Württemberg K
Encyclopedia
The Württemberg Class K steam locomotives of the Royal Württemberg State Railways
(Königlich Württembergische Staats-Eisenbahnen) were the only twelve-coupled locomotives built for a German railway company.
between 1917 and 1924 were intended for work on the Geislingen
ramp (Geislinger Steige
) and the Baden Black Forest line
. As a result of good experiences in Austria
and the fact that there was a maximum axle load
of only 16 tonnes on those routes, it was decided to produce a twelve-coupled locomotive. The first and last coupled axles were given side-play (Gölsdorf system), the wheel flanges of the two centre axles were reduced by about 15 mm.
The locomotives proved to be a successful design that was very reliable and powerful. In operations on the hilly routes it was very thrifty, however it was not so economical on the flat. The Deutsche Reichsbahn
, that had taken over all the locomotives as DRG Class 59, raised the permissible axle load on the important main lines, so that the performance of the Class K could finally be augmented by ten-coupled engines. As a result, no further batches were ordered.
, where they were used on the Semmering railway
. From there several units went to Yugoslavia
and Hungary
during the course of the Second World War. The vehicles that remained with, or were returned to, the Deutsche Bundesbahn
continued in service until 1953.
Of the 30 examples that stayed in Austria after the Second World War, the majority were sold, two units went to the Soviet Union
, six to the Hungarian Railways (MAV). The remaining four engines retained their serial numbers but were grouped into ÖBB Class 659, namely the 659.06, 23, 29 and 41. All locomotives of this class were retired by 1957.
Royal Württemberg State Railways
The Royal Württemberg State Railways were the state railways of the Kingdom of Württemberg between 1843 and 1920...
(Königlich Württembergische Staats-Eisenbahnen) were the only twelve-coupled locomotives built for a German railway company.
History
The 44 engines of this class built by the Maschinenfabrik EsslingenMaschinenfabrik Esslingen
Maschinenfabrik Esslingen , was a German engineering firm that manufactured locomotives, tramways, railway wagons, roll-blocks, technical equipment for the railways, , bridges, steel structures, pumps and boilers.-Founding:...
between 1917 and 1924 were intended for work on the Geislingen
Geislingen an der Steige
Geislingen an der Steige is a town in the district of Göppingen in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany.-History:Although the area had settlements since the Bronze Age, Geislingen was founded by the counts of Helfenstein as a transit collection station on the important commercial route between the...
ramp (Geislinger Steige
Geislinger Steige
The Geislinger Steige is an old trade route over the low mountain range of the Swabian Jura in southern Germany. It links Geislingen an der Steige with Amstetten and is one of the most famous ascents in the Jura...
) and the Baden Black Forest line
Schwarzwaldbahn (Baden)
----The Baden Black Forest Railway is a twin-track, electrified railway line in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, running in a NW-SE direction to link Offenburg on the Rhine Valley Railway with Singen on the Upper Rhine Railway...
. As a result of good experiences in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and the fact that there was a maximum axle load
Axle load
The axle load of a wheeled vehicle is the total weight felt by the roadway for all wheels connected to a given axle. Viewed another way, it is the fraction of total vehicle weight resting on a given axle...
of only 16 tonnes on those routes, it was decided to produce a twelve-coupled locomotive. The first and last coupled axles were given side-play (Gölsdorf system), the wheel flanges of the two centre axles were reduced by about 15 mm.
The locomotives proved to be a successful design that was very reliable and powerful. In operations on the hilly routes it was very thrifty, however it was not so economical on the flat. The Deutsche Reichsbahn
Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft
The Deutsche Reichsbahn – was the name of the German national railway created from the railways of the individual states of the German Empire following the end of World War I....
, that had taken over all the locomotives as DRG Class 59, raised the permissible axle load on the important main lines, so that the performance of the Class K could finally be augmented by ten-coupled engines. As a result, no further batches were ordered.
Move to Austria
After the routes of the Geislinger Steige had been electrified, the engines were no longer required and were given away to AustriaAustria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, where they were used on the Semmering railway
Semmering Railway
The Semmering railway, Austria, which starts at Gloggnitz and leads over the Semmering to Mürzzuschlag was the first mountain railway in Europe built with a standard gauge track. It is commonly referred to as the world's first true mountain railway, given the very difficult terrain and the...
. From there several units went to Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
and Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
during the course of the Second World War. The vehicles that remained with, or were returned to, the 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 '...
continued in service until 1953.
Of the 30 examples that stayed in Austria after the Second World War, the majority were sold, two units went to the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, six to the Hungarian Railways (MAV). The remaining four engines retained their serial numbers but were grouped into ÖBB Class 659, namely the 659.06, 23, 29 and 41. All locomotives of this class were retired by 1957.
Tenders
The vehicles were coupled with Württemberg and Prussian tenders of classes wü 2'2' T 20, pr 2'2' T 21.5 and pr 2'2' T 31.5.Literature
- Adolph Giesl-GieslingenAdolph Giesl-GieslingenAdolph Giesl-Gieslingen was an Austrian locomotive designer and engineer.Giesl-Gieslingen was born in 1903 in Trient, Tirol, and studied at the Technical College in Vienna. In 1924 he published a technical article on smokebox design and chimneys...
: Lokomotiv-Athleten, Geschichte, Leistung und Kurvenlauf der Sechs- und Siebenkuppler, Verlag Slezak, Wien 1995, ISBN 3-85416-171-9. - Rudolf Röder: Die Baureihe 59.0, Württembergs Güterzuggigant und seine Vorgänger, EK-Verlag, Freiburg 2007, ISBN 978-388255-159-4.
External links
- There is a relevant English-language forum at Railways of Germany
- Lokdaten der BR 59