Gauge Minitrix - Article No. 16344

Class 103 Electric Locomotive

Prototype: German Federal Railroad (DB) class 103.1 (5th production run), road number 103 228-3, in an "Orient Red" paint scheme. C-C wheel arrangement, built starting in 1973. Use: TEE, EC, Intercity, and Interregio trains.

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Class 103 Electric Locomotive
Class 103 Electric Locomotive
Class 103 Electric Locomotive
Class 103 Electric Locomotive
Class 103 Electric Locomotive
Class 103 Electric Locomotive

Most Important Facts

Article No. 16344
Gauge / Design type Minitrix /
Era V
Kind Electric Locomotives
Article not produced anymore.
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  • Product description

    Model: The locomotive has a built-in digital decoder and sound generator for operation with DCC and Selectrix. The motor has a flywheel. 4 axles powered. Traction tires. The headlights and marker lights change over with the direction of travel and can be controlled digitally. Warm white LEDs are used for this lighting and there is cab lighting and engine room lighting. All of the lighting can be controlled digitally. The locomotive has a close coupler mechanism. It also has separately applied grab irons. Length over the buffers 126 mm / 4-15/16".

    Cars to go with this locomotive can be found under item numbers 15948 and 15949.

    Spare parts for our articles can be found here in our spare parts search.

  • Publications

    - New items brochure 2018 - Main Catalog 2018/2019
  • Prototype information

    The DB introduced a new train system for long-distance service on September 25, 1988 under the brand designation "InterRegio" (IR). It was intended to replace the "D-Zug" express trains of that time that ran in individual schedules. Regions and medium sized cities were to be linked to the long-distance network in two-hour schedules with fixed operational routes and modern, comfortable rolling stock. The IR was intended to form a useful supplement and expansion of the existing systems beneath the supplemental fare networks of the InterCity (IC) and EuroCity (EC) and (starting in 1991) the InterCity Express (ICE) with direct connections at "System and Junction Stations". Analog to the IC trains, the block formation was used again on these dual-class trains with updated rolling stock, whereby the Bistro car separated the two car classes. The first to go into operation daily with eight pairs of trains was IR Line 12 between Hamburg and Kassel. These trains were pulled by the DB's parade horses – the class 103.1 six-axle classy racers based at the Hamburg-Eidelstedt maintenance facility. Between 1969 and 1974, 145 of these powerful units with road numbers 103 101-245 were added to the DB roster. They were designed and built from the start for a speed of up to 265 km/h / 165.63 mph but they were allowed a maximum of 200 km/h / 125 mph. The class 103 units with their elegant streamlined shape and the Siemens rubber ring spring cardan shaft drive were the most powerful German electric locomotive and had an hourly performance of 7,780 kilowatts / 10,581 horsepower. "Orient Red" locomotives were planned exclusively as motive power for the trains formed completely of new, white-blue IR cars. This was to satisfy the corporate identity. By 1997, 84 units fell into the "Orient Red" paint pot. With delivery of the first regular production class 101 units in the fall of 1997, the class 103.1 units disappeared increasingly from IC service and larger waves of retirement lapped up around them. The last domain for these former classy racers was built around the IR service and their scheduled use was actually supposed to end in December of 2001. The high level of damage on the classes 101 and 112.1 forced the railroad to recall the already written off class 103.1 for a new long-term expansion on a large scale in the summer of 2001. One more time the last of the "Mohicans" were pulling IR trains, which showed what was still in them after 30 years of bone grinding work. Nothing lasts forever and all planned use of the class 103.1 units ended on December 14, 2002.

  • Digital Functions

    DCC SX2 SX MFX
    Headlight(s)
    Locomotive whistle
    Electric locomotive op. sounds
    Engineer’s cab lighting
    Direct control
    Sound of squealing brakes off
    Headlight(s): Cab2 End
    Light Function
    Headlight(s): Cab1 End
    Train announcement
    Conductor's Whistle
    Brake Compressor
    Blower motors
    Letting off Air
    Special light function
    Special sound function
    Sanding
    Station Announcements
    Station Announcements
    Train radio
    Station Announcements
    Station Announcements
    Train announcement
    Train announcement
    Doors Closing
    Sound of Couplers Engaging

Warning

ATTENTION: adults only