However this project was abandonnedd with the elecrification policy of SNCF's president, Louis Armand. The '150-Z' don't manage to support the competition of 141-R and electric engines, and were parked at Haguenau, in 1953, some of their parts where taken to repair other engines such as the '150-Y', former DRG Class 52. All engines were withdrawn on Junary the 1st 1957. Some of them were just scrap heaps. None of them were preserved.