BVG Class E
Class E train at Biesdorf-Süd station in October 2017
In service1960–1994
ReplacedBVG Class C
Constructed1956–1990
Entered service1960
SuccessorBVG Class F
BVG Class H
Formation4 cars per set
OperatorsBerliner Verkehrsbetriebe
Specifications
Doors4 pairs per side (per car)
Electric system(s)750 V DC third rail
Current collector(s)Contact shoe
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)

Class E was a series of Großprofil (wide profile) multiple units of Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) which was exclusively used on East Berlin line E, today line U5 of the Berlin U-Bahn. Except for the two prototypes, all vehicles were built using parts of retired S-Bahn vehicles, namely the bogies and parts of the electrical equipment.

History

As part of the German reparations after World War II, Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe had to cede 120 vehicles of Class C to Moscow Metro. This type was of particular interest for Moscow as it was the newest class on the Berlin network, and technically very similar to the Moscow class A which had been modelled after it.[1]

Hence, a shortage of rolling stock of class E (in the Soviet sector, later East Berlin) was newest wide profile line which had been operated exclusively with Class C stock. To continue services of this route, Kleinprofil (narrow profile) vehicles of Class AI were transferred from route U2 and had wooden running boards, popularly called Blumenbretter ("flower shelves"), attached to their sides. These trains were designated AI K.[1] 40 trains were being re-deployed to route E. These "Blumenbretter" trains were also deployed on route D during the East German uprising of 1953.

As a continued operation of narrow profile cars on the wide profile line was economically not viable in the long run, BVG commissioned a new class, later designated E, for Berlin U-Bahn. Only the subtypes EI (prototype) and EIII (converted S-Bahn vehicles) were built. Most of the trains were built using parts of DRG Class ET 165, DRG Class ET 168 and DRG Class ET 169.


EI trains

Prototypes of a new class of U-Bahn trains were drawn up beginning in 1952, and after the West Berlin BVG permitted to take exact measurements and detailed photographs of one of their Class C vehicles in 1954, LOWA in Ammendorf designed and built two new motor cars from 1955 to 1957. Until 1956 these were simply known as 18-Meter-Wagen (18 metre cars), after consultation with BVG West who developed their Class D at the same time as Class E. The electrical equipment was supplied and installed by LEW Hennigsdorf.[2]

The new vehicles were a steel frame construction with a rounded roof and four double sliding doors for passengers on each side. There were also doors for the driver and escape doors at the non-driving ends. Instead of ventilation flaps in the windows, pressure ventilation was used. Each car had four motors of 100 kW each, rheostatic brakes and electrically controlled pneumatic brakes. Scharfenberg couplers were used,[3] and the vehicles were equipped with multiple unit traction control.[4]

Because of the steel construction, the vehicles weighed almost 40 tonnes each and were, therefore, heavier than those of Class C. This and various other shortcomings were the reason why no production models of those trains were built. Although the RAW in Schöneweide was tasked with fixing some of the faults and building two matching trailers, a lack of capacity prevented this, and the vehicles were stabled in 1961. One was later used as a storage room, the other as a mess room for apprentices. In late 1988, both cars were scrapped.[2][5]

EII trains

While Class EI was designed and built, BVG already planned an improved Class EII as a lightweight construction based on the experiences with the prototypes and with BVG Class D. Waggonbau Ammendorf was tasked with the design on 18 February 1959. The dimensions differed only little from those of the vehicles of the Moscow Metro, signifying plans to export such cars.[6] After the border to West Berlin was closed on 13 August 1961, the traffic flows in Berlin changed such that passenger numbers on Route A significantly increased, and the vehicles transferred to route E were now missing on the narrow profile route. Hence, the plans for an EII type train were dropped in 1962. A faster and easier option was the conversion of S-Bahn vehicles which had become surplus to demand because of the boycott of the S-Bahn in West Berlin. This resulted in the numerous Class EIII.[7][8]

