DB Class 472

The demand for electric multiple units of class 472/473 came with the further expansion of the Hamburg S- Bahn network in the early 1970s. This series has been completely redesigned, derived in room layout but from the series 470. The three -car trainsets have a Allachsantrieb with DC motors.

The German Federal Railways ordered a total of 62 units with the general contractor MAN that were delivered from 1974 to 1984 to Hamburg. The company LHB, MBB, wagon - und Maschinenbau GmbH Donauwörth and Siemens, the Federal Railroad Central Office in Munich and Hamburg, the Railway Board had been involved in the development of the series 472. All vehicles are located at Bw Hamburg- Ohlsdorf.

Reasons for developing a new series

The first acquisition of this series over 30 trains was necessary for the German Federal Railroad because the city of Hamburg S- Bahn network was expanded. Instead other vehicles in the series to obtain 470, it was decided at the Federal Railroad for a more expensive new development, because on the routes of the new City -S -Bahn gradients of up to 40 per thousand had to be overcome. To this end, the new series 472 was developed in which, unlike the previous vehicles, the intermediate cars were driven; which should ensure the reliable driving on the slopes.

Construction of the car

For the bodies of welded lightweight design was chosen. As a building material for the front end was chosen glass fiber reinforced polyester. In front of the forehead is in contrast to the predecessor model series 470/471, only a window, behind which is centrally located the driver's desk. Access to the cab is done externally via lateral inward rotating doors. Access to the cabin is made possible at the end cars by four double-leaf electro -operated sliding doors on each side, in the trailers contain three such sliding doors on each side. Transitions between the cars do not exist. The window can be folded in the upper third in two stages inside.

The cars were delivered in an ocean blue / beige paint, some were glued or painted to incipient in 1996 conversion with full truck advertising.

Couplings

The three cars of a unit are connected to each other with short couplings. This coupling permits the car is only in the workshop.

The unit trains have automatic Scharfenberg couplers at the ends. To keep up with the trains of the series in the traction mode to be used ( as a full - or long-stretch ) 470 and 471, the couplings were performed in accordance with that mechanical and electrical coupling capability exists. It should be noted the tripartite division of the electrical contacts: The mean ( wide ) part is required for the coupling with the previous series, the two narrow outer parts are only in the coupling with trains of the same series in function. For multiple units of the newer series 474 only is a purely mechanical coupling option ( for example, for towing operations ), a regular mixed operation is not possible.

Technology

The car body is cushioned by rubber and air suspension on the bogie.

On each of the twelve sets of wheels is a four-pole DC series motor. The drive has been designed as a nose-suspended drive.

The cam circuit and other electrical devices, including a Thyristorpulssteuerung were placed in the bottom wells of the car.

The drive trains can run in conjunction with a total of up to three units of this series or with the older trains of series 471 and 470.

Passenger compartment

Passengers in the middle car, the BR 473 standing, 66, in the two cars of the BR 472 according to the " re-design " each have 61 seats available.

Mittelwagen

In series 473 is the car driven means of the three -car trainsets of the series 472

In the years 1974-1976 and 1982-1984 a total of 63 units each with two BR 472 and BR were a 473 procured in two model series, of which 56 still in passenger service are to this day after accident damage and decommissioning (August 2005). These are exclusively used on the railway network of the Hamburg S-Bahn DC and connected by means of a factory only separable close coupling with the control performance electric railcars of Class 472.

Each car is used in a fixed train set. The numbers of the three-part short train consisting of two ET BR 472 and ET ​​BR 473 are located 201-262, where the last two digits of the car number is always the last two digits of the Kurzzugnummer, supplemented by a senior 2, represent.

Each railcar of this series has two pantographs each side of the car, which spread laterally to the main track mounted busbar side.

In contrast to the outer trolley ( BR 472 ) of the intermediate car ( BR 473 ) is provided on the basis of the original use as a wagon of the 1st class and thereby resulting lower passenger change only with three doors per side of the car, but has a shorter length of only 19, 04 meters above a seating capacity for 66 passengers. With the object of the first class at the S- Bahn Hamburg GmbH in November 2000, the ET was 473 released without restriction.

Workup / "Re - Design"

With the beginning of the so-called " re-design ", the 1996 and 2005 went through all the units in this series between the years, the cars were gutted and fitted with fundamentally renewed and optically matched to the successor Series 474/874 interior still has a new emergency and security system installed. At the end faces with the close-coupling two windows were installed, which together comprise nearly the full width of the car, ranging from above the seat edge to about the height of the horizontal support rods. This transparency of the train and a higher social control with consequent positive effects on the safety of passengers should be achieved. Externally, the cars were provided with a form adapted to the DB - transport, traffic and red contrasting with white doors and trim paint.

Service life and a future replacement

With public tender for the operation of the Hamburg S - Bahn network from December 2018 to December 2033 was announced in January 2012. As part of this process was determined that the operation of the network may be carried out from 2018 with the DB Class 474 and new vehicles. Thus, the regular use of the series will be 472 expected to be completed end of 2018. As new vehicles as of July 2013, delivered from 2016 a total of 60 trains of the DB Class 490. They should be up in December 2018 and replace all delivered 52 copies of the BR 472.

Schienenreinigungszug

The trainset with the number 472 022 was converted into a Schienenreinigungszug can be eliminated with the lubricating films on the rails. These lubricating films that are made by wet leaves and especially in autumn, are removed with strong water jets. The middle car 473 022 was equipped with a cleaning system. Two high-pressure units generate the necessary water pressure of 500 bar. The car leads with 11,600 liters of water. This tank capacity is sufficient to clean approximately 150 kilometers of rails can. The cleaning is done at a speed of about 40 km / h The system is operated while driving by the driver.