The locomotive type (''Gattungszeichen'') of a German steam locomotive was a secondary classification system introduced after 1924 by the

Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft The ''Deutsche Reichsbahn'', also known as the German National Railway, the German State Railway, German Reich Railway, and the German Imperial Railway, was the German national railway system created after the end of World War I from the regiona ...

(DRG) and comprised four parts: # A letter from the adjacent table, that specified the type of locomotive (

express train An express train is a type of passenger train that makes a small number of stops between its origin and destination stations, usually major destinations, allowing faster service than local trains that stop at most or all of the stations alo ...

engine, passenger train locomotive, etc.). # A number, usually two-digit, the first digit indicating the number of

coupled axles On a steam locomotive, a driving wheel is a powered wheel which is driven by the locomotive's pistons (or turbine, in the case of a steam turbine locomotive). On a conventional, non-articulated locomotive, the driving wheels are all coupled to ...

and the second the total number of axles on the locomotive. Tender axles were not included. # The permitted

axle load An axle or axletree is a central shaft for a rotating wheel or gear. On wheeled vehicles, the axle may be fixed to the wheels, rotating with them, or fixed to the vehicle, with the wheels rotating around the axle. In the former case, bearin ...

in tonnes was given next, after a full stop separating it from the preceding axle information. # If parts of the locomotive exceeded the loading gauge, this was indicated with a triangle over the axle load (see photo below right). If this was simply a removable chimney fitting, this was indicated with an additional bar above the point of the triangle (photo below left). Example: A

DRG Class 01 The Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft's BR 01 steam locomotives were the first standardised (''Einheitsdampflokomotive'') steam express passenger locomotives built by the unified German railway system. They were of 4-6-2 "Pacific" wheel arrang ...

express train locomotive had the following type classification: S36.20. That meant: Express train locomotive (Schnellzuglokomotive) with 3 coupled axles, a total of 6 axles and an axle load of 20 tonnes It was intended to use this type classification system for electric locomotives as well. But because electric locomotives could be used for any duty, this plan was given up. The primary

classification system Classification is a process related to categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated and understood. Classification is the grouping of related facts into classes. It may also refer to: Business, organizat ...

was based on class numbers which, in the case of steam locomotives ran from 01-99 (see table, right hand column). Image:GattungsZeichenBR01.jpg, Type plate on a

steam locomotive Image:GattungsZeichenDampflokBR74.jpg, Type plate on a DRG Class 74 (ex-

Prussian T 12 The Prussian Class T 12 were early German passenger tank locomotives built for the Prussian state railways in large numbers. These locomotives were superheated variants of the T 11. History Although the T 12 first appeared as early as 1902 in ...

) steam locomotive

Literature

*K-E. Maedel/ A. Gottwald: ''Deutsche Dampflokomotiven'', Transpressverlag, *Harald Vogelsang: ''Die Fahrzeuge und Anlagen des Eisenbahnmuseums Bochum-Dahlhausen'',

Literature

See also