Automatische Übersetzung. Originaltext in: EN - Original anzeigen With advancing electrification, powered catenary maintenance railcars for maintenance work on the electrified route network took on increasing importance on the German Federal Railroad - DB.

Starting in 1954, the firm Waggon- und Maschinenbau GmbH in Donauwörth (WMD), working in close cooperation with the German Federal Railroad's central office in Munich, develops the so-called standard powered catenary maintenance railcar or TVT (VT 55 / 93 and from 1968 onwards Class 701 / 702).

These units made wide use of design elements of the VT 98 rail busses.

Since electrical propulsion was out of the question, combustion motors are chosen. The 11x units from the first production series (001-010 and 024) are equipped with two Büssing type U9A motors, each developing 95.5 kilowatts / 128 horsepower. The following units are equipped with two water-cooled Büssing type U10 motors mounted below the floor and developing 221 kilowatts / 300 horsepower.

4x units (numbers 702 001 - 004) are initially delivered with one single engine. In 1972, these units receive a second engine and are reclassified as 701 122 & 042 - 044.

A special rpm speed regulator allowed a constant "crawling speed" of 5 km/h.

The railcars are equipped with a workshop between the two cabs (about 26 square meters) with the possibility to climb into the viewing cupola to observe the catenary. In addition, these units have a specially protected roof exit as well as a pantograph on the roof for grounding and testing. In the middle of the roof there is a platform (around 6 square meters in size) that can be raised up to one meter and turned from side to side. An extendable ladder on the platform can be used for work up to 15 meters. A speaker system is installed for communication between the cab, the lookout and the lifting platform.

The railcars also have compressed air disk brakes, cold water heating and two separate 12-volt power supply systems.

Originally, all railcars are painted red (RAL 3004). / Quellen: https://www.maerklin.de/en/products/details/article/39973, https://www.drehscheibe-online.de/foren/read.php?17,5808549

Automatische Übersetzung. Originaltext in: EN - Original anzeigen 23x units (701 042, 049 - 050, 055 - 056, 115, 123 - 125, 129, 131 - 138, 148 - 150, 163 - 164) are equipped with hydrodynamic and magnetic braking systems for use on steeper stretches of track and are reclassified as Class 702. / Quellen: https://www.drehscheibe-online.de/foren/read.php?17,5808549

Automatische Übersetzung. Originaltext in: EN - Original anzeigen By 1974, the German Federal Railroad - DB purchased 166 powered catenary maintenance railcars from this series:
- 124x dual-engine and 4x single-engine railcars delivered by Waggon- und Maschinenbau GmbH Donauwörth (WMD);
- 20x dual-engine railcars delivered by Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm GmbH (MBB);
- 3x dual-engine railcars delivered by Rathgeber;
- 15x dual-engine railcars delivered by Uerdingen. / Quellen: https://www.drehscheibe-online.de/foren/read.php?17,5808549

Automatische Übersetzung. Originaltext in: EN - Original anzeigen Starting in 1975, these units are successively repainted in the customary "Gold Yellow" (RAL 1004) as part of a major overhaul for DB maintenance units. / Quellen: https://www.maerklin.de/en/products/details/article/39973

Automatische Übersetzung. Originaltext in: EN - Original anzeigen From 2002, a lack of spare parts and the advanced age of the units led to retirements for many railcars, which is completed in 2013 with the last powered catenary maintenance railcar being put into storage.

Some of the units converted to diagnostic railcars (Class 701 / 702 DVT) continue to be in service after 2013.

Numerous units are sold to private railroad companies and museums. / Quellen: https://www.maerklin.de/en/products/details/article/39973, https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/DB-Baureihe_701