#3821
DR Class E 251
🇩🇪 East Germany ·built by LEW Hennigsdorf· from 1965· class of 15 East German electric locomotives
2 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. 171 005 Die Rübelandbahn near Elbingerode, Oct 1995.: O· CC BY-SA 2.0
- 2. DR171 003-7 in Blankenburg: Benedictus· CC BY-SA 3.0
what is it?
The East German electric locomotives of DR Class E 251 (from 1970: 251, DBAG Class 171) were not standard engines either within the Deutsche Reichsbahn's or subsequently the Deutsche Bahn's fleet, due to the different specification of their electrical system. They were only used on the Blankenburg (Harz) – Königshütte (Rübeland Railway) line. Because this line had steep inclines, but connecting this isolated branch to the main traction network would have been very expensive, the Deutsche Reichsbahn electrified it in 1965 with a 25 kV 50 Hz system, which was different from the usual German catenary supply of 15 kV 16+2⁄3 Hz.
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 61 years ago, in 1965.
electric locomotive: Draws power from overhead wires or a third rail and pulls separate carriages.
spec sheet
- built
- 1965
- number built
- 15
- kind
- electric locomotive
- traction
- electric
- origin
- 🇩🇪 East Germany
- builders
- LEW Hennigsdorf
- operators
- Deutsche Reichsbahn (GDR)
- top speed
- 80 km/h
- power
- —
- gauge
- 1,435 mm standard gauge
- electric system
- 25 kV 50 Hz AC Catenary
- wheel arrangement
- Co′Co′
From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q315816, Wikipedia: DR Class E 251 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.