<kuid:142675:1225> Mining loco EL2 weathered V2

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During the 1930ies, transport requirements of the expanding german lignite or brown coal mining industry could no longer be met by the standard 900 mm gauge mining rolling stock. Accordingly a 960 kW electric locomotive of 100 tons weight for 1435 mm gauge, type EL2 was designed. The locomotive was built by several manufacturers and available for several electric systems.
Since lignite was an important raw material for the production of synthetic petrol and aviation fuels, the EL2 locomotive was listed amongst the so called Kriegslokomotiven, whose continued production was considered essential for the pursuit of the war.
After the war, lignite was the only locally available fuel in the soviet occupation zone, eventually to become the German Democratic Republic. Because of that, the EL2 locomotive continued in production at LEW Hennigsdorf, one of the two locomotives works in the GDR. It was not only built for the home market, but also for export into West Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia and other countries. After the downfall of the communist regime in 1989, a small number of locomotives was built with modern cabinterior, modernised engine controls and slightly altered outward appearance.
From the 1970ies, transport of lignite and spoil within lignite mines was gadually taken over by conveyor belts. After the German reunification in 1990, many lignite mines were closed down and surplus locomotives eventually scrapped. Some locomotives are preserved at museums dedicated to lignite mining and anciliary industries. The locomotives remaining in active service are gradually modernized at the former RAW Cottbus. They are employed with transporting lignite between loading stations near the mine pits and power plants as well as transporting ashes from the power plants to dump sites.
As AC cannot be transformed, an 24V AC-generator is attached to each of the ventilator motors. It charges batteries which supply energy for the electropneumatic controls. Bell, horn, windshield wipers as well as the pantografs are powered by compressed air too.
Compressed air supplied by the locomotive is also needed for braking and opereating the dumping mechanisms of the coal and spoil cars. Accordingly several colour coded air hoses are fitted at either end of the locomotive. The red hoses are for braking, the yellow ones for operating the spoil and coal cars und the blue ones for other additional functions.
Another remarcable feature are the buffers fitted to EL2 locomotives although they are equipped with the rigid coupling funnels typical for rolling stock employed by the lignite mining industry. In regular operation mining locomotives and cars are linked by massive rod-shaped couplers, which take all longitudinal stresses. Because of the buffers, cars with standard screw type couplers and buffers may be coupled to the locomotives too, by means of coupling adaptors.
The letters and numbers painted at the sides give the locomotive number and technical details. The system used applies to all locomotives used in the East German lignite mining industry. The number 4- in the upper line designates the manufacterer, LEW Henningsdorf. Numbers 1-, 2-, or 3- indicate the manufacturers Siemens, AEG and Borsig, respectively and are only found on very old locomotives of prewar manufacture. The following numbers are the locomotive number. The letter B in the lower Line indicates 1435 gauge, the letter A 900 mm gauge. The following number -3 indicates 2400 AC und the number 100 the gross weight of the locomotive.
In East Germany, the locomotives were painted with the dark green bodies and red bogeys which were also found with electric locomotives of Deutsche Reichsbahn. Like with other railway companies,locomotive crews of lignite mining railways were supposed to keep their engines clean. Because of the shortnesses of the communist economy, locomotive crews used floor polish to get a shine to their locomotive‘s bodies. Despite all care, many locomotives developed a weathered appearance towards the end of a maintenance interval.
The model ist equiped with running numbers, couplers, compressed air hoses and pantographs wich are controlled by script. The pantographs can be operated either manually or automatically.