Express Tank Locomotive BR 61

Information about the Prototype:

In the middle of 1930s the German State Railroad Company (DRG) was searching for the fastest possible connections between the major cities of Germany. For that reason a new train set with steam motive power was designed and built alongside the express rail car trains with diesel motors such as the “Flying Hamburg”. A train composition consisting of a streamlined tank locomotive with the road number 61001 and 4 newly developed passenger cars with lightweight construction for the route Berlin – Dresden. Due to the low total weight and the 2,300 mm / 90-9/16” diameter driving wheels this train composition reached a maximum speed of 175 km/h / 109 mph in tests. A maximum of 160 km/h / 100 mph was the rule in regularly scheduled service. A total time of 100 minutes was required for the route Berlin – Dresden, which corresponded to an average speed of just 106 km/h / 66 mph. An average trip time of this sort was not possible with conventional trains pulled by a class 01 or 03 as an alternative to this new train. This train became famous as the Henschel-Wegmann Train and remained in West Germany after World War II. While the class 61 locomotive was retired after being damaged in 1951, the cars experienced a second railroad career as a long distance express train (“F-Zug”) composition.

Function

• Possible operating systems: 6646/6647 Märklin Transformer, Märklin Delta, Märklin Digital, Märklin Systems.

• Recognition of the mode of operation: automatic.

• Compact design Sine propulsion with a maintenancefree motor

• Addresses that can be set: 01 – 80. Address set at the factory: 61.

• Mfx technology for the Mobile Station / Central Station. Name set at factory: DB 61 001

• Adjustable acceleration.

• Adjustable Braking delay.

• Adjustable maximum speed.

• Setting the locomotive parameters electronically with the Control Unit, Mobile Station or Central Station. • Built-in sound effects circuit, can only be used in operation with the Control Unit     or Märklin Systems.

• Additional sound effects that can be controlled.