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The last summer of the electric engine class 141
 
She has been everywhere, anybody knew her - the smallest electron loco of the Wirtschaftswunder time. She was always busy with local-, commuter and passenger trains, sometimes in earlier times also with light freight trains. 451 units were build for the German Federal Railway, she was a well known sight since 1956 in Germany. Since my childhood times she was the engine leading all the commuter and local trains first still with pre-war equipment, rebuild cars and the silvery coaches. First she wore dark blue , then dark green in the 1970's she was dressed in oceanblu and beige. The she followed the stile of the time with the several red paint schemes of the DB. She was never a star engine but always up to date - even todys she does not look really old.Sie fiel eigentlich nie wirklich auf - immer angepaßt und auch vom Design eher zeitlos.

Typical for this engine is the loud noise of the motor notches. It is making a clacking noise nearly sonding like a firecracker. You can hear it nearly in the whole train. During my youth she was my favorite engine, first as I could see her every time I got to the tracks and second because I got a H0 model from Märklin for Christmas. This loco was the fastest I owned, the model was so fast it flew out of the curves if the transformer was above 200 (...and there was still power up to 250!). Below you can see my old fellow with all the scarves of that time:

Unfortunately there are no pictures of the real 141s of that time - she was that common you always could do your picture tomorrow...

Well these times are gone and in 2005 there is only a relative small population left in the north of Germany mainly on duty in the area of Bremen. After nearly 50 years of service she is going to be replaced by modern eletric coaches, locos of class 143, 145 and 110s pushed back to lower duties. This summer I had two times the opportunity to stay for some minutes at Bremen main station. It has been like always - the rails were crowded by 141's! You can't believe the show will be finished soon.

"This train ends here..".The empty train is showed to the yard by 141 344-2, Bremen 29.May.2005..

There she waits for her next assignment. Right of this train you can see the "enemy" of the 141.

A few minutes later this train exits Bremen lead by another 141.

On August 30, 2005 I had more luck. The commuter train bringing me to Bremen was pushed by one of the 141. Here we have nearly reached the final destination.

 

It was 141 423-4 pushing "my" train.

At the opposite track 141 083-6 has also reached the destination. Soon she will push back into the yard.

In the evening the pic was taken of 141 371-5.

The evening sun enlightens 141 262-6.

...and here she goes... Will there by a next time?

More pics and a lot of information in german language you will find at "Die Baureihe 141" Homepage.