At one time, they must have covered every kilometer of track from the English Channel deep into Russia and from northern Norway to the Mediterranean. They were built by the thousands. The were reliable and simple to service when the need arose. Further, they were easy to modify when that need arose. Of course, you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out that I’m talking about the faithful BR 50.

By the mid-1930s, the Reichsbahn recognized the need to consider a replacement for the BR 57¹⁰ (Prussian G10) which was coming to the end of its useful life. Built during World War 1, this engine used some materials that were clearly not the best. The reliability of the engine was becoming a serious issue.

The successor to the BR 57¹⁰ , numbered as the type 46, was to feature a 1’D wheel configuration. The 46 was intended as a 1,400 ton freight locomotive capable of 37 mph (60 km/h) on level track and with a top speed of 50 mph (80 km/h). Axle loading was to be 35,300 lb (16 Mp). Further, the locomotive had to be able to negotiate a minimum radius of 460 ft (140 meters) and could not be longer than the 75 ft (23 meter) turntable then in widespread use. As the design progressed, it became evident that the 1’D wheel arrangement would not meet the specifications. It would take a 1’E configuration to meet the Reichsbahn Gesellschaft’s requirements.

The first 12 engines, starting with 50 001, were built in 1939 by Henschel and quickly Krupp, Krauss-Maffei and Floridsdorf joined in production. By year’s end, 218 engines were completed. As the war widened, the demand increased markedly for more and more of the new locomotive. By 1940, Borsig, Orenstein & Koppel, Schichau and Schwartzkopff also received contracts. Couillet, Franco-Belge and Skoda also furnished the BR 50.

As the war dragged on and material shortages and accelerated production began to be a way of life, the original BR 50 design was simplified. Starting in 1942, the BR 50ÜK (Übergangs Kriegslokomotiven), or war transition locomotives were furnished. Among the components that were eliminated were the forward cab windows, smoke deflectors and apron, and the boiler preheaters.

Still more simplification was on the way. Some of the changes were so drastic that even though the engine retained the BR 50 designation, it more closely resembled the BR 52 Kriegslok (war locomotive). Now, for those of you who are serial number aficionados, here’s a rundown.

50 3045 to 50 3167 and 50 3188 to 50 3387 were delivered as 52 007 to 52 123 and 52 144 to 52 349. There is also the possibility that 50 2773 to 50 2777 were delivered as 52 002 to 52 006.

In all, the Deutsche Reichsbahn took delivery of 3,159 of the BR 50. These were 50 001 to 50 2772 and 50 2778 to 50 3164. Serial numbers 50 3165 to 50 3171 were built in 1956 using 52 129 to 52 135 as the basis.

Author Stephan Carstens in his article "Auf Allen Gleisen" (Eisenbahn Magazin 7/85 and 8/85) points out that the discrepancy between the above data that the BR 50s after 50 3045 were delivered as BR52s and that the serial numbers after 50 3164 were already allocated for a 1943 contract.

The number of changes and modifications to the BR 50 design were continuous and many, especially during the war. Simplification was the norm. For example in place of cast iron sand domes, welded sheet metal was used. In place of the spoked pilot truck wheels, simple disc wheels were used. All in all, the wartime changes were too numerous to outline here in detail.

Following the war both the Deutsche Bundesbahn (DB) and the East German Deutsche Reichsbahn (DR) instituted further changes and modifications. For example, the DB, concerned with the age and necessity of the Güterzugbegleitwagen (the German equivalent of the American caboose), investigated and then implemented the Kabinentender (cabin tender). Ultimately, the tenders of 730 locomotives were fitted with the trainmaster cabin at the expense of 1.4 tons of coal in the 2’2’T26 tenders. Those BR50s that were without smoke deflectors received the smaller Witte deflectors which worked just as effectively as the larger Wagner ones.

Some BR50s were used for various research projects. Numbers 50 630 and 50 975 were pressed into brake service with special retardation brakes. Number 50 1503 received a Giesl ejector, a more efficient means of smoke extraction characterized by an oblong-shaped chimney. This project was dropped due to high licensing fees and 50 1503 reverted to its original configuration.

In 1959 ten BR50s were selected for shunting service which entailed installation of much smaller fire boxes. They comprised 50 117, 390, 620, 766, 783, 988, 1289, 1534, 1877 and 2201 but as the BR50 proved to be such a universally useful engine, no further conversion to switching service were undertaken.

