Streamlined
A streamlined train is a train that is aerodynamically designed and whose outer shape is adapted to the streamlines . The aim of the streamlined design is, on the one hand, reduced air resistance and thus higher speeds and lower energy consumption, and on the other hand, greater acceptance among passengers (advertising effect). Streamlined trains consist either of clad streamlined locomotives with a streamlined carriage set or of railcars . It is typical of streamlined trains that both ends of the train are streamlined.
In today's high-speed trains , the streamlined shape has become so natural that the term is rarely used for it. In parlance, it therefore mainly refers to the streamlines from 1933 to the 1960s.
The term streamlined train is also (but rarely) used for aerodynamically optimized road trains .
precursor
At the beginning of the 20th century there were first attempts to make locomotives more streamlined. The Bavarian S 2/5 (1904) received a pointed kettle. The Bavarian S 2/6 (1906) was also equipped with a streamlined driver's cab. The Prussian Prussian S 9 Altona 561 was fully disguised.
Zeppelin as a model
In the course of the development of airship construction , extensive knowledge about streamlined design was gained. This led Franz Kruckenberg to design his rail zeppelins , the first railway vehicle developed strictly according to streamlined principles. With this vehicle, Kruckenberg reached a top speed of 230.4 km / h on June 21, 1931 on the Hamburg - Berlin route . This world record lasted over 20 years. Essential construction principles of the rail zeppelin have influenced the development of streamlined trains and high-speed trains to this day.
Development before World War II
Germany
The German State Railroad Company brought the Flying Hamburger was the first railway company a real streamlined train from 15 May 1933, the regular operation. This diesel-electric train consisting of two units covered the Hamburg-Berlin route (286 km) in 138 minutes, corresponding to an average speed of 124.4 km / h. The planned top speed was 160 km / h. Based on the Flying Hamburger, the DR developed the railcars of the types "Hamburg", DR 137 149 ... 232 , "Leipzig", DR 137 153 ... 234 , "Cologne" and "Berlin". These trains formed the core of the DR's new FDt network, which offered fast connections from Berlin across Germany at average speeds of around 100 km / h. The fastest train connection was on the Hanover - Hamm route with an average speed of 132.2 km / h. Record runs were also continued. A multiple unit of the Leipzig type reached a top speed of 205 km / h on February 17, 1936, which was a world record for diesel vehicles.
Franz Kruckenberg developed another streamlined train from 1934 to 1938, which was taken over by the DR as DR 137 155 . This multiple unit reached a record speed of 215 km / h in 1939. After the Second World War, it became a model for the TEE train DB class VT 11.5 and the DR class VT 18.16 .
Inspired by the success of the Flying Hamburger developed Henschel and Wegmann a streamlined train with steam locomotive, the Henschel Wegmann-train provided by the Tenderlokomotive DR-61 series was drawn. From the summer schedule of 1936 this train was used on the Dresden- Berlin route. With a travel time of 1 hour 40 minutes and a travel speed of 111.2 km / h between Berlin and Dresden-Neustadt, this is an achievement that has not yet been achieved today (as of 2019).
Streamlined trains were not only used in long-distance traffic. The Lübeck-Büchen Railway Company began in 1936 streamlined tank locomotives with streamlined double-deck coaches as pull trains one. The Hamburg- Lübeck - Travemünde route was served in 60 minutes.
Italy
The Italian state railway Ferrovie dello Stato , FS developed three-part electric streamlined trains of the ETR 200 series from 1934 . These went into service from 1937. On December 6, 1937, an ETR 200 reached the top speed of 201 km / h between Campoleone and Cisterna on the Roma – Formia – Napoli railway line . In 1939 the ETR 212 even reached 203 km / h. The highest average speed was achieved on the Milan – Bologna railway line at 171 km / h.
Netherlands
The Nederlandse Spoorwegen also began developing streamlined trains in the 1930s. Materieel 34 (DE3), a three-part diesel-electric train with a top speed of 140 km / h, went into service as the first series from 1934. Its design took place with significant participation from Luftschiffbau Zeppelin GmbH in Friedrichshafen. Two years later, the electrical version Materieel 36 was introduced. From 1940 the "Diesel-vijf" (Diesel-Fünf, DE5) started operations. These trains were also diesel-electric and had a scheduled top speed of 160 km / h. For international service, they were equipped with large diesel tanks that allowed a range of 2000 km. Due to the Second World War, the planned international deployment no longer took place. During test drives, a DE5 reached a top speed of 175 km / h. An electric version was also put into operation from 1940 ( Materieel 40 ).
