Uerdingen railbus

Uerdinger railcar is the colloquial name of railcars, which were developed by the wagon Uerdingen. It is diesel-powered, two-axle railcars in lightweight design with built- in under the car chassis diesel engines. In particular, the VT 95 ( later class 795) and VT 98 ( later class 798 ) of the former German Federal Railways are associated with this term. These were used for steam locomotive or Dieselzugbetrieb insufficiently profitable branch lines on the passenger train service. From 1950 to 1971 1492 locomotives were built, including all under license. Including In - cab control car and the total number of produced units amounted to 3306 cars.

Most of these vehicles were manufactured from the wagon Uerdingen itself. Due to the high volume but also vehicles were built by other car factories, although they own Schienenbustypen could offer, such as the MAN MAN railcar.

The railcars were popularly also known as Red Brummer or Red racer because of the loud driving noise. He is also referred to as the savior of branch lines as the track closure could be delayed or prevented by the low cost operation with these railcars.

• 2.1 Traffic control
• 2.2 cabooses

Types

Prototypes

The German Federal Railroad presented in 1950 twelve single-engine prototypes in three different versions in service; eleven cars had a wheelbase 4.5 m, and an entry door on each side, which was arranged diagonally to the right cab, the twelfth had a wheelbase of 6.0 m and two doors on each side, as it was then standard in production vehicles. Braking could initiate by foot brake the driver. The doors were double-leaf. The prototypes had the car numbers VT 95901-911 and 912; the latter was due to the longer wheel base soon the company number VT 95 9112th The railcar matching trailers were put into service.

VT 95 series (BR 795, Single )

From the experience of VT 95.9 was developed, which was delivered in 1952 by the wagon Uerdingen in cooperation with MAN. Were built 557 single-engined motor car of the VT 95.9 series and 564 accompanying sidecar VB 142 with a wheelbase of 4.5 meters. The latter were supplied by different manufacturers.

The railcar VT 95 9112-9269 were delivered with two skylight windows in the front area. All other vehicles were delivered without these windows, as this resulted in a high sun glare for the driver. Later, the skylights were painted over with all railcars. 1956 Three -light spike signal has been introduced. The railcar without skylights were an integrated third headlight in the roof area, while a car headlight was used as the third peak signal in the other. From the VT 95 9270 all railcars were fitted as standard with a magnetic track brake, older vehicles have been retrofitted.

The wagon factory Fuchs from Heidelberg also supplied a total of 60 single-axle trailer the VB 141 series for bicycle and luggage transport.

The decor is very simple and is similar to a bus (hence the name Schienenbus ): an open seating car, in which the driver sits. The backrests of the seats can be folded down, allowing the passengers to either series or Vis-a -Vis seating. The lighting is done with exposed bulbs. The train driver operated with the left hand to switch the safety control of his driver's seat, with a gas pedal is given. The brakes of series vehicles were operated by a driver's brake valve. Since the cab is not structurally separated from the passenger compartment, the driver's desk can be closed with a wooden blind. The handle of the out of the blind driver's brake valve is driven by the driver in the driver position change, as well as the gear selector.

The vehicles have a Bussing - engine and a six- speed gearbox. They have central buffer couplings and shock spring clip instead of buffer.

15 railcars VT 95 with sidecar 15 VB 142 in 1956 also supplied to the railways of the Saarland. They wore the red paint of the German Railways with the inscription SAAR. Contrary to the usual operating practice of VT 95 could also be used with two VB 142 in Saarland. With the incorporation of the Saarland in the Federal Republic of these vehicles were taken over by the German Federal Railroad.

1968 received the vehicles, the new series number 795, the sidecar 995

VT 98 series (BR 798 and BR 796, twin engine )

The VT 98.9 was developed from the VT 95.9, which was motorized too weak for many routes with only one drive motor. The VT 98.9 therefore had two traction motors. As the railcars over buffer beams possessed with screw couplings, they could take other cars or be set to the end of other trains for the carriage with a foreign power.

In all Schienenbustypen underfloor engines of the type U 10 Bussing AG has been implemented; the same drive as the Berlin double-decker buses of the type D2U. The six -speed gearbox supplied by the ZF Friedrichshafen AG. Instead of an accelerator have these railcars via a throttle lever on the left side driver's seat.

The railcar VT 98 9531-9553 and 9571-9600 were given facilities for the steep haul operations.

These 329 railcars were also 220 sidecar VB 98 with luggage compartments, produced another 100 without luggage compartments and 321 control car VS 98. Mostly at DB these trains were used in the compilation VT VB VS. There were also two shorter units VT VS and longer sets, up to six-car units VT VB VS VT VB VS. In 1968, the style number of the railcar was changed to 798, the sidecar received the numbers 998.0-3 and 998.6-9 control car. When the control car while the order number was increased to 600 (VS 98 001 was to 998 601).

