German Federal Railroad class 52. With digital high-efficiency propulsion. Headlights and ventilation fans digitally controlled. Metal boiler and tender. 5 axles powered. 4 traction tires. Driving wheels divided into 2 coupled groups enabling unit to negotiate sharp curves. Electronic reverse unit. Numerous separately applied details. Ventilation fans in the tender powered with a separate motor. Length over buffers 31.6 cm (12-7/16").
Condensation tenders for the class 52 were delivered by Henschel starting in 1943 to enable operations on long routes where water was scarce. With these tenders the steam exhausted from the locomotive's cylinders was not released into the air as was customary with other units. The steam was routed to the condensation tender by means of an oil separator. A turbine powered three large axial ventilators that cooled the steam and condensed it. The water produced from this could then be used to feed the boiler on the locomotive. This made it possible to operate at distances of up to 1,200 kilometers (750 miles) without taking on water. This technology required a lot of work by the crews, but turned out very well in operation. These condensation locomotives were also used in Poland, Belgium and France. The German Federal Railroad took them out of service in the middle of the 1950s.
This locomotive was produced as a special one-time series only in 1997.