United States
The 1930s were also the heyday of streamlined trains in the USA. Union Pacific operated the M-10000 , the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad operated the diesel-electric Pioneer Zephyr . On May 26, 1934, the Zephyr made a Dawn to Dusk trip from Denver to Chicago in 13 hours. The average speed was 77.6 mph (124.9 km / h), the top speed was 181.1 km / h.
Burlington put a number of Zephyr trains into operation, e.g. B. two "Twin Cities Zephyr" between Chicago and Minneapolis - St. Paul .
From 1934 the Orange Blossom Special ran on the east coast between New York City and Florida as a streamlined train. The New York Central Railroad began in 1938 streamlined trains designed by Henry Dreyfuss for its luxury train 20th Century Limited between New York and Chicago one.
Development after the Second World War
Germany
After the end of the Second World War, the priority was initially to get regular rail traffic on the rails. The pre-war models as the VT 04 and VT 06 series were initially used for fast connections in both the Federal Republic and the GDR . At the beginning of the 1950s, the first new streamlined trains were the DB class VT 10.5 designed by Kruckenberg and the “egg head” DB class VT 08 . Based on the pre-war railcar 137 155, the DB developed the famous TEE train DB class VT 11.5 . In the GDR, the DR series VT 18.16 was designed in parallel , which was mainly used in international traffic.
From 1965 the DB increasingly relied on locomotive-supported trains, in particular the DB class 103 was used for TEE and InterCity trains. From 1973, the ET 403 ("Donald Duck") was also used again as a real streamlined train. Since 1991, the express service has been carried out with the ICE trains DB series 401 , DB series 402 and ICE 3 . With these trains, the travel time of the old DR 877 “Flying Hamburgers” on the Hamburg – Berlin route was undercut for the first time in over 60 years .
Austria
In 1965/1966, ÖBB developed the ÖBB 4010 city express train for the Transalpin , which was then running from Zurich to Vienna. The special thing about the first trains was that the headboards were made of plastic instead of steel. After several renovations, the multiple unit, which has now shrunk from 6 to 5 wagons, continued to run mainly on the Ennstalbahn between Graz and Salzburg / Innsbruck until 2008.
Switzerland
The Swiss Federal Railways developed jointly with the Dutch NS diesel-electric SBB R ^ TEE , of 1957, particularly in international traffic Amsterdam - Zurich , later Zurich- Munich was used. From 1961, the SBB operated the electric four-system multiple unit SBB RAe TEE II .
Netherlands
In the Netherlands, the NS consistently developed their streamlining material. From 1948 two- and four-part electric multiple units "Materieel '46" were put into service, which were nicknamed "Muizeneus" (mouse nose) due to their pointed head and officially as "Plan A", "Plan AB", "Plan B" and "Plan C" were designated. The top speed was 140 km / h, but only 125 km / h were driven as planned. From 1953 a diesel variant was built: Plan X , which became known as the "Blauwe Engel" due to its blue coloring. From 1956 on, electric trains "Materieel '54" went into operation, which were also called "Hondekop" because of the shape of the end cars.
Italy
In Italy, the ETR 300 (“Settebello”) class was initially developed from 1952 onwards, based on the ETR 200 . These trains are characterized by a raised driver's cab, which gives passengers a clear view of the route. Initially designed for a top speed of 160 km / h, after conversion in 1969 they also reached 200 km / h. The ETR 300 were also used for the Trans Europ Express service. The ETR 401 , which was already 250 km / h, followed in 1976 . It was the prototype for the ETR 450 equipped with Pendolino technology . The latter lead over to today's high-speed trains ETR 460 , ETR 480 and ETR 500
United States
After the Second World War, the tradition of the “streamliner” was resumed. From 1947 the Olympian Hiawatha operated the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad on the Chicago - Seattle / Tacoma route . In 1949 the California Zephyr was introduced. However, due to competition from road and, above all, air traffic , the streamliner service almost came to a standstill in the 1960s and 1970s. Since 1971, most passenger trains have been operated by Amtrak . With the Acela Express there is also express service in the USA again.
Web links
- Pioneer Zephyr at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry.
- The Lost Promise of the American Railroad. ( Memento from June 14, 2001 on the Internet Archive ) The Wilson Quarterly
- Streamlined Transportation in the Art Deco Era 'Streamlining in the Cars, Trains and Planes of the 1930's.
- Streamliners: America's Lost Trains - The American Experience
- 20th century limited (German)