| The end of steam traction in the German Federal Republic came in 1977, and the last year saw it confined, like Great Britain, to the north west of the country.
On the flat and straight main line from Rheine to Emden the DB ran a flow of iron ore trains from the north sea port across the plain to Rheine where the traction was changed. The iron ore originated in Sweden and was destined for the blast furnaces of the Mosel in Luxembourg. Trains of 3000 tons in bogie hopper wagons were powered by pairs of the mighty oil fired class 043 three cylinder 2-10-0 types, with the additional appearance of the equally impressive class 042 2-8-2 types as pilot locos on some trains. Unlike the final year in Britain these trains were run at speeds equal to modern day freight trains. The main depot on the line was at the southern end at Rheine which serviced the class 042 aand 043 types. In the last year for the payment of a nominal sum for insurance enthusiasts were welcome to come with their notebooks and cameras to record the final scenes. In spite of such apparent disregard for health and safety requirements no-one was ever killed or injured and no-one was required to wear high visibilty clothing or wear protective headgear. Happy days! I just missed the mighty three cylinder 012 class Pacifics on the passenger trains, but a picture of a preserved example can be found in this collection. By Easter 1977 there wasn't much left, but I had seen it the previous summer and it was marvellous! |
The last of the 012 class oil-fired Pacifics was still stored at Rheine in the summer of 1976. This fine example had reverted to its pre-1968 number as 01-1081 and was awaiting movement to its new home in preservation on 10 August 1976 900x585 DB_01-1081_10-8-76.jpg |
The 042 class Mikados were post war rebuilds of the Reichsbahn class 41 standard heavy mixed-traffic locos. The final examples at Rheine were all converted to oil firing, and two of the class with 042-018-2 on the left are seen on the turntable roads at Rheine on 10 August 1976 900x585 DB_042-018-2_10-8-76.jpg |
Oil fired 2-8-2 042-073-7 piloting an 043 class 2-10-0 with an iron ore train on 12 August 1976. The main line was single track at this point at Aschendorf 900x580 DB_042-073-7_12-8-76.jpg |
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042-097-6 runs light through Rheine station on 10 August 1976 900x621 DB_042-097-6_10-8-76.jpg |
Mikado 042-241-0 was ot of use probably awaiting workshop attention at Rheine on 10 Augsut 1976 900x585 DB_042-241-0_10-8-76.jpg |
Steam superpower with Mikado 042-320-2 piloting a class 043 2-10-0 on an iron ore train heading south at Lehe on 11 August 1976 900x567 DB_042-320-2_11-8-76.jpg |
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Another of the fine mixed traffic 2-8-2s, 042-356-6 is turned at Rheine on 10 August 1976 900x579 DB_042-356-6_10-8-76__a_.jpg |
042-356-6 again leaving the turntable. The sign on the cabin exhorts drivers to drive slowly onto the turntable! 900x579 DB_042-356-6_10-8-76__b_.jpg |
DB still had considerable wagon load traffic in 1976, and each evening a duty assigned to a class 042 was the daily pick up goods in time honoured tradition. 042-364-0 prepares to leave Lingen for the south having sopent the best part of the previous hour sorting wagons at this location on 12 August 1976 900x576 DB_042-364-0_12-8-76.jpg |
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This tender view of three cylinder 2-10-0 043-094-2 shows clearly the modifications made to the tneder to accommodate oil tanks in place of a coal bunker 900x585 DB_043-094-2_10-8-76__a_.jpg |
043-094-2 appears to be in light steam in this view outside one of the maintenance sheds at Rheine, 10 August 1976 900x585 DB_043-094-2_10-8-76__b_.jpg |
This pair of class 043 2-10-0s headed by 043-315-1 has just been detached from a southbound ore train from Emden, and was caught coming on shed for disposal on 10 August 1976 900x579 DB_043-315-1_10-8-76_a.jpg |
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Another view of the same pair entering the depot area on the same date, with signal box and main line to the right 900x579 DB_043-315-1_10-8-76_b.jpg |
OIl fired 2-10-0 043-315-1 being serviced at Rheine on 10 August 1976. The turnround time at depots for these oil fired engines was quite short, needing time to replenish water, sand and fuel only, before they were ready for another trip. By steam standards productivity was much higher than with comparative coal fired engines 900x579 DB_043-315-1_10-8-76_c.jpg |
The same engine again, fuelled and ready to take water, will then be turned and is available for the next trip to the north on 10 Augsut 1976 900x579 DB_043-315_1_10-8-76_d.jpg |
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Three cylinder 2-10-0 043-326-8 was operating solo on a southbound mineral train at Lehe on 11 August 1976 900x573 DB_043-326-8_11-8-76.jpg |
Shorter iron ore trains could behandled by a single 2-10-0 and here we see 043-361-9 storing through Lingen on 12 August 1976 900x576 DB_043-361-9_12-8-76.jpg |
The second loco of the pair in the previous image was 043-364-9, seen here on the ash pit area of the depot. In the last year Rheine had only oil fired locos on its allocation so there was no fire to drop. or ashes to be collected and disposed of though in earlier years the depot had also handled coal fired locomotives as well 900x579 DB_043-364-9_10-8-76_a.jpg |
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This is 043-364-9 seen again from the tender end on the disposal roads at Rheine on 10 August 1976. The engine is on what was once the ash pit or sump, but with oild firing this had become redundant. The overhead gantry is the oil fillers, and the sign in the foreground warns drivers of the danger of the ash sump and prohibits climbing out of the loco on that side 900x579 DB_043-364-9_10-8-76_b.jpg |
The syncopated exhaust beat of this three cylinder 2-10-0 would be enjoyed by the enthusists on Rheine station as 043-381-3 accelerates through the station with an air-braked coal train on 10 August 1976 900x579 DB_043-381-3_10-8-76.jpg |
A pair of three cylinder 2-10-0s headed by 043-666-7 with 3000 tons of iron ore in tow race through Lingen (Ems) on 11 August 1976. This shot was taken from the footbridge at the level crossing at the north end of the station. This was steam superpower at its very best, and these mighty machines could match most modern traction for pulling power and speed on an operation like this 900x613 DB_043-666-7_11-8-76.jpg |
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This post war 0-10-0T had been preserved and plinthed at Lingen works, and was on display on 12 August 1976 900x582 DB_082-008-4_12-8-76.jpg |
