1962

The 1st series of 5x units is built in 1962 by Credé in Kassel for the "Rheingold" express service.

These very luxurious salon coaches had 48 individual adjustable seats in a 2+1 configuration and they could be turned in the direction of travel. The central passage was 580 mm wide.

Upon delivery, the coaches are painted in a cobalt blue & light beige colour scheme.

Technical details:
- weight: 44,5 t
- gauge: 2500 mm
- length: 26400 mm
- distance between bogies center: 19000 mm
- width: 2825 mm
- height: 4050 mm
- bogies: MD 50 (Minden Deutz)
- maximum speed: 160 km/h (later, in epoch IV, 200 km/h)
- equipped with an axle generator for the energy supply

The coaches were originally planned as SA4ümm 10421 to 10425 but upon delivery they are already registered as Ap4üm-62 10501 to 10505.
 

Sources: http://www.dbtrains.com/en/coaches/epochIII/rheingold-tee/apm

1963

The 2nd series of 6x units is built in 1963 by the same company for the "Rheinpfeil" express service.

The coaches are registered as Ap4üm-62 10506 to 10511.
 

Sources: http://www.dbtrains.com/en/coaches/epochIII/rheingold-tee/apm

1965

Both "Rheingold" and "Rheinpfeil" services are integrated to the Trans Europ Express (TEE) railway service. As a result, these coaches are no longer dedicated for a specific service and are scheduled to receive the TEE red & light beige livery between 1966 and 1967.

Hence, these coaches started also to be used on other TEE connexions and often during this 2 years period there were TEE trains with mixed compositions of coaches in both colour schemes (the "Rheingold" cobalt blue & light beige colour scheme and the TEE red & light beige colour scheme).
 

Sources: http://www.dbtrains.com/en/coaches/epochIII/rheingold-tee/apm

1965

14x additional units from this series are built in 1965 by Maschinenfabrik in Esslingen for the TEE trains Blauer Enzian and Helvetia services. They are delivered in the TEE red & light beige livery.

The coaches are registered as Ap4üm-62, numbers 105012 to 10525.
 

Sources: http://www.dbtrains.com/en/coaches/epochIII/rheingold-tee/apm

1965

September

Coach 10513 is involved in an accident at Lampertheim and is taken out of service.  

Sources: http://www.dbtrains.com/en/coaches/epochIII/rheingold-tee/apm

1968

By 1968, the registration changes from Ap4üm-62 to Apümh121 and all coaches receive UIC registration numbers:
- 10501 to 10511 receive registration 61 80 18-80 001 to 011;
- 10512 receives registration 61 80 18-80 101;
- 10514 to 10525 receive registration 61 80 18-80 102 to 113.
 

Sources: http://www.dbtrains.com/en/coaches/epochIII/rheingold-tee/apm

1968

9x additional units are built by MAN in Nuremberg. These coaches are registered 61 80 18-80 114 to 122.  

Sources: Pierre B - https://forum.e-train.fr/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=16899&p=2449250#p2449250, https://www.reisezug-wagen.de

1976

In 1976, some changes occurred in the signification of letters designating passenger coaches at the Deutsche Bundesbahn (DB) and the letter "ü" (designating from 1976 onwards: bogie wagons with passage and closed transitions) and "m" (designating from 1976 onwards: wagons over 24m in length for long-distance services) are no longer used together to form the name.

Thus these coaches are designated as Apmh121 from 1976 onwards.
 

Sources: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gattungszeichen_deutscher_Eisenbahnwagen

'80s

The modifications over time were numerous, like:
- the axle generators are removed and coaches are supplied with electrical power through the train busbar (new registration: Ampz);
- the coaches are equipped with MD367 bogies with side shock absorbers to be able to reach a maximum speed of 200 km/h (new registration: 18-94).
 

Sources: Pierre B - https://forum.e-train.fr/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=16899&p=2449250#p2449250

1983

Units Apmh121 61 80 18-80 115-8, 61 80 18-80 116-6 & 61 80 18-80 119-0 are converted to WGmh804 Rheingold Clubwagen coaches.  

Sources: Pierre B - https://forum.e-train.fr/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=16899&p=2449250#p2449250

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Latest update on the 5th of June 2020 at 23:18

Contributor(s): Tudor C.

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