The world’s first electric locomotive saws the light of day in 1879. The creation of Werner von Siemens barely looked like a locomotive. If anything, it looked like a power unit from an early toy locomotive. Nevertheless, the first engine to operate on electricity supplied by an outside source. After that first demonstration of the tiny two-axle "locomotive" in Berlin, advances came rapidly in many countries and by the mid-1930s a wide assortment of electric locomotives served the major European railroads.

From 1926 a series of express passenger locomotives with individual axle drive was built for the growing electrified network of the Deutsche Reichsbahn Gesellschaft (DRG) in Bavaria and Saxony. Among these was the 3,750 hp (2,800 kW) Class E 17 (DB Class 117) 1'Do1' of 1927, which became the basis of several later types of the same wheel arrangement.

In 1933, three types of 1'Co1'  locomotives were introduced for the more easily graded routes, of which the E 04 (DB Class 104), with a one-hour output of 2,940 hp (2,190 kW), was notable for its controller with fine gradations and for other electrical refinements. The 1'Do1' locomotives were limited to 74 mph (120 km/h) but some of the 1'Co1's were geared for 83 mph (130 km/h).

By this time a revolution in German passenger train speeds was under way, with diesel railcars running at 100 mph (160 km/h) and steam locomotives reaching 93 mph (150 km/h). The next series of electric locomotives, the E 18 (DB Class 118), 1'Do1', of 1935 took a major step forward in that its maximum speed was 93 mph (150 km/h). The specification required the locomotive to be capable of reaching 87 mph (140 km/h) with a 700 ton train. To achieve this the continuous power output was increased to 3,800 hp (2,840 km/h) at 76 mph (122 km/h) compared with 3,080 hp (2,300 kW) at 60 mph (97 km/h) in the E 17.

Experience with operational 1'Do1' locomotives had shown that their riding was steady, despite a firm belief among many locomotive engineers that a locomotive with a symmetrical wheel configuration was potentially unsteady at speed. Therefore, the layout of the E 18 followed closely that of the E 17. The electrical equipment was based on that of the E 04 1'Co1', with one traction motor per axle and AEG-Kleinow flexible drive. Previous German electric locomotives had angular shapes but the E 18 had a slightly more streamlined exterior with rounded ends. This fell short of the aerodynamic shapes of the high-speed railcars and steam engines, but showed clearly that a new generation of fast locomotives was on the way.

To assist the driver at the higher speeds now forecast, there were more power operations of the controls. Above 44 mph (70 km/h) greatly increased braking power was available than in earlier classes. As in the previous types with end carrying axles, those axles were connected to the adjoining driving axles by Krauss-Helmholtz (K-H) trucks, which made the locomotive flexible but guided it into curves. When the E 18s were tested at high speeds, problems surfaced with oscillations in the K-H trucks. The solution was to fit air cylinders which could lock the truck so that the driving axle in it had no lateral freedom and the carrying axle had a small amount of individual play. This control came into effect automatically at the trailing end whenever the controller was reversed in direction and it cured the trouble.

Still, the E 18s proved to be very successful and plans were approved to build 92. By the time the work was stopped at the start of World War 2, 53 had been completed, and after the war they became the mainstay of express passenger service in West Germany until the new generation of electric locomotives appeared in the 1950s. Two of the locomotives were in Austria at the end of the war, and Austrian Federal Railroads retained them. Eight more were built in Austria, and for many years they were the fastest express locomotives in that country.

Introduced in 1935 as class E 18 by the Deutsche Reichsbahn Gesellschaft (DRG), the DB series 118 express passenger machines are widely regarded as one of the classic electric locomotive designs. Developments of the class by AEG followed the satisfactory performance of the earlier E 17 (DB class 117) series of 1928 and E 04 (DB class 104) of 1933. For the first time in an electric locomotive the main frames were all-welded. In them are mounted the four traction motors, torque being transmitted to the powered axles by AEG-Kleinow quill drives.

