DB Class 215
Encyclopedia
The DB Class 215 is a 4 axle diesel locomotive of the V 160
type. They were built for the German Federal Railways (Deutsche Bundesbahn
) for passenger and freight service on secondary and primary routes, and later passed to the Deutsche Bahn AG
.
A number of variants were made by rebuilding; some were converted to Class 225
locomotives for freight only work for DB Cargo and the sub-class Class 215.9 were altered for use on the SyltShuttle.
, and consequently were equipped with steam heating apparatus. In the pre 1968 classification scheme they were to be numbered V 163.
The engines were built to the length of the DB Class 218
(400 mm longer than a Class V 160), so that later they could be rebuilt to the same specification of the longer class, which at the time only existed as a prototype; the Deutsche Bundesbahn could not wait for the Class 218 to reach production maturity as it was forging ahead with the replacement of the last steam locomotives.
The ten initial prototype machines built from 1968 und 1969 by Krupp were powered by diesel engines of type 12 V 956 TB 10 with a power of 1839 kW.
The machines numbered 215 011 to 215 070 and 215 094 to 215 150 were powered by less powerful (1397 kW) but more reliable 16 cylinder Maybach
MTU 16 V 652 TB engines (the same as the engines with which the Class 216 / V 160s were equipped), while the numbers 215 071 to 215 093 had a more powerful engine, but this time again the 12 cylinder 12 V 956 TB used in the prototypes.215 091 to 215 093 were later retrofitted with the V-12 engine, having initially had the 16 cylinder engine.
The steam heating also doubled as a pre-heater for the locomotives engine, and other parts. Space was reserved for the installation of an electrical generator later on, the proposed conversion of the machines to the 218 series never came about - the exception was 215 112 which was rebuilt as DB Class 218 399 after an accident.
Numbers 030 to 032 locos were exceptional in that they were fitted from the outset with an electric heater (steam heating was removed) driven from an auxiliary diesel of type 8V 331 TC 10 with an output of 520 kW at 2100rpm. Unlike in the DB Class 217 the auxiliary diesel is not connected to the transmission and cannot be used for additional traction power
, 14 units were rebuilt in a fashion analogous to the DBAG Class 225
but numbered as Class 215.9. The remaining four locomotives were kept for spare parts.
The steam heating boilers needed fuel and water tanks which for this service were now unnecessary, thus they were replaced with a ballast weight, the engines remained unchanged. A GSM-R
system was fitted, as well as automatic brake slack adjusters.
transferred 68 locomotives to DB Cargo (later Railion
) for freight work, the steam heating boilers being removed a replaced with ballast. The new class was augmented by further DB Class 218
machines, which formed the subclass 225.8.
to Trier
) in the Lower Rhine
and Baden-Wuerttemberg area down to Lake Constance
.
One high profile working in the 1980s was the D 216/217 "Austria-Express" ( from Klagenfurt
via Graz
/Krefeld
to Amsterdam
) between Krefeld
central station (Hauptbahnhof Hbf.) and Arnhem
Holland. The units with electric heating modifications (030 to 032) were used for this service.
The last scheduled working of the 215 series was on the DB Regio
Hessen trains, which ended in April 2003. Afterwards some were kept on standby for the DB Regio Rheinland Regionalbahn
trains.
In June 2003 transfer of the sub-class 215.9 to DB AutoZug GmbH
took place, many others having been sent previously to DB Cargo.
and Westerland operated by DB AutoZug. The Class 215.9s work around the Sylt
island ended in March 2008 Afterwards some were transferred for work around Chemnitz
.
DB V 160 family
The DB V 160 locomotive family comprises several classes of closely related 4 axle diesel-hydraulic locomotives built in the 1960s and 1970s for the Deutsche Bundesbahn which take the moniker from the earliest built model: the 'DB Class V 160'....
type. They were built for the German Federal Railways (Deutsche Bundesbahn
Deutsche Bundesbahn
The Deutsche Bundesbahn or DB was formed as the state railway of the newly established Federal Republic of Germany on September 7, 1949 as a successor of the Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft '...
) for passenger and freight service on secondary and primary routes, and later passed to the Deutsche Bahn AG
Deutsche Bahn
Deutsche Bahn AG is the German national railway company, a private joint stock company . Headquartered in Berlin, it came into existence in 1994 as the successor to the former state railways of Germany, the Deutsche Bundesbahn of West Germany and the Deutsche Reichsbahn of East Germany...
.
