Prussian G 12.1

The Prussian G 12.1 was a German steam locomotive built for the Prussian state railways during the First World War and was the largest Prussian freight locomotive with a 2-10-0 wheel arrangement. It had three cylinders, the two outer ones driving the third axle and the inner one the second axle.

History

As early as 1913 there was a requirement for a powerful goods train locomotive in several of the divisions within the Prussian state railways. This need grew as a result of the First World War; at the same time however the delivery of the first engine by Henschel-Werke was delayed until 1915.

Between 1915 and 1917, 21 vehicles were built for Prussia and 12 for the Imperial Railways in Alsace-Lorraine. All the locomotives were manufactured by Henschel. The Prussia locos went to the Erfurt, Cassel and Saarbrücken divisions. Further production was then ceased in favour of the G 12.

The Deutsche Reichsbahn took over 15 vehicles from Prussia as the DRG Class 58.0 and gave them operating numbers 58 001–015. The majority of locomotives were retired by 1935. Numbers 58 002 and 005 ended up in the Deutsche Reichsbahn in East Germany after the Second World War. The last one, number 58 005, was retired in 1957.

The Alsace-Lorraine machines were joined after the First World War by five more former Prussian G 12.1s and employed in front of heavy coal and ore trains. The SNCF designated them as 150-B-546 to 562 and scrapped them by 1955.

The engines were equipped with tenders of Class pr 2'2' T 21.5.

Saxon XIII H

In 1917 the Royal Saxon State Railways ordered Hartmann to build 20 locomotives based on the Prussian G 12.1. The engines were classified as the Saxon XIII H but had numerous improvements compared with their prototypes. They were given a larger total heating area, a bigger superheater area and new tubing. They were therefore heavier than the Prussian locomotives and were the first German locomotives to exceed 100 tonnes. They were supplied with sä 2'2' T 21 tenders.

The 20 locomotives were given railway numbers 1165–1184. After the First World War six units had to be given to France as reparations. The Deutsche Reichsbahn took over the remaining 14 vehicles as DRG Class 58.1 with operating numbers 58 101–114.

By the mid-1930s the German locomotives had been withdrawn from the fleet. During the Second World War the so-called 'loan locomotives' (Leihlokomotiven) with the SNCF, numbered 150 D 201 to 150 D 206, were returned to Saxony. They remained after the war and went into the DR. They were retired by 1951.

Like Prussia, after the initial series, Saxony only ordered further batches of its successor, the Prussian G 12, although it was also designated the Class XIII H.

See also

• List of Prussian locomotives and railcars
• Württemberg G 12