EIII trains

Batch 1

103 084 (right) Class D in Wuhletal, 1990
101 034 in Biesdorf-Süd, 1990
Vehicle Overview EIII, 1. Lieferserie[9]
Number
(bef 1970)		 Number
(aft 1970)		 Number
(aft 1992)		 Dispensed Trains
1410/1411 101 002/151 003 1802/1803 ET 168 009/EB 168 009
1412/1413 101 004/151 005 1804/1805 ET 168 022/EB 168 002
1414/1415 101 006/151 007 1806/1807 ET 168 037/EB 168 037
1416/1417 101 008/151 009 1808/1809 ET 168 036/EB 168 036
1418/1419 101 010/151 011 1810/1811 ET 168 031/EB 168 031
1420/1421 101 012/151 013 1812/1813 ET 168 042/EB 168 029
1422/1423 101 014/151 015 1814/1815 ET 168 046/EB 168 042
1424/1425 101 016/151 017 1816/1817 ET 168 028/EB 168 028
1426/1427 101 018/151 019 1818/1819 ET 168 018/EB 168 018
1428/1429 101 020/151 021 1820/1821 ET 168 019/EB 168 019
1430/1431 101 022/151 023 1822/1823 ET 168 040/EB 168 040
1432/1433 101 024/151 025 1824/1825 ET 168 047/EB 168 047
1434/1435 101 026/151 027 1826/1827 ET 168 044/EB 168 044
1436/1437 101 028/151 029 1828/1829 ET 168 024/EB 168 024
1438/1439 101 030/151 031 1830/1831 ET 168 020/EB 168 020
1440/1441 101 032/151 033 1832/1833 ET 168 007/EB 168 012
1442/1443 101 034/151 035 1834/1835 ET 168 001/EB 168 001
1444/1445 101 036/151 037 1836/1837 ET 168 017/EB 168 017
1446/1447 101 038/151 039 1838/1839 ET 168 021/EB 168 021
1448/1449 101 040/151 041 1840/1841 ET 165 419/EB 165 419
1450/1451 101 042/151 043 1842/1843 ET 165 038/EB 165 038
1452/1453 101 044/151 045 1844/1845 ET 165 037/EB 165 037

The project began in the summer of 1962. Six trains of the S-Bahn type 168 were converted in the Reichsbahnausbesserungswerk Schöneweide (RAW) until the end of 1962. All in all, five batches of this new U-Bahn train type, called EIII, were delivered.

Batch 2

Vehicle Overview EIII, 2. Lieferserie[10]
Number
(bef 1970)		 Number
(aft 1970)		 Number
(aft 1992)		 Dispensed Trains
1454/1455 102 050/152 051 1850/1851 ET 169 031a
1456/1457 102 052/152 053 1852/1853 ET 169 013b
1458/1459 102 054/152 055 1854/1855 ET 169 010a
1460/1461 102 056/152 057 1856/1857 ET 169 010b
1462/1463 102 058/152 059 1858/1859 ET 169 008a
1464/1465 102 060/152 061 1860/1861 ET 169 008b
1466/1467 102 062/152 063 1862/1863 ET 169 002a
1468/1469 102 064/152 065 1864/1865 ET 169 002b
1470/1471 102 066/152 067 1866/1867 ET 169 006a
1472/1473 102 068/152 069 1868/1869 ET 169 006b
1474/1475 102 070/152 071 1870/1871 ET 169 016a
1476/1477 102 072/152 073 1872/1873 ET 169 016b
1478/1479 102 074/152 075 1874/1875 ET 169 015a
1480/1481 102 076/152 077 1876/1877 ET 169 015b

The Kleinprofil trains could finally be moved back from the E line to the A line, which sorely needed the trains due to a very large number of passengers on the segment between Schönhauser Allee and Alexanderplatz.

The fleet numbering system was changed from 14xx to 10x (Triebwagen) and 15x (Beiwagen) series for the trains.

Batch 3

102 052 (left), 1991
Vehicle Overview EIII, 3. Lieferserie[11]
Number
(aft 1970)		 Number
(aft 1992)		 Dispensed Trains
103 080/153 081 1880/1881 275 837/275 838
103 082/153 083 1882/1883 275 839/275 840
103 084/153 085 1884/1885 275 849/275 850
103 086/153 087 1886/1887 275 835/275 836

Construction began for the extension of Line E from Friedrichsfelde to Tierpark, to serve the Tierpark Zoo there. In order to increase the capacity for the extension, BVB had to get 4 trains from the DR Class 275. These trains were converted between 9 September 1972 and 25 January 1973.

