Prototype: German Federal Railroad (DB) class E 10.12 electric
locomotive. Express locomotive with aerodynamic ends ("Bügelfalte"
/ "Pants Crease"), high-performance trucks, and end skirting. Paint
scheme in cobalt blue / ivory as motive power for the legendary
Rheinpfeil. Road number E 10 1267. The locomotive looks as it did
in 1963.
Highlights:
- "Bügelfalte" / "Pants Crease" for the first time with pantographs
that can be raised and lowered digitally;
- cab lighting;
- cab lighting can be controlled digitally;
- mfx+ digital decoder with extensive light and sound
functions.
Model: The locomotive has an mfx+ digital decoder and extensive
sound functions. It also has controlled high-efficiency propulsion,
centrally mounted. 4 axles powered. Traction tires. The triple
headlights and dual red marker lights change over with the
direction of travel, will work in conventional operation, and can
be controlled digitally. The headlights at Locomotive Ends 2 and 1
can be turned off separately in digital operation. When the
headlights are off at both ends, the double "A" light function is
on at both ends. The cab lighting can be controlled digitally.
Maintenance-free warm white and red LEDs are used for the lighting.
The pantographs can be raised and lowered as a digital function.
The locomotive has separately applied metal grab irons. Brake
hoses, a prototype coupler, and closed end skirting are included.
There is a figure of a locomotive engineer in Cab 1. Length over
the buffers approximately 18.9 cm / 7-7/16".
Two "Rheinpfeil" car sets to go with this locomotive can be found
under item numbers 43881 and 43882.
39126 – "Rheinpfeil" with a Class E 10.12 Electric Locomotive The
DB introduced a high-quality second daily train as early as 1952
through the picturesque Rhine Valley to satisfy immense demand by
passengers for the "Rheingold Express" (Hook of Holland – Basle)
brought back to life again in May of 1951 by the German Federal
Railroad: the F 21/22 "Rhein-Pfeil" (Rhine Arrow) between Munich
and Dortmund. Yet the name "Rhein-Pfeil" only had one year in the
schedules. The name did not reappear until the summer schedule of
1958. It was now F 21/22 "Rheinpfeil" on the same route as
previously. A familiar author expressed it this way, "Rheingold and
Rheinpfeil are to be spoken of in terms of relationships, brothers,
the Lorelei is the niece of both." In order to link up with the
earlier luxury, the DB decided in 1960 to build an exclusive and
quite special, comfortable pool of cars for the "Rheingold" and the
"Rheinpfeil" related to it. It announced its future top offering
enthusiastically in 1962, "A great name in European railroading is
being given new glamor." The DB purchased four new types of cars
for its two prestigious trains. In addition to the familiar
compartment cars with a side corridor from normal express trains
(type Av4üm-62/63) for the first time there was now open seating
cars (type Ap4üm-62/63) in long-distance service. A special feature
were the dome observation cars (dome cars – type AD4üm-62/63), in
which passengers enjoyed an open view of marvelous scenery in
raised, fully glassed observation domes. Here und in the open
seating cars, the seats could be turned so that passengers could
always ride with a view in the direction of travel. The bar in the
dome observation car invited you to while away time with beverages
and small snacks. Business passengers could have their work done in
the secretary's compartment. The new dining car (type WR4üm-62/63)
had a bi-level galley, which soon gave it the nickname "humpbacked
dining car". Bi-level to enable more seating in the dining area.
The gold-coated windows and of course air conditioning provided
pleasant temperatures in the cars. The locomotives and cars were
easy to recognize externally from the elegant two-color paint
scheme with cobalt blue below the waistline and beige-colored
window band. In addition, the lettering "DEUTSCHE BUNDESBAHN" in
gold letters beneath the observation dome was resplendent on both
of the dome observation cars purchased for the "Rheinpfeil". Both
the "Rheingold" and the "Rheinpfeil" could be pulled by electric
locomotives in German territory due to progressive electrification.
The DB decided on a modified version of the proven class E 10 as
motive power, which in the future was to have a more streamlined
body ("Bügelfalten" E 10 or "Pants Crease" E 10). Since the first
of these units was not available until the fall of 1962 at the
earliest, the railroad made do initially with units of the boxy
standard design with modified gearing for 160 km/h / 100 mph. In
1963/64, the planned "Bügelfalten" / "Pants Crease E 10 units for
160 km/h / 100 mph were completely available.
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