The mountainous steep and curved 25 mile (40.3 km) line Salzburg – Freilassing – Berchtesgarden of the Königlich Bayerische Staatsbahn; Bavarian State Railways (K.Bay.Sts.B.) created a requirement for an electric locomotive to haul passenger trains. Thus, in 1912, the railroad gave a contract for eight 1’C2’ to the Münchener Lokomotivfabrik Krauss. The electric systems for the first four were to be built by Siemens-Schuckert. At that time the engines were designated Ep 3/6 (E = electric; p = passenger and 3/6 = 3 powered axles and a total of 6 axles.) Road numbers were 20 101 to 104. The engines were delivered in 1915. Later they became EP 3 (20101 to 20104) and when the Deutsche Reichsbahn was formed, the four engines were redesignated E36 and numbered E36 01 to E36 04.

At first sight, a train enthusiast is bound to question why the two pantographs are placed the way they are, one in the center of the engine and one at one end. The answer is that this locomotive featured a boiler to generate steam to heat the passenger cars. Another interesting aspect of the machine was its small driven wheels, these measuring only 1,100 mm (43.3 in.) in diameter.

Not visible was the engine rather significant sideplay in its axles so that it might better negotiate the tight radius curves encountered on the Freilassing – Berchtesgaden line. The trailing truck (2 axle truck) featured 1.34 in. (34 mm) sideplay and the last powered axle had 1.10 in. (28 mm). There was no sideplay in the second powered axle. The first driven axle and the pilot truck each had 0.98 in. (25 mm) sideplay. This combination ensured operation without incurring disturbing sideways oscillations. The net result was that the Ep 3/6 ran exceptionally smooth on the curvy Freilassing – Berchtesgaden line and speeds of 50 mph (80 km/h) were comfortably within the machine’s capability . Its 30 years of service proved that.

The rather large 20-pole motor was centrally located and transmitted its power by means of a connecting rod to a countershaft. The countershaft then powered the three driven axles. The motor and the countershaft were mounted in heavy steel castings. The main transformer was an oil-cooled unit that was controlled by means of an oil-cooled switch. Motor speed was controlled by 10-step contactor.

As already noted, the Ep 3/6 featured a coal-fired boiler to supply steam for the passenger car heating system. No hot water heat. No electric heat. Heating was by means of classic steam system. The Ep 3/6 being operated by two men, an engine driver and a helper, for want of a better title. (His German title was Beimann.) It was his job to tend to the steam heat boiler in what was most certainly very cramped quarters. The chimney was end the end of the roof, which accounted for the close proximity of the two pantographs. The engine driver stood while operating his Ep 3/6. That was the accepted way in those years. No sitting on the job.

The four engines were based in Freilassing and were used primarily for local trains and occasionally a "fast" train. By the end of the 1920s, they were also used for an occasional freight train. Sometime between 1941 and 1943, they were taken out of service and mustered out, not because of any serious problems but simply because 925 hp (690 kW) was simply not enough. Henschel converted E 36 02 and E 36 04 into snowplows. Of the two, E 36 02 was placed into the Nördlingen museum in 1987.

Specifications

Weisbrod, Bäzold, Obermayer, "Das Grosse Typenbuch Deutscher Lokomotiven," ISBN 3-334-70751-5, 1995, p. 246.

"Die elektrischen Lokomotiven der Baureihe E 36," Märklin Magazin, 4/76, p. 27.