Product Features and Details
Hobbytrain H2842 German Electric Locomotive BR E71 of the DB
Prototype: The twin-engine electric locomotives class EC's were built in 1913 for the Prussian state railways, they were designed primarily for the freight service. They were among the first electric locomotives used in Germany. Because of their unique design the EC 514 had several nicknames, she was known and the Crocodile and Flat Iron. The construction of the locomotives consisted fundamentally of two powered bogies with semi-high-mounted traction motors. Both motor bogies were flexible and they were connected together by a coupling mechanism. The power transmission of the traction motors were mounted on the axles, the wheels were powered by a gear and side rods. The engine compartment and both cabs were mounted on top of a bridge frame. The cooling of the transformer was done by two oil cooler which were mounted on both sides of the engine room, the oil coolers strongly resembled old fashion radiator central heating.
The German Railroads started electrification in the early 1900's. In 1913 the Prussian State Railways ordered the first 18 electric locomotives for the routes Magdeburg - Dessau and Leipzig - Halle . The first locomotives were the class EC 511 which was delivered in 1914, it was followed in the same year by locomotives EC 512 and EC 513. Due to the First World War, the electrification of Germany had to be delayed . In 1920 the class EC 514's arrived and were placed into service in Silesia, they were stationed in depot Salzbrunn . The remaining locomotives were delivered in 1921 and came under the jurisdiction of the Deutsche Reichsbahn.
The Deutsche Reichsbahn re-classifed the EC 514's to class E 71. The E 71's were transferred tp Bitterfeld , Roßlau and Leipzig-Wahren and the rest remained in Silesia. With the demand for heavier freight trains the Reichsnbahn need more powerful locomotives so the class E 71's were replace with the new E 75's. In the spring of 1928 many locomotives were transferred to the depot Basel. The rest of the locomotives remained in Central Germany and were used as a source for spare parts. In October 1928, the locomotives were reactivated as a result of the opening of the new electrified route between Halle and Magdeburg. In the late 1930's five locomotives were sent to Austria, they were stationed at depots Schwarzach and St Veit.
The Second World War caused a great shortage of locomotives. Nine locomotives were retired before the war in the years 1930 to 1938, seven more in the years 1940 to 1945 of the remaining operational locomotives two remained in Austria , six were taken over by the Deutsche Bundesbahn (German Federal Railways) and the East German Reichsbahn. The last operational locomotive was the E 71 28, which was retired on August 4, 1958,the era of the E 71 was finally over. A total of 27 class E 71's were built and only three remained. One was sent to the Dresden Transport Museum, the other to the Museum of Technology in Berlin and the last one to the DB Museum in Nuremberg.