Batch 4

Vehicle Overview EIII/4[12]
Number
(bis 1970)		 Number
(ab 1970)		 Dispensed Trains
104 090/154 091 1890/1891 275 671/275 672
104 092/154 093 1892/1893 275 759/275 760
104 094/154 095 1894/1895 275 217/275 218
104 096/154 097 1896/1897 275 795/275 796
104 097/154 099 1898/1899 275 823/275 824

After the opening of Tierpark station, there was a need to increase capacity on the Line E. Therefore, BVB had to convert five more trains which is from the DR Class 275. These trains were delivered between 1975 and 1982.

Batch 5

Vehicle Overview EIII/5[13]
Number
(bef 1992)		 Number
(aft 1992)		 Dispensed Trains
105 100/155 101 1900/1901 275 613/275 614
105 102/155 103 1902/1903 275 035/275 036
105 104/155 105 1904/1905 275 077/275 406
105 106/155 107 1906/1907 275 445/275 446
105 108/155 109 1908/1909 275 229/275 230
105 110/155 111 1910/1911 275 549/275 550
105 112/155 113 1912/1913 275 957/275 670
105 114/155 115 1914/1915 275 197/275 198
105 116/155 117 1916/1917 275 827/275 372
105 118/155 119 1918/1919 275 497/275 498
105 120/155 121 1920/1921 275 329/275 330
105 122/155 123 1922/1923 275 821/275 960
105 124/155 125 1924/1925 275 321/275 322
105 126/155 127 1926/1927 275 139/275 140
105 128/155 129 1928/1929 275 359/275 360
105 130/155 131 1930/1931 275 607/275 820
105 132/155 133 1932/1933 275 065/275 066
105 134/155 135 1934/1935 275 657/275 448
105 136/155 137 1936/1937 275 731/275 554
105 138/155 139 1938/1939 275 829/275 830
105 140/155 141 1940/1941 275 079/275 080
105 142/155 143 1942/1943 275 145/275 146
105 144/155 145 1944/1945 275 159/275 160
105 146/155 147 1946/1947 275 463/275 464
105 148/155 149 1948/1949 275 089/275 090
105 150/155 151 1950/1951 275 101/275 102
105 152/155 153 1952/1953 275 123/275 124
105 154/155 155 1954/1955 275 207/275 208
105 156/155 157 1956/1957 275 055/275 056
105 158/155 159 1958/1959 275 523/275 524
105 160/155 161 1960/1961 275 211/275 212
105 162/155 163 1962/1963 275 825/275 826
105 164/155 165 1964/1965 275 029/275 030
105 166/155 167 1966/1967 275 789/275 790
105 168/155 169 1968/1969 275 259/275 260
105 170/155 171 1970/1971 275 447/275 553
105 172/155 173 1972/1973 275 017/275 018
105 174/155 175 1974/1975 275 367/275 368
105 176/155 177 1976/1977 275 409/275 410
105 178/155 179 1978/1979 275 349/275 350
105 180/155 181 1980/1981 277 293/275 644

BVB had the need to order new trains because of the extension of line E from Tierpark to the Hellersdorf area and Hönow. BVB had contracted several trains from the Berlin S-Bahn and those selected D57/D60 units from the BVG which was originally destined to be scrapped. The first two prototypes started delivery in May 1986 before the subsequent delivery in September 1986. The condition was later reversed. For safety reasons, the ceilings of the manufacturer plate was given after the trains were burnt out at Klosterstraße station. 25 double-end cars were also added into the fleet for the D class trains, whereas the remainder of 41 were line E. The last of these trains were delivered before September 1990, just before Die Wende.

EIV trains

The GDR or the BVB had already planned further. Although it had developed over 40 years, many parts of these train came mostly from S-Bahn trains which were built in the 1920s and the 1930s, and thus was very old. On the other hand, enormous efforts have been made by the industry to develop a modern S-Bahn train. This then succeeded so well with the DR Class 270 (now DBAG Class 485), which were produced in the years 1987-92 for Deutsche Reichsbahn. In LEW Hennigsdorf in the 1980s there were already plans for a new subway train for large profile line E as the successor to the E-III trains. They had dimensioned the timeframe so that the mid-90s should be started with the delivery of this thoroughly modern trains. These trains were to be installed with AC drive, among other things, which would have been a novelty for local trains in the GDR. Design studies for this new type of train were abandoned in 1990.