In railroad traction terms, a quill drive is where a hollow shaft is placed around the driving axle and the motor drives it through a pinion/gear. The quill itself is attached, at one end, to one of the wheels by means of rubber-bushed links and, at the other end, to the gearwheel by similar links. The big advantage of such drives is that all the weight of the motor is carried in the bogie frame (and thus fully sprung) instead of it being directly supported by the axle and therefore partially unsprung. Motors mounted like this are called frame mounted motors.

Each carrying axle and adjacent pair of driving wheels are linked in an AEG-Krauss-Helmholz frame, an arrangement which was to prove unstable at speed. Subsequent modifications were made to restrict pneumatically lateral movement of the trailing axle.

A total of 55 E 18s were built, including two just after the second World War. Six did not survive the war, six more were retained by East Germany to form their now withdrawn Class 218, and two went to Austria to become ÖBB numbers 1018.101 and 1118.01. These ÖBB units were joined in 1939 by eight locally constructed machines of similar design. In July 1980, 37 of the 41 taken into DB stock remained in service, handling various passenger duties in southern Germany.

While most members of the class are now finished in plain blue livery, three have emerged from overhaul in the blue and cream colors applied to more modern DB machines. These are 118 013 and 118 048.

The E 18 was used a basis for two celebrated experimental high-speed designs, DRG classes E 19 and E19¹, introduced in 1939 and 1940, respectively. The two examples of each series were capable of 112 mph (180 km/h). All survived until the early 1970s and an example of each class is preserved.

AEG – Allgemeine Elektrizitäts Gesellschaft

DRG – Deutsche Reichsbahn Gesellschaft

DB – Deutsche Bundesbahn

DR – Deutsche Reichsbahn

Raw – Reichsbahn Ausbesserungswerk

After 1968 – DB 118

After 1970 – DR 218

Service – 1935 - 1984

During trials the streamlined locomotive easily achieved speeds of 165 km/h and developed 4,740 kW. Engine E 18 22 was awarded three grand prix prizes at the Parisian World’s Fair in 1937. By January 1940, the DRG had placed 53 of the new locomotives into service – eight for Silesia, 14 for central Germany and 31 in Southern Germany. These engines were the first to use powered Nachlaufsteuerung (Nockenschaltwerk) with fine adjustment and auxiliary transformer in 15 steps.

In 1943/44 six of the engines from central Germany were transferred to southern Germany and Austria. Seven of the engines from Silesia were sent to Bavaria shortly before the end of the war. At that time only 24 of the engines remained in serviceable condition. By the beginning of the 1950s, that number had risen to 34 in service with the Deutsche Bundesbahn. In 1955 two more (E 18 054 and 055) joined the DB. The DR returned five more after these had been returned by the Soviet Union.

In 1945 the ÖBB retained E 18 042 and 046.

By 1960 the DR had E 18 019, 031, 040.

After 1970 – DR 218

Service – 1969 to 1984

The Deutsche Reichsbahn moved much more aggressively in modifying their E 18s. Engines E 18 019 and E 18 040 were modified to operate at speeds up to 112 mph (180 km/h) by Raw Dessau. These engines were fitted with new quill shafts, gearing, and springs. There were extensive modifications of the electrical systems. Plans to install new single arm pantographs did not materialize, however.

"World Electric Locomotives," by Ken Harris, Jane’s, New York, NY, 1981, 160 pages. ISBN 0 531 03728 2.

"Das Grosse Typenbuch Deutscher Lokomotiven," Weisbrod, Bäzold, Obermeyer, Trans Press 1995, 336 pages, ISBN 3 344 70751 5.

"Reichsbahn Sprinter", Christian Titze, Eisenbahn Magazin, 12/88, p. 71.

"Die E 18", Ralf Bendig, Eisenbahn Magazin, 12/92, p. 49.

"Die E 18 – Lokomotive der Spitzenklasse", Wolfgang Messerschmidt, Märklin Magazin, 3/92, p. 46.

"The Great Book of Trains"; Brian Hollingsworth and Arthur Cook, Portland House, New York, NY, ISBN 0-517-645515-7, 1987.

Also visit Joost Wilbrink's site for additional information -  http://www.dbtrains.com/Eng/locomotives/epochII/E18/index.htm