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Deutsche Reichsbahn Gesellschaft Baureihe ET 171
Preserved ET 171 082 in Aumühle station
Type and origin Power type Electric Builder LHB, MAN, Wegmann, BBC Build date 1939-1943 1954-1955 1958 Total produced 72
Specifications Configuration: ​  • UIC Bo′Bo′+2′2′+Bo′Bo′ Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge Length 61 m (200 ft 2 in) Loco weight 130 t (130 long tons; 140 short tons) Electric system/s 1,2 kV DC third rail Current pickup(s) Third rail Train brakes Air, electric Safety systems Sifa, PZB
Performance figures Maximum speed 80 km/h (50 mph) Power output 1,160 kW (1,560 hp) Tractive effort 170 kN (38,000 lbf)
Career Operators Deutsche Reichsbahn Gesellschaft Deutsche Bundesbahn Deutsche Bahn AG Hamburg S-Bahn Class ET/EM 171, since 1968: 471/871 Retired 1989-2001

The DRG Class ET 171 (since 1968 DB Class 471/871) was a three-car electric multiple unit built for the S-Bahn Hamburg (rapid transit railway).

History

The first electrically operated Hamburg S-Bahn trains had appeared on the Hamburg-Altona City and Suburban Railway in 1907. In 1937, the main-line railway operator, Deutsche Reichsbahn, decided to switch current collection from overhead catenary (AC 6,3 kV/25 Hz) to third rail (DC 1,2 kV), basically adopting the S-Bahn system established in Berlin from 1924 onwards. The new class ET 171 trains were built to replace antiquated overhead stock based on non-corridor coaches. The first ET 171 unit appeared in Hamburg in December 1939.

Between then and 1943 further 46 trainsets were built. They received a distinctive dark blue livery with a broad cream stripe on the centre car to denote the 2nd (from 1955: 1st) class. Production was halted by World War II. It was not resumed until 1954/55 when a further batch of 21 units (ET 171 061-082) were built to finally abandon overhead operation. Five additional units (ET 171 082-086) were built in 1958 to work the new line between Hamburg Central Station and Bergedorf (today line S2). From 1968 the class was designated as 471 (and the non-motorized centre cars as 871 respectively). In the 1970s and 80s, most trains received the new cream and teal livery, introduced with Class 472 in 1974.

1980s modernisation scheme

At the beginning of the 1980s the class was due for replacement. State owned train operator Deutsche Bundesbahn opted for a modernisation scheme instead, as its Stuttgart-Bad Canstatt works had abundant capacity for carrying out the task. The programme started in late 1984 and focused on body work, replacing the 1930s style windows with modern rubber sealed replacements in newly welded in sections. The scheme was soon considered uneconomic and ended prematurely in October 1987 after 22 units.

Withdrawal and preservation

Four units ceased operation between 1989 and 1991 but mass-withdrawals did not start until 1997 when new class 474 units entered service. The modernized EMUs did not last longer than the non-rebuild ones. The last unit 471 062 was retired from regular service in October 2001, having accumulated 4.6 million kilometres.

One complete unit and four single coaches survive until today:

• EMU 471 082 was restored to 1950s condition as a heritage train and saw service until March 2015. It is now awaiting overhaul.
• One motor car from the very first train, now 471 401, is preserved in Aumühle train museum near Hamburg. It still has the wooden benches this coach had retained until withdrawal.
• The centre car of unit 471 039 is privately owned.
• Motor car 471 144 is in the Alstom company museum at Salzgitter and not accessible to the public.
• Motor coach 471 462 from the last unit in service is on display at the German Museum of Technology's permanent exhibition. Previously it had been restored to 1990s condition at S-Bahn Hamburg's Ohlsdorf works. Running on its own wheels it had been moved to Berlin in May 2019.

Technical equipment

The ET 171 were among the first German light-weight steel constructions for railways. The coaches were designed as self-sustained bodies. The prewar units had block brakes while those built in the 1950s used disc brakes. All doors could be automatically closed from the driver's cab but could be opened again after a short time. This was possible until the 1970s due to safety reasons. All trains had two 2nd class end coaches and a 1st class centre coach. The first class service was removed from all Hamburg S-Bahn trains in November 2000. Lighting was provided by uncovered light bulbs. All trains were equipped with Sifa. Only the last unit 471 062 was equipped with the PZB train safety system when used for excursions between 2001 and 2004.

Gallery

References

1. de:DRG-Baureihe ET 171Translation from the German Misplaced Pages article
2. "Unser Museumszug ET/EM 171 082 / Our heritage Train ET/EM 171 082 (German)". Verein Historische S-Bahn Hamburg e.V. (in German). 2016-11-05. Retrieved 2019-05-30.
3. "(German) VVM - Eisenbahnmuseum Lokschuppen Aumühle". www.vvm-museumsbahn.de. Retrieved 2019-05-30.
4. "65 Jahre alte Hamburger S-Bahn jetzt in Berlin / 65 years old S-Bahn train now in Berlin (German)". www.tagesspiegel.de (in German). Retrieved 2019-05-30.

External links

• http://www.hish.de - German - Historische S-Bahn Hamburg e.V. - Historical Hamburg S-Bahn

v t e Classes of German EMUs and battery railcars
BR number	401 402 403 403 (1973) 406 407 408 410 411 412 415 420 421 422 423 424 425 425 alt 426 426 alt 427 427 alt 428 430 440 442 445 (Meridian) 445 (Stadler KISS) 445/446 (TWINDEXX) 450 462 463 465 485 alt 490 alt 491
Older, pre-1968 classes	ET 11 ET 25 ET 26 ET 27 ET 31 ET 41 ET 51 ET 55 ET 65 ET 82 ET 85 ET 90 ET 91 ("Gläserner Zug")
Battery railcars	515 517 ETA 150 ETA 176 ETA 178 ETA 179
S-Bahn EMUs	Berlin 475 476 477 480 481 482 483 484 485 ET 125 ET 165 ET 166 ET 167 ET 168 ET 169 ET 170 270 Hamburg 470 471 472 473 474 490 ET 99 ET 170 ET 171

• Electric multiple units of Germany
• Hamburg S-Bahn
• Train-related introductions in 1939