Accidents

Over the years, the EIII has repeatedly suffered minor accidents and damage. In addition there were four major accidents in the period from 1972 to 1992, although, as a rule, only property damage arose.[14]

In March 1972 there was a rear-end collision in the Lichtenberg subway station, the train 101   040 was damaged. It was rebuilt until 1974 at RAW Schöneweide.[14]

On 13 January 1980 traction truck 101 escaped in the sweeping station at Alexanderplatz subway station. The car was rebuilt until March 1980 in Raw Schöneweide and derailed again in January 1981 in the same place. Reconstruction took place until December 1982 in the context of a major investigation.[14]

On 21 October 1992, there was a rear-end collision between the Kaulsdorf-Nord and Berlin Wuhletal stations involving DI cars 110 318 and the EIII car 101 015/151 015. As the retirement of the EIII/4 had already been decided in the near future, the vehicle was not rebuilt.[14]

After reunification

In 1992, when the BVB was re-unified with the BVG (West) to form BVG, the trains were progressively renumbered from 10x and 15x series, into the 18xx and 19xx. Most of the trains were also serviced in the Wannsee depot in the meantime before transferring to the reunified Deutsche Bahn on 1 January 1994. The management board of the BVG decided to replace the EIII cars into the new millennium with the new Class F cars.

This allowed phasing out of the trains to target those beyond EIII.4 cars. According to some sources, some trains were to be sold to Warsaw Metro after the retirement, but these plans did not materialise. This would also be a modernisation of the trains such that trains will have BOStrab. The vehicles had received no major studies, the last unit 1818/1819 left on 11 January 1993 from the Raw in this state.

Originally the BVG wanted to keep the EIII trains until 1999, but because of enormous operating and maintenance costs after the reunification of Germany, the EIII trains were retired as early as 1994. There were plans to use up the EIII/4 of the lifespan until 1995, and the EIII/5 and EIII/5U until 2000. Since the necessary spare vehicles for the Class F were not ready, the BVG proceeded to redeploy more trains to the U8 and reduce the number of trains of U5, until the Class H trains were delivered.

The trains were not designed for use in magnetically secured routes. Some of the aspects include relatively sedate driving techniques. There had been attempts to test the EIII trains on other lines, however this failed. The actual last day of operation is 16 July 1994. The last trains were 1830/1831+1810/1811+1842/1843 and 1916/1917+1914/1915+1908/1909, running from Alexanderplatz to Hönow.

References

  1. 1 2 Biedl & Walter 2001, pp. 5–6.
  2. 1 2 Biedl & Walter 2001, pp. 6–12.
  3. ↑ Biedl & Walter 2001, pp. 13–16.
  4. ↑ Elster, Manfred; Wolf, Johannes (1980). "Die U-Bahnlinie E. Die Fahrzeuge". Verkehrsgeschichtliche Blätter (in German) (7): 184–186.
  5. ↑ Verkehrsgeschichtliche Blätter, ed. (2003). U5. Geschichte(n) aus dem Untergrund. Zwischen Alex und Hönow (in German). GVE. p. 52.
  6. ↑ Biedl & Walter 2001, pp. 23–25.
  7. ↑ Biedl & Walter 2001, pp. 26–27.
  8. ↑ Hütter, Hans-Joachim (2003). "U-Bahnen aus der S-Bahn-Werkstatt". In Verkehrsgeschichtliche Blätter (ed.). U5. Geschichte(n) aus dem Untergrund. Zwischen "Alex" und Hönow (in German). GVE. pp. 53–55.
  9. ↑ Biedl & Walter 2001, p. 32.
  10. ↑ Biedl & Walter 2001, p. 41.
  11. ↑ Biedl & Walter 2001, p. 45.
  12. ↑ Biedl & Walter 2001, p. 48.
  13. ↑ Biedl & Walter 2001, pp. 64–65.
  14. 1 2 3 4 Biedl & Walter 2001, p. 51.
  • Biedl, Andreas; Walter, Norbert (2001). Die Fahrzeuge der Berliner U-Bahn. Typ E (in German). Berlin: VBN Verlag Bernd Neddermeyer. ISBN 3-933254-17-5.
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