A number of variants were made by rebuilding; some were converted to Class 225
DBAG Class 225
The DBAG Class 225 are a set of related 4 axle diesel hydraulic locomotives from the DB V 160 family. The series does not represent a new build, but a reclassification and/or rebuilding of 1960s and 70s locomotives of Class 215 and 218 units....
locomotives for freight only work for DB Cargo and the sub-class Class 215.9 were altered for use on the SyltShuttle.
Background
The locomotives of Class 215 were a longer version of the original DB Class V 160DB Class V 160
The Class V 160 is a class of diesel-hydraulic locomotives of the German railways. It is the first variant of the V160 family, built for the Deutsche Bundesbahn for medium/heavy trains....
, and consequently were equipped with steam heating apparatus. In the pre 1968 classification scheme they were to be numbered V 163.
The engines were built to the length of the DB Class 218
DB Class 218
The DB Class 218 are a class of 4 axle, diesel hydraulic locomotives acquired by the Deutsche Bundesbahn for use on main and secondary lines for both passenger and freight trains....
(400 mm longer than a Class V 160), so that later they could be rebuilt to the same specification of the longer class, which at the time only existed as a prototype; the Deutsche Bundesbahn could not wait for the Class 218 to reach production maturity as it was forging ahead with the replacement of the last steam locomotives.
Design and modifications
The locomotive has a diesel powertrain, using hydraulic transmission, with both bogies driven by cardan shafts, and all wheels powered.The ten initial prototype machines built from 1968 und 1969 by Krupp were powered by diesel engines of type 12 V 956 TB 10 with a power of 1839 kW.
The machines numbered 215 011 to 215 070 and 215 094 to 215 150 were powered by less powerful (1397 kW) but more reliable 16 cylinder Maybach
Maybach
Maybach-Motorenbau GmbH is a German luxury car manufacturer. It was founded in 1909 by Wilhelm Maybach and his son. The company was originally a subsidiary of Luftschiffbau Zeppelin GmbH and was itself known as Luftfahrzeug-Motorenbau GmbH until 1912.Today, the ultra-luxury car brand is owned by...
MTU 16 V 652 TB engines (the same as the engines with which the Class 216 / V 160s were equipped), while the numbers 215 071 to 215 093 had a more powerful engine, but this time again the 12 cylinder 12 V 956 TB used in the prototypes.215 091 to 215 093 were later retrofitted with the V-12 engine, having initially had the 16 cylinder engine.
The steam heating also doubled as a pre-heater for the locomotives engine, and other parts. Space was reserved for the installation of an electrical generator later on, the proposed conversion of the machines to the 218 series never came about - the exception was 215 112 which was rebuilt as DB Class 218 399 after an accident.
Numbers 030 to 032 locos were exceptional in that they were fitted from the outset with an electric heater (steam heating was removed) driven from an auxiliary diesel of type 8V 331 TC 10 with an output of 520 kW at 2100rpm. Unlike in the DB Class 217 the auxiliary diesel is not connected to the transmission and cannot be used for additional traction power
Conversion variant 215.9
In the summer of 2003, DB AutoZug acquired a total of 18 locomotives from DB RegioDB Regio
DB Regio AG is a subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn which operates short and medium distance passenger train services in Germany, and operates light and heavy rail infrastructure in the United Kingdom.-Germany:...
, 14 units were rebuilt in a fashion analogous to the DBAG Class 225
DBAG Class 225
The DBAG Class 225 are a set of related 4 axle diesel hydraulic locomotives from the DB V 160 family. The series does not represent a new build, but a reclassification and/or rebuilding of 1960s and 70s locomotives of Class 215 and 218 units....
but numbered as Class 215.9. The remaining four locomotives were kept for spare parts.
The steam heating boilers needed fuel and water tanks which for this service were now unnecessary, thus they were replaced with a ballast weight, the engines remained unchanged. A GSM-R
GSM-R
GSM-R, Global System for Mobile Communications - Railway or GSM-Railway is an international wireless communications standard for railway communication and applications. A sub-system of European Rail Traffic Management System , it is used for communication between train and railway regulation...
system was fitted, as well as automatic brake slack adjusters.
DBAG Class 225
After passenger work for many of the DB Class 215 disappeared, DB RegioDB Regio
DB Regio AG is a subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn which operates short and medium distance passenger train services in Germany, and operates light and heavy rail infrastructure in the United Kingdom.-Germany:...
transferred 68 locomotives to DB Cargo (later Railion
Railion
DB Schenker Rail is a European railway cargo carrier. The company was formed from the freight operating section of the Deutsche Bahn DB Cargo with the addition of various European rail freight operating companies.In December 2007 Railion became part of the DB Schenker logistics group, itself a...
