Class 210 Diesel Locomotive

Prototype information

The Class 210 - Gas Turbine on the Allgäu Line. The DB considered an increase in power for the class V 160 locomotives for the heavy passenger service on the route from Munich to Lindau. At that time, this route was still not electrified and had many curves, and there was a need to increase the speed and efficiency of the operation between Munich and Zürich. The V 160 was planned for medium heavy service, and the decision was thus taken by the German Federal Railroad to purchase 8 class 210 diesel locomotives with supplemental gas turbine drive. The class 210 looked and was technically almost identical to the class 218. Since the maximum speed was set at 160 km/h / 100 mph, the brake system had to be reinforced. When more performance was required, the gas turbine built by Klöckner-Humboldt-Deutz was switched on with 19,250 rpm. The turbine was also diesel powered and the exhaust was routed outside through a stack on the roof. This stack was also the visually striking feature that set the class 210 apart from its close sibling the class 218. Due to the increase in performance achieved by the gas turbine, all 8 diesel locomotives, stationed in Kempten from 1970 on, were rated as the most powerful four-axle diesel locomotives in Germany. Previous experience gained with gas turbines allowed the German Federal Railroad to put the class 210 quickly into service, and these locomotives largely fulfilled the expectations set for them. In 1978, numerous accidents accumulated, and an examination after a fire involving a gas turbine revealed that turning the gas turbine on and off frequently affected its service life considerably. The railroad authorities then decided to remove the gas turbines and reduce the maximum speed to 140 km/h / 88 mph. The locomotives were now the same as the class 218; they were designated as the class 218.9 and were used in pairs as multiple unit motive power to pull trains.