Steam Locomotive BR 80 of the DB, Era III

NEW MODEL

Model

• Metal chassis, frame, water tanks, and smokebox
•  DC/AC universal electronics
• Coreless motor with flywheel
• LokSound 5 decoder for DCC, Motorola®, M4, and Selectrix® operation
• Automatic registration via RailComPlus® with appropriately equipped DCC central units
• Automatic registration with Märklin® mfx central units
• PowerPack storage capacitor for uninterruptible power supply
• Pulsed double smoke generator for sensor-controlled smoke emission and cylinder steam synchronized with LokSound
• Dual loudspeakers with large sound enclosure for maximum sound enjoyment
• Universal electronics with plug-in pickup and switch for switching between two-wire and center-wire operation
• Digitally remote-controlled couplings
• Chassis lighting
• Metal wheels
• Locomotive crew in the driver’s cab
• Etched labels for self-assembly included
• Pipette for filling the smoke generator included
• Minimum radius 360 mm
• Length over buffers = 114 mm

Prototype

The standard locomotive program for steam locomotives of the German State Railway Company (DRG) also included a three-axle series for heavy shunting service. For this series, the DRG specified a maximum axle load of 17.5 t, which, thanks to several tricks, was only moderately exceeded during acceptance, reaching 18.1 t. This made the best possible use of the track facilities in marshalling yards and industrial areas close to major cities. In contrast to the numerous locomotives dating back to the time of the state railways and mostly larger, the 80 was both more powerful and more economical. Because of their powerful boilers, the three-coupled locomotives were nicknamed “Bulli.” Despite the undeniable advantages of the modern design, the DRG limited itself to the 39 units purchased in 1928 and 1929 due to the difficult economic situation. Mostly in passenger stations, the locomotives zipped along the tracks at a maximum permissible speed of 45 km/h. By 1966, these reliable locomotives had disappeared from the marshalling yards of both German state railways. V60s of both designs delivered similar pulling power, but were even more versatile due to their higher top speed. At less than 40 years old, however, the 80s were by no means yet obsolete. Both state railways used Bullis in repair shops or sold them to industrial companies or coal mines, which gratefully made use of the proven locomotives. For example, a handful of the 80s toiled in coal mines in the Ruhr region. There they were even used to pull internal passenger trains. The last operational vans were 80 036 and 80 039 of the Hamm Museum Railway, which were transferred to the Veluwsche Stoomtrein Maatschappij (VSM) in the Netherlands. 80 009 of the Deutsche Reichsbahn (German State Railway) enjoys a special status, being the only state railway locomotive to be sold to a private individual during the GDR era. Locomotive driver Klaus Hollenbach acquired the locomotive with great difficulty in 1981, transported it under its own power, and built a locomotive shed and a short siding for his 80 009 on his private property. It was lifted onto the tracks in 1982 using two mobile cranes.