) for freight work, the steam heating boilers being removed a replaced with ballast. The new class was augmented by further DB Class 218
DB Class 218
The DB Class 218 are a class of 4 axle, diesel hydraulic locomotives acquired by the Deutsche Bundesbahn for use on main and secondary lines for both passenger and freight trains....
machines, which formed the subclass 225.8.
Class 215
The class were used on all types of train; the main area of used was on the Eifel rail (CologneCologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
to Trier
Trier
Trier, historically called in English Treves is a city in Germany on the banks of the Moselle. It is the oldest city in Germany, founded in or before 16 BC....
) in the Lower Rhine
Lower Rhine
The Lower Rhine flows from Bonn, Germany, to the North Sea at Hoek van Holland, Netherlands.Almost immediately after entering the Netherlands, the Rhine splits into many branches. The main branch is called the Waal which flows from Nijmegen to meet the river Meuse; after which it is called Merwede...
and Baden-Wuerttemberg area down to Lake Constance
Lake Constance
Lake Constance is a lake on the Rhine at the northern foot of the Alps, and consists of three bodies of water: the Obersee , the Untersee , and a connecting stretch of the Rhine, called the Seerhein.The lake is situated in Germany, Switzerland and Austria near the Alps...
.
One high profile working in the 1980s was the D 216/217 "Austria-Express" ( from Klagenfurt
Klagenfurt
-Name:Carinthia's eminent linguists Primus Lessiak and Eberhard Kranzmayer assumed that the city's name, which literally translates as "ford of lament" or "ford of complaints", had something to do with the superstitious thought that fateful fairies or demons tend to live around treacherous waters...
via Graz
Graz
The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students...
/Krefeld
Krefeld
Krefeld , also known as Crefeld until 1929, is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located northwest of Düsseldorf, its centre lying just a few kilometres to the west of the River Rhine; the borough of Uerdingen is situated directly on the Rhine...
to Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
) between Krefeld
Krefeld
Krefeld , also known as Crefeld until 1929, is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located northwest of Düsseldorf, its centre lying just a few kilometres to the west of the River Rhine; the borough of Uerdingen is situated directly on the Rhine...
central station (Hauptbahnhof Hbf.) and Arnhem
Arnhem
Arnhem is a city and municipality, situated in the eastern part of the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of Gelderland and located near the river Nederrijn as well as near the St. Jansbeek, which was the source of the city's development. Arnhem has 146,095 residents as one of the...
Holland. The units with electric heating modifications (030 to 032) were used for this service.
The last scheduled working of the 215 series was on the DB Regio
DB Regio
DB Regio AG is a subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn which operates short and medium distance passenger train services in Germany, and operates light and heavy rail infrastructure in the United Kingdom.-Germany:...
Hessen trains, which ended in April 2003. Afterwards some were kept on standby for the DB Regio Rheinland Regionalbahn
RegionalBahn
The Regionalbahn is a type of local passenger train in Germany.-Service:Regionalbahn trains usually call at all stations on a given line, with the exception of RB trains within S-Bahn networks, these may only call at selected stations...
trains.
In June 2003 transfer of the sub-class 215.9 to DB AutoZug GmbH
DB AutoZug GmbH
DB AutoZug GmbH is a rail transport company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn AG, based in Dortmund, which provides automobile and night passenger trains for Deutsche Bahn....
took place, many others having been sent previously to DB Cargo.
Class 215.9
This class were specifically used for the AutoZug (car ferry trains) between NiebüllNiebüll
Niebüll is a town in the district of Nordfriesland, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is situated near the North Sea coast and the border with Denmark, approx. 35 km northwest of Husum.-International relations:...
and Westerland operated by DB AutoZug. The Class 215.9s work around the Sylt
Sylt
Sylt is an island in northern Germany, part of Nordfriesland district, Schleswig-Holstein, and well known for the distinctive shape of its shoreline. It belongs to the North Frisian Islands and is the largest island in North Frisia...
island ended in March 2008 Afterwards some were transferred for work around Chemnitz
Chemnitz
Chemnitz is the third-largest city of the Free State of Saxony, Germany. Chemnitz is an independent city which is not part of any county and seat of the government region Direktionsbezirk Chemnitz. Located in the northern foothills of the Ore Mountains, it is a part of the Saxon triangle...
.
Further information
- Allgemeine Infos - Baureihe 215 Class 215 - technical information, and individual locomotive statistics.