As early as 1950, many of the locomotives were fitted with Heinl-mixture preheaters and turbo-feedpumps.

As early as 1950 plans were made to retrofit a majority of the BR50s, those with numbers higher than 50 2000, with Heinl preheat mixers and turbo feedpumps. From this it might be concluded that installation of the ÜK boilers was done in place installing a preheater. Despite the fact that most of the locomotives received the preheater when the boilers were replaced, these locomotives were issued computer numbers. The last two preheater BR50s were 50 1420 and 50 3039. Turbopumps and a conventional preheater were installed on 50 779, 50 1503 and 50 2225, among others. One could go on with the minutiae of all the modifications that were made to these rugged and reliable locomotives and their tenders. Despite the difficulty of the war years and the aftermath, making these myriad modifications must have had a certain fascination to the engineers that designed and implemented them.

From the very start, the BR50 began to build a solid reputation for itself, be in heavy freight or passenger service. The "Fufziger", as they became known, did not falter. After World War Two, this type was the most widely represented engine in the entire Bundesbahn with some 2,563 of them in service. They also served as back ups for the BR44 heavy freight engine.

Where the BR44 mostly saw service in mountainous regions, the lighter BR50 was most comfortable on more level ground. For example, the Betriebswerke at Bebra, Aschaffenburg and Wuertzberg were home to some 30 to 40 BR44s to deal with the more mountainous North-South route. On the other hand, the Bws near Hamburg saw no BR44s but some 144 of the BR50.

With time, the increasingly worn BR54¹⁵, 55²⁵, 56² and 57¹⁰ were withdrawn from service to be replaced by BR50s. The BR50, because of its relatively light axle loading of 15.2 Mp, was able to haul some fairly heavy freight trains on trackage off the main lines. They were also equally useful in passenger service. Why passenger service? On short lines with frequent stops, the concern is not so much for high speeds. Good acceleration is more important. (So, you Märkliners need not feel you're doing anything wrong if you couple your 3084 or 3315 to some Prussian compartment coaches or Thunderboxes.)

Another plus the BR50 offered was its ability to reach its speed of 80 km/h equally well in both directions of travel, i.e., conventional or tender first. Further, this did away with having to look for turntables to turn them around.

It would take much space to list all the servicing facilities (Bw's) that handled BR50s but as late as the end of 1967, there were still 65 Bw's handling some 1,456 of these locomotives. By 1974 this number was down to 500 but that should not be taken as reflection of sudden breakdowns but rather solid testimony to the long lifespan of this design. By then they were sometimes called to step in when a much newer BR23 called in sick. But, near the end of 1976, the jig was up. A few 50s remained but the end of the line had come.

In 1951 Henschel delivered the two World War Two BR52s 52 893 and 52 894 with Franco Crosti waste gas heaters as BR 42 9000 and 42 9001 because of their increased axle loading.

The trials conducted at the DB's Minden facilities turned out to have exceeded expectations and resulted in coal savings up to 20 percent. The result was that in 1954 it was decided to convert a third engine, 50 1412, to the Franco Crosti system. This third conversion once again verified what the first two had shown. The DB then decided to install the Franco Crosti system in 30 more locs during 1958 and 1959. New boilers were fabricated by Henschel and the entire conversion took place in the retrofitting shops in Schwerte. These conversions were not minor affairs and judging by Stefan Carstens' article, the jobs were very major efforts indeed. Previously modified lok 50 1412 was renumbered 50 4001 and the remainder 50 4002 to 50 4031.

The funds spent on the modifications were well spent. The Franco Crosti engines and accounted for coal savings averaging 15 percent. The only drawbacks was accelerated sulfuric acid corrosion of the flue gas preheaters.

By 1961 all of the converted Loks had to be taken out of service. In fact the oxidation problem was so acute that only a few engines could be efficiently repaired. New boilers, a not inconsequential expense, were needed. At the same time, new mixing preheaters were installed in place of the previously used surface preheaters. The tenders were covered and some air deflectors were added to the top of the cab, the combination being designed to stop exhaust gases from being sucked into the cab. However, the results of this bit of aerodynamic fiddling were inconclusive.

