Product Features and Details
Model: The Liliput L132548 E 44 electric is a very attractive model. It offers a great level of detail and impressive running performance. Liliput did an exceptional job on the paint livery and delicate pin stripping. The E 44 is one of the most iconic German electric locomotives and no European Model Train collection is complete with out this impressive model.
Model Features:
- 5 Pole Skew-Wound Motor with Flywheel
- Metal Chassis
- LED Directional lighting
- Installed ESU Lokpilot Decoder
- NEM 362 Coupler Pocket
- 21 Pin Digital Interface
- Sprung Puffers
Modellers Tip: This model is a modeler’s dream. Virtually all cars can be used behind it. For passenger operation, one could use the Liliput cars L334556, L334536, L334537 and L334538 for an Era 3 accelerated train, while the coaches L334557 and L334539/40/41/48 could be used in Era IV. 3yg and 4yg rebuilts as well as 26,4m coaches and Silverfish commuter cars are another alternative. For commuter trains in Era 2 and Era 3, one could use L334401 and L334021/23/24/26/27 (Era 2) or L334403 and L334030/33/35/38 (Era 3). Finally, an Intercity train with a red-beige first class coach and three beige-turquoise second class coaches was pulled by E 44.5’s in the 1970’s. Also keep in mind Fleischmann, Brawa, Roco and other manufactures have coaches that can be combines with the the E 44. For freight operation, one should look at light to medium freights . Heavy freights were the responsibility of the E93 and E94 class electrics after all.
Prototype: The German State Railroad developed extensive networks of electrified lines in Bavaria, Central Germany and Silesia during the 1920’s and 1930’s. Locomotives (E 16 and E 17) with single axle drive had been used for fast trains. However, many freight and slower passenger trains still used rod-driven engines like those of the E 32, E 52, E 75, E 77, and E 91 classes. In 1932, the German locomotive industry decided to develop three prototypes of a boogie type engine with only four axles to replace the rod designs. These were the locomotives E 44 001, E 44 101, and E 44 2001. The design of the E 44 001 was adopted to become the well-known E 44 class. The E 44 101 impressed the Reichsbahn because it could handle sharp curves extremely well. It was therefore decided to purchase four additional locomotives of this design for the line to Berchtesgaden which is a popular tourist location. Although this line is officially rated as a secondary line with rather low top-speed, it always had very heavy traffic. The idea was to use the E 44 101 – 105 to replace several old engines (E36 class) which were designed before WWI. The E 44 101 – 105 had a top speed of 80 km/h (50 mph), and were used on all heavy and fast trains on the Berchtesgaden line. In 1934, it was decided to purchase an additional four with more powerful engines to get rid of the last rod engines.
The E 44 production starting in 1932 after it's success in Bavaria it was decided that the E 44 was able to be used all over Germany. It was used in both passenger and freight service, it was able to handle any given job, because of this it was nicknamed (Mädel für Alles). Women for all tasks. After an interruption due to the great economic crisis, the electrification of the German State Railroad's network was continued starting in 1930. New, powerful locomotives were needed for the new routes. In the meantime the German railroad industry had developed new concepts and prototypes for modern, general-purpose locomotives. The design from Siemens showed clear progress compared to the previous provincial railroad designs that had merely been developed further. The E 44 was designed as a light weight general-purpose locomotive and was built on a welded frame, mounted on trucks with integrated buffer beams and powered with axle-suspended motors. This gave this compact locomotive a total weight of 78 metric tons without the need for pilot trucks and still below the critical 20 metric ton limit for axle loads. The modern motors put out 2,200 kilowatts / 2,950 horsepower, which was available directly at the axles without the need for an expensive gear drive. The maximum speed reached on level track was 90 km/h or 56 mph. The German State Railroad purchased a total of 174 regular production locomotives, of which 45 remained in East Germany with most of the rest in West Germany. Seven more locomotives were built new for the German Federal Railroad and several were equipped with push/pull controls or resistance brakes. The indestructible E 44 was in regular use well into the 1980s - at the end as the 144 (DB) and 244 (DR).
