Product Features and Details
Model: The Liliput L131563 BR 56 Steam Locomotive is a very attractive locomotive. This impressive model offers a great level of detail and impressive running performance. The best feature about the BR 56 is that it is all metal. Liliput did an exceptional job on the boiler details and paint livery . The BR 56 is an exquisite German Steam locomotive and no European Model Train collection is complete with out this impressive locomotive.
Model Features:
- Body, chassis, side rods and wheels of die cast metal
- 5-pole, skew-wound motor with flywheel
- drive unit in tender
- traction tires
- close coupler between locomotive and tender
- digital interface for plug-in 21- pin decoder
- prepared for loud speaker installation
- coupler pocket as per NEM 362
- triple LED headlights alternating with the direction of travel
- recommended minimum radius 360 mm
- l.o.b.: 210 mm.
Modellers Tip: The modeler interested in this loco can use it in front of all but the longest freight trains. Moreover, German freight trains in the 1950’s and 1960’s had a caboose similar to L235002 (an Era II model) which was usually located at the front of the train right after the locomotive. All the other manufacturers offer cabooses too, so the modeler has a wide choice. For passenger trains, the Liliput cars L334403, L334030, L334033, L334035, and L334038 fit the West German version of the loco with one caveat: The engine has the German Railroad symbol from Era IIIb, while the Liliput coaches are labeled for Era IIIa. Using Roco or Fleischmann Thunderboxes and 3yg rebuilts labeled for Era IIIb is also an option. One may even find some of the 4-axle rebuilts behind them. The options are too many to list here in detail. There is a famous picture of one of these locomotives pulling a combination of post-war, pre-war and Prussian cars. Local trains were made up in such a variety that almost every combination of prewar rolling with two or three axles is plausible. For the East German version, the following would fit: Either L334015-L334018 or L334409 with L334044-L334048 as coaches. In addition, all the cars mentioned before for the West German version could be used too, except the 3-axled rebuilts. These were only used in the west. However, East Germany built its own rebuilds which are offered by Piko. Of course, mixing the previous classes of coaches always is an option.
Prototype: The 56 class is one of the classes in which the German State Railroad (DRG) collected all the 2 – 8 – 0 type locomotives which it inherited from the former German states after WWI. The 562-8 class which this model presents added even more variety. It started its live as a Prussian G81 class which became the famous 55 class in the 1920’s. While powerful, the 55’s were extremely slow reaching a top speed of only 55 km/h (35 mph). Because of this, they were of limited use as mainline freight locomotives. Instead of scrapping hundreds of these relatively new engines, the DRG decided on a rebuilding program after it discovered that it was relatively easy and inexpensive to add a leading axle to a 55 class locomotive. This significantly improved its high speed running, and only reduced pulling power marginally. It was now possible to achieve a speed of 70 km/h (44 mph), which allowed using the locomotive on light to medium freight trains as well as on commuter trains (Personenzug). In their last years, they also served as hump and yard engines.