Further experimenting took place on 50 4011 in that this lok was now converted to oil firing. Despite the fact that 50 4011 proved to be quite efficient, no other Franco Crosti BR50s were similarly converted.

At this point Stefan Carsten launches into a detailed dissertation of where all the BR50s were stationed. It is beyond the intent of this BR50 primer to launch into such detail.

Relatively few 50s remained in East Germany after the war. Designated BR50³⁵, the DR valued them and when the original boiler showed signs of fatigue, 208 of these engines were given new boilers. The new boilers, which also found their way to the BR52⁸⁰s, were completely welded structures that also featured mixing preheaters. Witte smoke deflectors were used and approximately 70 of the Loks also had Giesl Ejectors installed.

With time, the Reichsbahn followed in the steps of the Bundesbahn with increasingly many modifications, some of which involved coupling them to tenders from mustered out BR23¹⁰s and 50⁴⁰s.

By the end of the 60s, the BR50³⁵ saw service primarily in the region of Magdeburg, south of Berlin. That situation remained until about 1977 when an increasingly many of the BR50^0-31 and BR52 had to be retired and many of the 50³⁵ from Magdeburg were scattered throughout East Germany.

The BR50⁴⁰s of the Reichsbahn are newly built locomotives. Quite simply, they were designed for the very same reason that the very first BR50 was conceived 20 years earlier. At the same time, this variation was to be a replacement for the BR52 Krieglok. Ironically, the Reichsbahn's BR52s outlived the BR50⁴⁰. In reality, the latter was nothing more than further development of the basic BR50. One of the main differences was that they were largely of welded construction and shared many components with the DR's BR23¹⁰. (Note; this BR23, though also a 2-6-2, was not the same as the DB's BR23.)

After prototypes 50 4001 and 50 4002 were evaluated, series production of 86 of this type. The order was completed on December 28, 1960. This was to be the last steam locomotive built by the Reichsbahn.

The engines were stationed primarily in the Northern part of East Germany where they served reliably until about 1976. Withdrawal from service began in 1977 and by 1981 no more than a few remained in service.

The BR50⁵⁰ was a BR50³⁵ converted to oil firing and with new road numbers. The first conversion took place on 50 3567 in January 1966 and it became 50 5001. In total, 72 engines were converted to fuel oil. Starting with 50 0043-5, computer numbering was instituted. Initially, like the 50⁴⁰, the oil-fired BR50s were assigned to Northern East Germany. But, even the more efficient oil-fired BR50 had a short life expectancy. Even in East Germany the hand writing was on the wall and the diesels and electrics did the writing. Increasing oil prices forced the DR to park their oil-fired locomotives and some were actually re-converted to burn coal. Some BR50³⁵s and BR52⁸⁰s took over but the end was clearly in sight.

Specifications for standard BR 50

Manufacturers

Loco Profile 18, German Austerity 2-10-0; Profile Publications, October 1971, UK. (out of business)

EISENBAHN MAGAZIN 

"Auf Allen Gleisen Die Baureihe 50", 7/85, p.15 and 8/85, p.40.

"Jumbos Unter Dampf; Die Baureihe 44 bei der Reichsbahn der DDR", 7/87, p. 26

also foldout line drawing "1’Eh3 – Güterzug – Lokomotive Baureihe 44 (Öl) der Deutschen Reichsbahn (DDR).

"Historische Schneeschleudern",  2/93, p. 36. On page 42 there is a good photo of a BR52 with a snowplow.

"Adieu DR", 2/94, page 21. Excellent photo of BR52 1853 with Kondenz tender.

Foldout provides line drawings of DB and DR tenders. 1/97 issue.

M+F JOURNAL (MODELLBAHN + FACHZEITSCHRIFT)

"8000 Geplante Lokomotiven der BR42 - Serie", 4/1976, p.4

Letter to the editor, 5/1977, p.65

EISENBAHN JOURNAL

"Die 50 622 Eine Von Tausenden", 7/84, p.4.

MARKLIN MAGAZIN

"Schlussakkord Mit Zwei Jumbos", 3/96, p.66.

"Bw Haldensleben", 4/83, p.32.

"Die Kriegslokomotiven der Baureihe 52", 2/76, p.27.

"Die Dampf Lokomotiven der Baureihe 50", 1/74, p.28.