A few VT were modernized and received a special paint finish in white mint green. These railcars wrong im Chiemgau ( Aschau - Prien ), as are the vehicles of the Ulmer Spatz. Otherwise, the rail buses remained until the end, the typical railcar DB red

1988 were converted to one-man operation 47 railcars, 23 sidecar and 43 control car. They received pneumatic door closing devices and number tables for the driver. This motor cars were the 796 series number

Special design VT 97 (BR 797, railcars )

First six motor car in 1962 designed as railcars and classified as class VT 97.9; the six control car as VS 97001-97 006 The gear drive was supplied by the Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works in Winterthur. These railcars referred for the division of the racks on a wheelbase of just 5,950 mm. The speed limit on the ascent was 15 km / h on the rack, or 90 km / h The VT 97901-906 perverted from 27 May 1962 at the cog railway Honau - Lichtenstein ( Swabian Alb).

The VT 97 901 was transferred to the depot Passau early 1964 and perverse 1964-1965 lack of suitable locomotives even in freight transport on the route Passau -Wegscheid. Thus, two additional railcars were ordered for the route of Wegscheid, but on January 28, 1965 made ​​a rockslide the route impassable. The rail bus has now been stationed at Bw Tübingen and received on January 1, 1968, the computer-readable vehicle number 797901-6. On the same date, the VT 97902-908 were redrawn in the range 797902-908. The already ordered VT 97 907 and 908 came after delivery in 1965 directly to the Bw Tübingen.

After giving the distances of the gear drive gear 1970-1973 was developed. The vehicles were referred from 1 January 1973 as 797501-797508. Its field was then, among other things, the branch line Göppingen - Boll ( Voralbbahn ), until this line was closed on 27 May 1989. Three railcars ( 797 502, 797 503 and 797 505 ) and two control car (VS 97 604 and 97 604 VS ) are owned by the Friends of the cog railway Honau Lichtenstein eV

Use at Deutsche Bahn

Control traffic

The rail cars were on almost every branch line and the shuttle service to many major routes. Until 1999, there took place inserts in regular service of Deutsche Bahn AG on Bahnbetriebswerk Tübingen on the Ammertalbahn. They were twin-engined VT 98.9, most single-engined VT 95.9 were made ​​in 1980 out of service. In Cologne -Nippes a 795er was until 1983 for railway staff in use.

Cabooses

Several series of rail service vehicles based on the Uerdinger railcar. These were in the rail cars after this number of years worked in passenger service, built- in maintenance workshops, the measuring instruments. So the prototype VT 95 906 was converted into a inductive magnet test car with the new Identification Series 724. He was used by the signal Workshop Wuppertal.

Partly further converted Uerdinger rail buses are still used as a rail examining, track recording vehicle, LZB test car, Equipment railcar or signal company car.

Museum vehicles

Many of these robust and popular vehicles purchased by railway organizations and railway museums and are still used today in the museum operation.

To drive even today rail buses for the German Bahn AG, even if the services are rendered by railway clubs. A lacquered in regional rail product colors set moves to the summer weekends in tourist traffic in the Swabian Albbahn and Donautalbahn between Ulm Central Station and Kleinengstingen. These tracks run in the schedule as a normal regional train; the first car is marked with a sign " on behalf of DB ". Consequently, also applies to the regular DB - transport tariff (or sections of the composite rates NALDO and DING ). For use come the former Chiemgau Railway railcars and other rail cars, which were painted in mint green color scheme of the Federal Railways. This set is also called Ulmer Spatz.

Operative Museum vehicles are available for the following operators:

• Museum Railway Rahden - lamp e.V.
• Vulkan -Eifel train operating company
• Hammer railway enthusiasts ( one of the few still functioning railbuses the VT 95 Series )
• Railway Museum Bochum- Dahlhausen
• Passau railway enthusiasts
• German Steam Locomotive Museum
• Bavarian Railway Museum
• Oberhessische railway enthusiasts (OEF )
• Historic Railroad Frankfurt ( HEF )
• Forest Railway Almetal ( Almetalbahn )
• Friends of railcar ( Hönnetaler railway enthusiasts )
• Cologne - Bonn railway Friends ( KBEF )
• Railway enthusiasts Zoller web
• IG Schienenbus Seelze (ISS )
• Westmecklenburgischen Railway Company
• Friends of Mainschleifenbahn
• Museum Railway Ammerland Barßel ​​- Saterland
• Museum Stoomtrein Goes- Borsele
• Zuid- Limburgse Stoomtrein Maatschappij

Inoperable vehicles have the following institutions:

• Dieringhausen Railway Museum
• Nuremberg Transport Museum (one set VT 95 and VT 98)
• German Museum of Technology in Berlin (VT 95, 795465-4, as an exhibit )
• Association Historic internal combustion locomotives ( steel -sprung VT 98)
• Friends of the cog railway Honau - Lichtenstein ( two VT 97)
• DGEG in Bochum- Dahlhausen (VT 95)
• Pfalzbahn GmbH (two VT 98, an example and a control car with a service compartment ).

German private railway

Many private railways have bought cars Uerdinger railbuses Deutsche Bahn. The Hersfelder orbit acquired new vehicles, including a three-piece set with bellows - car crossings. Used rail cars of this type were used, among other things, on the railways and transport companies Elbe -Weser GmbH and AKN Eisenbahn AG in transport.

1993 bought the circular path Düren GmbH (DKB ) ten VT 98, modernized them and put them in a new white and blue paint on the Rurtalbahn until the takeover of traffic through RegioSprinter 1995. The VT 98 203 was sold eV from Düren circular path to the museum railway Hümmlinger circular path. The museum Track Club worked the railcar with the DB number 798 514 on operational and uses it in its original paint scheme for special trips in space Wilhelmshaven.

More cars VT 98 were bought by the Prignitzer Eisenbahn GmbH - used and in blue- red livery on their routes in Brandenburg and Mecklenburg- Vorpommern - both by Deutsche Bahn as well as the DKB. Since 2003, the rail cars were there but replaced by Regio-Shuttle RS1, only a railcar (T11 ) was a long time still kept operable for special trips. Most rail buses have now been sold to museums or other private railways.

The German regional railway operated in 2007, the Dubin Heath railway between Wittenberg and Bad Schmiedeberg in regular service with a Uerdinger rail bus that temporarily with control car in season traffic in the years 2005 to 2008, the Niederlausitzer railway operated beyond.

The Bohemian-Saxon Railway Company (SBE ) continued until December 2010 on the Mandaubahn mainly Uerdinger railbuses the parent company Hochwald a train.

Since 2010, the railway company Potsdam is a turn two of the previously used by the railway Prignitzer Uerdinger rail buses in regular operation. It involves the railcar T2 and T11. While the former was again painted red, the latter still bears the colors of the Prignitzer railroad. First, the railcar inverted Monday to Friday, on behalf of the public transport company Prignitz on the route injection Walk- Putlitzstrasse, since December 2012, the vehicles are separated again by injection Walk by Meyenburg and Neustadt (Dosse ) for use as the EGP after a competitive tender the former network of Prignitzer railway runs until December 2014.

Schienenbus Rurtalbahn

Railcar of the German regional rail

Schienenbus Prignitzer Railway

Railcar of the railway company in Potsdam Pritzwalk, 2009

Export

• Luxembourg ( new vehicles ): The Chemins de Fer Luxembourgeois ( CFL) bought in 1951 ten motor car and ten sidecar, a prototype series, they got the car numbers 151-160 or 1051-1060 One set has been preserved and is now in the museum railway in the industry. - and Railway Park Fond-de -Gras used. An eleventh car with the number 161, it corresponded to the VT 95 series, followed in 1956 by Luxembourg.
• Austria ( new vehicles ): The Austrian Federal Railways ( ÖBB) also featured railbuses than 5081 in service. These railcars were procured from the Montafonerbahn Bludenz- Schruns and the Graz- Köflacher railroad. After buying a small series they were built under license by Simmering -Graz -Pauker and the Jenbacher Werke.
• Yugoslavia ( new vehicles ): Additional vehicles, including one and three-piece sets were delivered to Yugoslavia, where these vehicles were known as Šinobus. Some of the 795 series corresponding copies are still in Serbia in daily use rule.
• Spain ( new vehicles ): Some multi-part units were delivered to Spain. The special had just end walls with transitions between the cars. The car was sold 1979/80 to Portugal.
• United Kingdom ( new vehicles ): In 1958 British Railways bought WMD five specimens that were used under the operating numbers E79960 E79964 up to 1968. The car body was thereby adjusted to the British loading gauge, run the entrances as a means accesses. In the other main dimensions (wheelbase, length over buffers ), they agreed with the German production vehicles. Also technically they corresponded with a Bussing -U10 engine with 150 hp the German VT 95
• Turkey (used vehicles ): Many discarded at the German Federal Railway vehicles were sold to the Turkish State Railways ( TCDD).
• Lebanon (used vehicles ): Up to the total closure of the Lebanese railway network after the civil war in 1976, some were last modified, former railbuses the German Federal Railroad in use.
• Uruguay (used vehicles ): The only Uerdinger rail buses in the Americas are located in Uruguay in the AFE. The last of a large series of the German Federal Railroad bought used copies are still to this day in regular use.
• Mexico (sample vehicle): In 1955, a certain for the GKB railcars ( VT 10:03 ) was awarded to the Ndem in Mexico from January to March directly from the factory via Bremen and completed sea trials, but there was no order from Mexico. As of April 1955, he was then employed in the GKB.

ÖBB Rail Bus Series 5081

VT 10 Graz-Köflacher train

Railbus No. 79964. , The vehicle belongs to the York Rail Festival exhibition on 3 June 2004 Keighley and Worth Valley Railway

VT 98 the Lebanese State Railway in 1984 at AW Kassel

Successor

As the successor to the early 1970s were the DB series 627 and 628 developed, of which only the 628 series was produced from 1986 to 1995 in series. Meanwhile, these railcars by more modern vehicles such as Stadler RS1 (from 1996), Bombardier Talent (from 1996), Alstom Coradia LINT (from 1999 ) and Siemens Desiro (from 1999 ) replaced.