Baden VI b

The Baden VI b was the first German tank locomotive with a 2-6-2 wheel arrangement. It was developed by the firm of Maffei for the Grand Duchy of Baden State Railways in order to provide faster services on the Höllentalbahn. As a result, the first six batches were given a firebox sloping to the rear. One striking feature was also the connecting pipe between the two steam domes.

Baden VI b DRG Class 75.1–3
Baden VIb, No. 279
Type and origin Builder Maffei (15) MBG Karlsruhe (158) Build date 1900–1923 Total produced 173
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 2-6-2T  • German Pt 35.14 Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) Leading dia. 990 mm (3 ft 3 in) Driver dia. 1,480 mm (4 ft 10+1⁄4 in) Trailing dia. 990 mm (3 ft 3 in) Wheelbase:  • Overall 8,400 mm (27 ft 6+3⁄4 in) Length: ​  • Over beams 11,760 mm (38 ft 7 in) Height 4,150 mm (13 ft 7+3⁄8 in) Axle load 14.1 t (13.9 long tons; 15.5 short tons) Adhesive weight 42.2–42.3 t (41.5–41.6 long tons; 46.5–46.6 short tons) Empty weight 50.8–52.1 t (50.0–51.3 long tons; 56.0–57.4 short tons) Service weight 64.2–67.3 t (63.2–66.2 long tons; 70.8–74.2 short tons) Fuel capacity 3 t (2.95 long tons; 3.31 short tons) of coal Water cap. 7.0 m3 (1,500 imp gal; 1,800 US gal) Boiler: ​ No. of heating tubes 185–189 Heating tube length 4,050 mm (13 ft 3+1⁄2 in) Boiler pressure 13 kgf/cm2 (1.27 MPa; 185 lbf/in2) Heating surface:  • Tubes 105.92–108.21 m2 (1,140.1–1,164.8 sq ft)  • Firebox 1.83 m2 (19.7 sq ft)  • Radiative 8.0–8.7 m2 (86–94 sq ft)  • Evaporative 113.91–118.62 m2 (1,226.1–1,276.8 sq ft) Cylinder size 435 mm (17+1⁄8 in) Piston stroke 630 mm (24+13⁄16 in) Valve gear Walschaerts (Heusinger) Loco brake Westinghouse air brake
Performance figures Maximum speed 80 km/h (50 mph)
Career Numbers G.Bad.St.E.: 4…389, 793–812, 1133–1152, 1193–1214 DRG: 75 101 … 75 302 Retired 1933–1965

After the first delivery of 15 examples from Maffei, the remaining batches, 2 to 11, were produced by the Maschinenbau-Gesellschaft Karlsruhe. The Deutsche Reichsbahn took over 164 engines. Between 1935 and 1937, five locomotives were sold to the Kreis Oldenburger Eisenbahn; they returned to the Reichsbahn in August 1941 when the KOE was nationalised, and the locomotives regained their former DRG numbers.[1]

Most of the Reichsbahn fleet survived World War II. The Deutsche Bundesbahn ended up with 117 vehicles. Their retirement from the DB began in 1957 and was completed when 75 299 was withdrawn in 1962. The Deutsche Reichsbahn in East Germany took its engines out of service between 1955 and 1965.

Within this class there were differences between the eleven individual batches in terms of overall length, weight, the height of the boiler axis above the rails and the shape of the water tanks.

None of this class is known to have been preserved.