DR Class 119, also known by the nickname U-Boat
The diesel locomotive DR Class 119 was made from 1976 to 1985 in the Romanian locomotive factory “23.August” for the German Reichsbahn. It was a further development of the extremely successful 118 series. The concept was essentially adopted by it. Necessary changes resulted from the decisions of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance, which provided that in the GDR diesel locomotives with more than 1,500 hp were no longer allowed to be built. At the same time, however, the Deutsche Reichsbahn reported demand for locomotives at the end of the 1970s, which put more than 2,000 hp on the rails.
In Romania, finally, the above-mentioned plant was found, which assembled the components from different countries to a diesel locomotive DR Class 119. Even the FRG had its share of the new locomotive. Due to coordination difficulties regarding the supply of suitable engines from GDR production, engines of the West German manufacturer MTU Friedrichshafen were installed without further ado. Thus, the diesel locomotive DR Class 119 became a transnational success project that was in use until 2006.
| Manufacturer: | Locomotive factory "23 August" Bucharest |
| Length: | 19500 mm |
| Height: | 4590 mm |
| Numbering: | DR 119 001-200 DR/DB 219 003-200 DB 229 ... |
| Weight: | 99 / 110 t |
| Years of construction: | 1976 - 1985 |
| Top speed: | 120 km/h / 140 km/h |
| Retirement: | by 2006 |
| Fuel supply: | 4000 l diesel |
| Tightening force: | 220 - 270 kN |
| Number: | 200 |
| Power: | 2 × 900 kW / 1100 kW, 2x 1380 / 2x 1500 kW |
| Power transmission: | hydrodynamic |
| Motor type: | DB M 820 SR 12KVD21-AL4 12KVD21-AL5 |
| Train heating: | electric, 1000 V ~ |
| Brake: | multi-solvent air brake KE-GPR m.Z. with DAKO guide- and auxiliary brake valves |
| Axis formula: | C'C' |
| Interesting facts |
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| The diesel locomotive DR Class 119 belongs to the construction type C'C'. The construction type C'C' has two bogies coupled together in terms of drive, each with three wheelsets coupled together. More interesting facts |
The history of the diesel locomotive DR Class 119 since the reunification
The 119 series included exactly 200 locomotives and although there were always problems from the beginning, the model prevailed nationwide even after the reunification of Germany. Starting from 1993 it drove at the German course AG under the type designation 219. In the middle of 2000 were of the once built 200 copies still approximately 150 received. Most of them were scrapped until 2004. At present, six examples of the diesel locomotive BR 119 can be seen in museums. In the freight train traffic of Bulgaria and Romania drove another 12 pieces until 2012.
From the series 229 were in the spring of 2013, the models 229 120 and 181 after a repainting in operation. As a museum locomotive and no longer operational 229 100 can be visited in Thuringia. In the DBAG Museum, in the colors of the Deutsche Reichsbahn number 158 – 4, the diesel locomotive DR Class 119 can be seen as a roadworthy traditional locomotive.