Notes

Locomotive usage on the Rübelandbahn has been rather chaotic in the past few years. After decades of 251/171-only service, DB wanted to convert to diesel-only service with Ludmillas, but in the end used class 185 and class 189 electrics, which are capable of multiple systems, including the 25kV/50Hz used there because it’s also used in other countries such as Hungary or France.

All this changed when the biggest customer of the Rübelandbahn, the Fels-Werke, decided that it’s business would go to the Havelländische Eisenbahn. The hvle (for some reason never seen with capitals) decided to go diesel-only and uses (amongst others, of which I will post a picture soon) General Electric/Bombardier/Adtranz DE-AC33C, marketed under the name “Blue Tiger”. This is GE’s unsuccessful attempt of gaining a hold in the european market, with most important components coming from the US. This is also the reason for it’s unusual (for european standards) design. There are 11 of this type in Germany, 30 in Pakistan and 20 in Malaysia. It’s no longer being produced now, and it’s noisy as hell. Still, a very, very impressive locomotive.