Class 03.10 Steam Locomotive

The three-cylinder class 03.10 was a further development starting in 1939 of the two-cylinder class 03. Like its two-cylinder sibling, it was planned to pull fast passenger trains on main lines that had still not been expanded to a 20 metric ton wheel load. These locomotives were given streamlining to increase their performance, and they were originally authorized for a top speed of 150 km/h / 94 mph. Yet in 1941 this was already lowered to 140 km/h / 87 mph. These units were designed as three-cylinder locomotives with simple steam expansion. The inner cylinder drove the first coupled wheelset, and the two outer cylinders drove the second coupled wheelset. The drive wheels and coupled wheels had a diameter of 2,000 mm / 78", the pilot wheels 1,000 mm / 39", and the trailing wheels 1,250 mm / 48-3/4". Their performance of 180 pounds per square inch allowed the class 03.10 to pull express trains of 540 metric tons on level track, and on a 0.4% grade a load of 360 metric tons could be hauled at 100 km/h / 62 mph. The two prototype locomotives, road numbers 03 1001 and 03 1002, were delivered by Borsig in 1939, and another 138 units were to follow them. However, due to World War II only 60 units were built in which the firms Borsig, Krupp, and Krauss-Maffei took part. These locomotives were initially used in Southern Germany (Ulm and Nürnberg maintenance facilities) and in Austria (Vienna West and Linz maintenance facilities), but they were then concentrated in Breslau, Posen, Kattowitz, and Stargard. After the war 26 units remained on the DB and 21 locomotives on the East German DR. Since these were almost new locomotives which had survived the war relatively undamaged, the plan was to put them back in operation in the short term. During the restoration, only the streamlining was initially removed, and any war damage was repaired. The rapid restoration and the "Economic Miracle" in West Germany also led to a blossoming of long-distance service. The class 03.10 could now finally run for the purpose originally planned for it. These locomotives now reached peak values compared to other classes in running performance which however were linked with increased wear and tear. As early as the Mid-Fifties the boilers made of inferior St47K steel were all exhibiting extreme metal fatigue. The DB therefore installed new welded high-performance boilers with combustion chambers on all 26 locomotives between 1957 and 1961. The supplier was Krupp, and they were installed at the maintenance facility in Braunschweig. As part of the conversion these units were also equipped with superheated steam controls (exception 03 1021). Roller bearings in the rods, in part low-friction wheelsets on the pilot truck and coal replenishing equipment combined with coal bunker cover hatches rounded out the conversion thus resulting in a highly modern "new" class 03.10 steam locomotive for that time. Unfortunately, the new technology was not without pitfalls and its teething problems could never be completely overcome. According to reports, the superheated steam controls turned into a source of constant complaints. Initially used by the maintenance facilities at Dortmund, Hamburg-Altona, Ludwigshafen and Paderborn, the class was drawn together starting in 1958 in Hagen-Eckesey.