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February 23, 2008
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:iconzcochrane:
This may look like a normal class 120, only in modern livery and with advertisement. That is, however, not the case. This engine used to be called 120 153 and got sold to DB Systemtechnik (System Technology) and is now called 120 501. Together with 120 502 (the former 120 160), it's job is to test new components, haul track measurement devices, work when testing new locomotives and similar. Just exactly what it is doing here pushing an, as far as I can tell, completely normal InterCity out of Cologne main station I don't know, but I guess there is some explanation. Maybe it's testing out how some modification works in normal duty. Maybe DB Fernverkehr (long haul) borrowed it because they're short a few locomotives. This has happened before so that's most likely. However it is a pretty boring explanation for such a rare locomotive, so I prefer the testing new stuff one.

This engine is, by the way, not to be confused with the prototype 120s, which did the very same job under the name class 752 years ago. Those were retired, and the new 120.5s are normal production 120s reused for this purpose.
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:iconcjsutcliffe:
*CJSutcliffe Feb 23, 2008  Hobbyist Photographer
Maybe it's running trials for new stuff like you say. Testing new parts for some manufacturer maybe?

That's interesting there should be some locomotives in the world that do that, test new components and systems. Highly interesting.

--
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~ZCochrane Feb 23, 2008  Student Photographer
Yes, there's actually a lot of history with those kinds of locomotives. The fastest steam engine that's still actively running (if it is, at the moment, it's recent history is kind of odd), the 18 201, survived so long because it was used as a testing locomotive in the GDR.

DB Systemtechnik (and it's direct predecessors) in particular always had a few old high-speed electric locomotives for such tests. When the ones who did the job before this one retired, they had received new trucks, disc brakes, new cooling fluids for their transformers, new traction control hardware and lots of other new stuff.

The locomotives are also used for testing tracks. The german track measurement vehicles are capable of measuring at high speeds, which is good because they don't have to block the tracks for doing their assessment, but that means they also need a fast locomotive to pull the train.

--
Güter auf die Bahn!
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:iconcjsutcliffe:
*CJSutcliffe Feb 23, 2008  Hobbyist Photographer
Now high speed track measuring units are what we lack in Britain. I have a photo of one such track recording unit and let's just say this, it's not the most glamorous thing. Over here, they cut costs by just straight converting old HST rolling stock to be fitted with recording hardware, and then hook it up to something like a class 31 and run it at night to prevent it holding up vital trains. The germans certainly have the right idea in this case, run it at high speed and keep traffic flowing freely. Whereas Network Rail (the railway maintenance people here in Britain) would take one look at the costs for creating and running such a locomotive and immediately say no.

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~ZCochrane Feb 24, 2008  Student Photographer
I had heard about the HST-based devices, but I had always assumed the idea behind them is exactly to do this high speed measuring. Pulling them by fourty year old locomotives kind of defeats the purpose, doesn't it?

--
Güter auf die Bahn!
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:iconcjsutcliffe:
*CJSutcliffe Feb 24, 2008  Hobbyist Photographer
I quite agree. But when your countries leaders believe in saving all the cash for themselves these days, then the rail network doesn't have the funding to keep HST locomotives going. I agree totally, just stupid.

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~speedemon08 Feb 23, 2008  Student General Artist
nice pic.

i like trains as well, but for no apparent reason. well not that i know of

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~saccharinesweet Feb 23, 2008
Great photograph. What started your fascination with trains?
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:iconzcochrane:
~ZCochrane Feb 23, 2008  Student Photographer
Thanks. No idea really, I just started to like them.

--
Güter auf die Bahn!
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