Product Features and Details
Model: The Arnold BR 18 steam locomotive class BR 18 is a very impressive model with exceptional running performance. The model has extensive detail, comes in a beautiful livery, has prototypical “daylight” between boiler and chassis and has a finely detailed, fully operational Heusinger valve gear. This model would be great for any layout.
Special Features:
- Working head/tail lights
- Metal Construction
- Highly Detail Model
- Factory Installed Decoder
Prototype: The German express locomotive, number 18 201 of the Deutsche Reichsbahn in East Germany, appeared in 1960–61 at Meiningen Steam Locomotive Works as a conversion of the Henschel-Wegmann train locomotive 61 002, the tender from 44 468 and parts of H 45 024 and Class 41. It is the fastest operational steam locomotive in the world.
The motivation for the conversion was first that, as a one-off, locomotive 61 002 could not really be used for scheduled services, and secondly that the research institute at VES-M Halle urgently needed locomotives that could do at least 160 km/h in order to test passenger coaches. For the conversion, a DR Class 22 new-design boiler, parts of the unsuccessful high-pressure locomotive, H 45 024, (outside cylinders, trailing wheels and rear section of the locomotive frame), as well as the tender of locomotive 44 468, were used. The inside cylinder of the three-cylinder engine was not however taken from 61 002, rather a new one was made. Other technical improvements were a Riggenbach counter-pressure brake and a Giesl ejector. The locomotive was streamlined at the front and over the boiler fittings. The new locomotive was given its number to commemorate the first German locomotive with a 4-6-2 ('Pacific') wheel arrangement, the Baden IV f of the Baden State Railways (later the DRG Class 18.2.
In 1967 number 18 201 was converted to oil-firing. After the changeover to computerized numbers the engine was given the number 02 0201-0. On 11 October 1972 during a trial run, it attained a top speed of 182.4 km/h or 113.3 mph. As a result, it is the fastest, operational steam locomotive in the world, and also holds the world record for the biggest driving wheels (2.30 m in diameter) ever to be fitted to an engine with a 4-6-2 wheel arrangement. When not required for test runs, locomotive 18 201 was also put in charge of scheduled express trains until well into the 1970s.
Since 1980 the locomotive has mainly been employed to haul heritage and special trains, often with a second tender, in order to be able to complete long-distance runs without the need to replenish its water. At its birthplace, in Meiningen Steam Locomotive Works the engine was handed over to the firm of Dampf-Plus on 4 April 2002 having been completely overhauled. Originally sporting a green livery with white stripes, the engine was repainted between 30 April 2002 and 10 July 2005 in a special red livery (RAL 3003, ruby red) sponsored by the model railway manufacturer, Roco. Today she is once again painted in her traditional green color (RAL 6020, chromium oxide green).
