Electric Locomotive

The DRG E 60 Electric Locomotive "Clean locomotives for switching work at electrified stations" was the DRG's slogan in the Mid-Twenties in Bavaria. It ordered two electric locomotives in 1926 especially for the extended track layouts of the Munich stations in order to be able to use this smoke-free method of operation in switching work too. The DRG stipulated the use of as many components of the newly purchased E 52 and E 91 as possible in the interests of standardized spare parts inventory. The Winterthur diagonal rod drive with a jackshaft and three coupled wheel sets came from the E 91. The drive performance was provided by a double motor that was also used on the E 52 or E 91. Originally, the locomotives had a special design pantograph with two widely spaced contact strips to better bridge separation points in the catenary. The first two units were placed into service in 1927 as E 60 01 and 02. Several small run series followed by June of 1934, the E 60 03-14, which were also used in part at other Bavarian stations. In addition to switching work, the E 60 was also planned for local freight trains and transfer work. Its characteristic design with the two hoods, the rear one being long and the front one relatively short, quickly generated its nickname "Flat Iron". After the annexation of Austria, several units went starting in 1938 to the "Annexation Area" to Innsbruck, Kufstein, and Wörgl. All of the E 60 locomotives survived the war without extensive damage and the units still in Austria came back to Bavarian as part of a locomotive swap in 1945/46. In 1957/58, the DB had the locomotives fundamentally overhauled and updated. They thus were equipped with switching platforms above the buffers, additional windows, and new wiring. By 1964 the E 60 units (from 1968 on: 160) were only running again in Bavaria. Then came Heidelberg as a new home base. The first units to be retired were in 1977 and with the storage of road number 160 012 in June of 1983 switching service with electric locomotives on the DB also ended. Road numbers 160 009, 010, and 012 remain preserved as museum locomotives.