Product Features and Details
“Rheingold” and “Rheinpfeil”– two impressive names from German railroad history. In the Economic Miracle years these first class long-distance express trains were poster children for the new German Federal Railroad, which wanted to introduce the era of 160 km/h / 100 mph trains in 1962 with these legends on rails. Six “Pants Crease” E 10 locomotives under construction were delivered with modified trucks and a stylish blue/beige paint scheme. The success story of the E 10 had begun in the Fifties when the new German Federal Railroad pushed ahead with electrification and ordered a powerful and 140 km/h / 87 mph express electric locomotive in large quantities in the form of the E 10. The first production run still had a mundane, rectangular locomotive body. The first units with aerodynamic ends appeared in 1962. Due to the striking design with the “crease” in the middle, this variation soon acquired the name “Pants Crease”. The locomotive immediately encountered a hump, because the dining cars for the new, luxurious “Rheingold” and “Rheinpfeil” trains had a bi-level galley and were soon called “Buckelspeisewagen” / “humpbacked dining cars”. The remaining newly built cars designed for 160 km/h / 100 mph also attracted a great deal of attention. This was not just because of the elegant blue/beige paint scheme. These cars offered a new travel experience in very comfortable compartment and open seating cars. The stars of these new super trains were however the vista dome cars, which drew enthusiastic passengers to their dome observation areas. The blue/beige “Rheingold” and “Rheinpfeil” era only lasted a short time, however. In 1965, both trains were upgraded to Trans-Europe-trains (TEE) and were accordingly repainted in the red/beige TEE paint scheme.
Prototype: German Federal Railroad (DB) class E 10.12 electric locomotive. With the “Bügelfalten” / “Pants Crease” ends, continuous ventilation bands, continuous rain gutter, and buffer cladding. B-B wheel arrangement. Beige/cobalt blue paint scheme. The locomotive looks as it did around 1962/1963.
Model: The locomotive is an Era III version with round buffers. It has a motor with a bell-shaped armature. It also has electric catenary operation. The reversing screw for the catenary operation is out of sight in the locomotive. The locomotive has enlarged buffer plates. Both trucks and all axles are powered. Triple headlights with warm white LEDs change over with the direction of travel. The wheel treads are dark nickel plated. Length over the buffers 76 mm / 3“.
Highlights:
• Motor with a bell-shaped armature
