The locomotive type (''Gattungszeichen'') of a German

steam locomotive A steam locomotive is a locomotive that provides the force to move itself and other vehicles by means of the expansion of steam. It is fuelled by burning combustible material (usually coal, oil or, rarely, wood) to heat water in the loco ...

was a secondary classification system introduced after 1924 by the

Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft The ''Deutsche Reichsbahn'', also known as the German National Railway, the German State Railway, German Reich Railway, and the German Imperial Railway, was the German national railway system created after the end of World War I from the regiona ...

(DRG) and comprised four parts: # A letter from the adjacent table, that specified the type of locomotive (

express train An express train is a type of passenger train that makes a small number of stops between its origin and destination stations, usually major destinations, allowing faster service than local trains that stop at most or all of the stations along ...

engine,

passenger train A passenger train is a train used to transport people along a railroad line. These trains may consist of unpowered passenger railroad cars (also known as coaches or carriages) hauled by one or more locomotives, or may be self-propelled; self p ...

locomotive, etc.). # A number, usually two-digit, the first digit indicating the number of coupled axles and the second the total number of axles on the locomotive.

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axles were not included. # The permitted

axle load An axle or axletree is a central shaft for a rotating wheel or gear. On wheeled vehicles, the axle may be fixed to the wheels, rotating with them, or fixed to the vehicle, with the wheels rotating around the axle. In the former case, bearin ...

in tonnes was given next, after a full stop separating it from the preceding axle information. # If parts of the locomotive exceeded the

loading gauge A loading gauge is a diagram or physical structure that defines the maximum height and width dimensions in railway vehicles and their loads. Their purpose is to ensure that rail vehicles can pass safely through tunnels and under bridges, and ke ...

, this was indicated with a triangle over the axle load (see photo below right). If this was simply a removable chimney fitting, this was indicated with an additional bar above the point of the triangle (photo below left). Example: A DRG Class 01 express train locomotive had the following type classification: S36.20. That meant: Express train locomotive (Schnellzuglokomotive) with 3 coupled axles, a total of 6 axles and an axle load of 20 tonnes It was intended to use this type classification system for electric locomotives as well. But because electric locomotives could be used for any duty, this plan was given up. The primary classification system was based on class numbers which, in the case of steam locomotives ran from 01-99 (see table, right hand column). Image:GattungsZeichenBR01.jpg, Type plate on a DRG Class 01 steam locomotive Image:GattungsZeichenDampflokBR74.jpg, Type plate on a DRG Class 74 (ex- Prussian T 12) steam locomotive

Literature

*K-E. Maedel/ A. Gottwald: ''Deutsche Dampflokomotiven'', Transpressverlag, *Harald Vogelsang: ''Die Fahrzeuge und Anlagen des Eisenbahnmuseums Bochum-Dahlhausen'',

Literature

See also