2 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. Dampflokomotive: Tekatka191· CC BY-SA 3.0
- 2. WP DRG BR 81: Unknown photographer· Public domain
what is it?
The locomotives of the German DRG Class 81 were standard (Einheitsdampflokomotiven) goods train tank locomotives with the Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft (DRG). In 1928, ten examples were delivered by the firm of Hanomag that matched the Class 80 locomotives in many details. The axles were all fixed rigidly to the frame, but the middle one had thinner wheel flanges.
who runs it
base stats
Bars compare against all trains: 600 km/h (maglev), 1,700 seats; power, weight and number built on a log scale up to 20 MW, 1,000 t and 20,000 built.
fun facts
- First built 98 years ago, in 1928.
- Weighs about as much as 9 African elephants (~6 t each).
- Served for 35 years (1928–1963).
steam locomotive: Burns coal, wood or oil to boil water; the steam drives pistons that turn the wheels.
spec sheet
- built
- 1928
- in service from
- 1928
- retired
- 1963
- status
- retired
- number built
- 10
- kind
- Steam
- traction
- steam
- origin
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- builders
- Hanomag
- operators
- Deutsche Reichsbahn, Deutsche Bundesbahn
- top speed
- 45 km/h
- power
- —
- gauge
- 1,435 mm standard gauge
- wheel arrangement
- 0-8-0
- weight
- 52 t
From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q426013, Wikipedia: DRG Class 81 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.