Deutsche Bundesbahn 0-10-0 Locomotives in Germany

Class BR 82 (Locobase 4311)

Data from [] and "Baureihe 82" on Albert Gieseler's Dampfmaschinen und Lokomotiven website at [], last accessed 24 May 2020. See also Martin Weltner, "Die Baureihe 82: Vielseitig und Schnell" , Lok Magazin 05/10 at [], last accessed 24 May 2020. Works numbers were 2877 (1950) to 5128 (1955).

Google's English translation of Martin Weltner's title sums up the judgement: "Versatile and Fast". Weltner asks, rhetorically, "Did they really exist, steam locomotives that were very powerful on the one hand, but also fast on the other hand, and extremely smooth running around curves?" . which notes that they had Beugniot radial axles.

They were a Neubalok design of the post-World War II era and at the top of the DB's wish list because the Deutsches Reichsbahn had built only 39 BR 80 series locomotives of relatively low power. Several classes of locomotives [T16.1 - BR 94.5--Locobase 8941; BR 55--Locobases 1276-1279, 1282, 6038; and 57 series--Locobases 1283, 5828-5829, 7806, 10817, 12575, 15204] were sufficient. But age and wartime attrition whittled away the surplus.

Moreover, several other classes needed replacement and their requirements differed. So the new engines had to match the BR 87's [Locobase 4328] ability to handle tight curves and the 93.0 [Locobase 1289] and 93.5's [Locobase 5762] speed and more. The result had to be an "eierlegende Wollmilchsau" (often abbreviated as ELWMS with the approximate English meaning of "all-purpose" or "Swiss Army knife" or "all-rounder".). Locobase reads that Esslingen, Henschel, Krupp and Krauss-Maffei were involved in the design and thinks of "camel is a horse designed by a committee." And Esslingen, Krupp and Esslingen each produced batches of the design.

But, in a rare instance (the US USRA series of locomotives is another), the design answered the needs handily. Tight curves? Use Beugniot frames (see Locobases 602 and 20502 for other examples) to swing the lead axle and the rear two axles using levers. In either direction, the traversing axles guided like a truck or bogie. Truly bi-directional, the BR 82 could safely run at 70 kph (43.5 mph) in either direction. Its hauling power was measured at 1,280 hp (955 kW).

The design was unusually handsome for a tank engine thanks to the all-welded boiler, wrote Weltner, as there were no rivets and few excrescences. He added that the last four from Esslingen (038-041) were the most attractive thanks to further tweaks to the appearance.

The 82 achieved the DB's goal of rendering the earlier locomotives surplus to requirements. It succeeded when used in heavy transfer freight movements and shunting. Siershahn depot 82s often stood in for passenger service. Black Forest service performed by Esslingen 82 040 and 041. In Google's translation, Weltner wrote:

"Freight trains, passenger trains, express trains, group coaches, travel agency special trains; here there was plenty to do for the steep section steam locomotives, particularly heavy trains were pulled by one locomotive and pushed by two. And the 82 proved its worth here, despite the increased maintenance in the workshop due to the high demands."

Its one flaw, Weltner reports, was a "delicate" (Google's translation) frame, which limited its working lifetime to about 20 years.

(Tube heating surface area from fire side (inner tube diameters) was 109.5 sq m (1,179 sq ft).

Class BR 87 (Locobase 4328)

Data from [], accessed at [] on 25 May 2020; and Albert Gieseler's Dampfmaschinen und Lokomotiven website at [], last accessed 25 May 2020. [], a locomotive database visited 3 June 2005, gives builders' numbers ranging from 11231 to 11531.

The Japanese website [] notes that these were used to handle traffic in Hamburg harbor. To negotiate the tight curves, the outer two axles were gear-driven (Luttermoller axles) --, which John Oxlade's website says made it look externally like a Prairie tank engine. Note the oversquare cylinder proportions.

A small class, the 87s served throughout World War II and well into the 1950s. Wikipedia's entry notes that as the class suffered damage (most likely from aerial bombing), members of the class were operated as 1'D, D1' or 1'C1' engines (in Whyte classifaction, 2-8-0T, 0-8-2T, and 2-6-2T).

As the Neubaulok BR 82s (Locobase 4311) entered service and proved able to handle the Hamburg dock requirement using a Beugniot-design axle layout, the BR 87s were retired. The last engine was withdrawn in 1956.