DR - Class 02 steam locomotive
The "Schorsch" – a Unique One-of-a-Kind on the German State
Railroad (DR).
The steam locomotive road number 18 314 of the German State
Railroad (DR) of East Germany (GDR) later nicknamed "Schorsch" has
an unusual, even extraordinary life history. Once placed into
service in 1919 as a Baden class "IV h" "High Stepper", the DRG
took over it as road number 18 314. After the end of World War II,
this locomotive went to the Soviet Zone in trade for a Bavarian
class S 3/6, where the subsequent VES-M Halle (Railroad Research
and Development Locomotive Management Department in Halle) urgently
needed a fast four-cylinder compound steam locomotive for
experimental work. In 1960, it was equipped with a "Reko" (rebuilt)
boiler, partial streamlining, a new cab and tender, as well as a
green paint scheme in order to run faster. Conversion to oil firing
in 1967 was the icing on the cake. It was put into storage at the
end of 1971 and was sold in 1984 to West Germany. Since 1986, it
has been one of the showpieces at the Automotive and Technology
Museum in Sinsheim. It is on permanent loan from the HEF (Frankfurt
Historic Railroad).
Prototype: German State Railroad (DR/GDR) of East Germany express
train steam locomotive, road number 02 0314-1, with oil main firing
and an oil tender. Converted version as an experimental locomotive
for the VES-M Halle (Saale) (Railroad Research and Development
Locomotive Management Department). Version with a "Reko" (rebuilt)
boiler and partial streamlining, based on road number 18 314
(former Baden class IV h). Witte smoke deflectors and an inductive
magnet on one side included. The locomotive looks as it did around
1970/71.
Road number 18 314 (starting July 1, 1970: 02 0314) forms a unique
one-of-a-kind on the German State Railroad (DR) of East Germany in
the series of Baden Pacific express locomotives, class "IV h",
which were delivered by Maffei from 1918 to 1920 in three
production runs totaling 20 units. The DRG took over all 20
locomotives as road numbers 18 301-303, 18 311-319, and 18 321-328.
They were predestined for heavy express train service, primarily on
the Rhine Valley Line Basle – Mannheim. Starting in 1933, these
locomotives slowly wandered north, and they were based for a short
time in Darmstadt, Koblenz, and Hamburg-Altona. They finally all
found a new home in Bremen. Except for road number 18 326, all of
the locomotives survived World War II. However, they were retired
as early as 1948 as a splinter class. Only road numbers 18 316,
319, and 323 remained on the roster for experimental purposes for
the German Federal Railroad's central office at Minden. By
contrast, road number 18 314 went in April of 1948 to the
subsequent German State Railroad (DR) in the Soviet Zone (from 1949
on the GDR) in an exchange for road number 18 434 (former Bavarian
class S 3/6). This was done at the instigation of Max Baumberg –
the subsequent manager of VES-M Halle (Railroad Research and
Development Locomotive Management Department). After a major
overhaul completed at the beginning of August 1948 at the
maintenance facility in Stendal, it was initially used from Stendal
and then starting in April 1950 from Dresden-Altstadt in special
train service. Starting in August 1950, came a longer stay in
Meiningen to serve as an experimental locomotive as planned for the
Railroad Research and Development Locomotive Management Department
in Halle (VES-M Halle). For its experimental work, it was equipped
with Riggenbach counter-pressure brakes, and its tender was
replaced by one from a French North Railroad steam locomotive.
Chiefly in the service of the VES-M, road number 18 314, soon
nicknamed "Schorsch", achieved annual running distances by 1959 of
18,000 to 57,000 kilometers / 11,250 to 35,625 miles. At the end of
the Fifties, the VES-M needed faster locomotives to test among
other things passenger cars for 160 km/h / 100 mph. Yet, such fast
running locomotives were not available. For that reason, road
number 18 314 was now to be modified accordingly to reach higher
speeds. Its conversion at the maintenance facility in Zwickau thus
began in April of 1960 as part of a major overhaul. It was equipped
with a new, modified combustion chamber boiler, the type 39E, a new
cab, and a type 2‘2‘T34 standard design tender. The cylinders and
boiler appliances were provided with partial streamlining and
small, specially designed smoke deflectors were also installed.
Last but not least, it now also gleamed in a green paint scheme
with white striping. A fully newly designed road number 18 314 thus
left the maintenance facility in December of 1960 and it could now
reach a maximum speed of 150 km/h / 94 mph. By 1967, it achieved an
annual running distance of up to 76,000 kilometers / 47,500 miles,
amazing for a locomotive in experimental work, not so surprising
since it was now being used in scheduled express train service. A
last major overhaul starting in September of 1967 gave this
locomotive oil firing, which made it somewhat more powerful. For
two years, it was regularly under steam and then its use was
reduced considerably. Even though it did several runs under the
computer road number 02 0314 starting July 1, 1970, cylinder damage
forced it into storage at the end of 1971 and it was thus retired
on August 1, 1972. Initially, it went under the care of the
Transportation Museum in Dresden and from there it was transferred
on May 25, 1984 to the association "Frankfurt Historic Railroad"
(HEF). Since 1986, it has formed one of the showpieces in the
Automotive and Technology Museum in Sinsheim. It is on permanent
loan from the HEF.
Highlights:
- completely new tooling;
- especially intricate metal construction;
- a variety of separately applied details;
- factory-installed smoke unit and dynamic smoke exhaust that
varies with the locomotive speed included;
- cab lighting and the running gear lights can be controlled
separately in digital operation;
- World of Operation mfx+ decoder and extensive operation and sound
functions included.
Model: The locomotive has an mfx+ digital decoder and extensive
sound functions. It also has controlled high-efficiency propulsion
with a flywheel in the boiler. 3 axles powered. Traction tires. The
locomotive and tender are constructed mostly of metal. There is a
factory-installed smoke generator in the locomotive. It has dynamic
smoke exhaust that varies with the locomotive speed. The triple
headlights change over with the direction of travel, will work in
conventional operation, and can be controlled digitally. There are
also dual red lamps on the front of the locomotive, which can be
controlled digitally. The cab lighting and the running gear lights
can be controlled separately in digital operation. Maintenance-free
warm white and red LEDs are used for the lighting. There is a close
coupling with a guide mechanism between the locomotive and tender.
There is a close coupler with an NEM pocket and a guide mechanism
on the tender. The minimum radius for operation is 360 mm /
14-3/16". Streamlining without wheel cutouts below the cab is
included for installation for large radius curves or display cases.
Piston rod protection sleeves and brake hoses are also
included.
Length over the buffers 27.2 cm / 10-11/16".
This model can be found in a DC version in the Trix H0 assortment
under item number 25027.
First announced: September 2021
Presented in the following catalogs / brochures: