The Class E 50 is an electric heavy freight locomotive built for

German Federal Railways The Deutsche Bundesbahn or DB (German Federal Railway) was formed as the state railway of the newly established Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) on 7 September 1949 as a successor of the Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft (DRG). The DB remained ...

between 1957 and 1973. It belongs to the '' Einheits-Elektrolokomotiven'' (standardised electric locomotives) program and was built as a heavy freight mover to be used on the increasingly electrified main lines of the DB, where they were set to replace the steam traction. In 1968 the series was redesignated as class 150 (E50). Originally the Class 150 was also suitable for passenger service; however, it did not have any steam or electric heating capability for the passenger coaches.

Production

In 1957 the first locomotive, 150 001, was delivered by

AEG Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft AG (AEG; ) was a German producer of electrical equipment founded in Berlin as the ''Deutsche Edison-Gesellschaft für angewandte Elektricität'' in 1883 by Emil Rathenau. During the Second World War, AEG ...

and

Krupp The Krupp family (see pronunciation), a prominent 400-year-old German dynasty from Essen, is notable for its production of steel, artillery, ammunition and other armaments. The family business, known as Friedrich Krupp AG (Friedrich Krup ...

. Altogether, 194 locomotives were ordered and delivered.

Performance

To date, the Class 150's starting tractive effort of remains unparalleled on German rails. In fact, it was very close to the breaking force of the buffers and chain couplers used at the time of its production. Some engines were therefore fitted with automatic coupling (type '' unicupler AK69e'') to haul heavy ore-trains.

Survivors

By 2004 all class 150 locomotives except 150 091 and 150 186 were scrapped. Electric locomotives of Germany 15 kV AC locomotives

150 150 may refer to: *150 (number), a natural number *AD 150, a year in the 2nd century AD *150 BC, a year in the 2nd century BC *150 Regiment RLC *Combined Task Force 150 See also * List of highways numbered 150 The following highways are numbered ...

Co′Co′ locomotives AEG locomotives Brown, Boveri & Cie locomotives Siemens locomotives Henschel locomotives Krauss-Maffei locomotives Krupp locomotives Railway locomotives introduced in 1957 Standard gauge locomotives of Germany {{Germany-rail-transport-stub Freight locomotives