This list covers the locomotives and railbuses operated by the Royal Württemberg State Railways (Königlich Württembergische Staats-Eisenbahnen), the national railway company of Württemberg, a state in southwest Germany that was part of the German Empire. In 1920 the Royal Württemberg State Railways, along with the other German state railways (Länderbahnen), were merged into the Deutsche Reichsbahn.
Locomotive classification
The Württemberg state railway first divided its locomotives into classes in 1845. This first categorisation into classes I to VII was based on the order in which individual vehicles were procured.
The scheme proved to be unworkable in practice, so in 1858 a new system was introduced as follows:
In several cases the previous classes were simply redesignated. In other cases new locomotives and rebuilds were grouped together into one class despite being of different designs.
Over the course of time, the shortcomings of the system became apparent. In particular, the division of locomotives into 'light' and 'heavy' groups was unfortunate. The classification scheme was also no longer sufficient for new locomotives. As a result, it was changed slightly in 1892. On retirement, classes that became 'free' were used again.
A to E - Passenger train locomotives
F to K - Goods train locomotives
T - Tank locomotives
Individual classes were differentiated by means of lower case letters in order to be able to indicate certain characteristics, as well as by Arabic numerals to distinguish the individual designs.
ss - Narrow gauge locomotive, 750 mm (2 ft 5+1⁄2 in) gauge
Furthermore, several special abbreviations were introduced, such as KL for small locomotives, DW for steam railbuses, BW for petrol railbuses and AW for accumulator cars.
Württemberg locomotives were given names up to 1896. Subjects for locomotive names were generally geographical features (towns and rivers). Very often, locomotives were given names from their area of operations. On being transferred elsewhere, their names were usually changed.
In addition to names, locomotives were also given numbers. Up to 1890, they were sequentially numbered from 1 - 377. From that time onwards, newly procured locomotives in each class were given a special group of numbers, generally one hundred, beginning at 401.
On rebuilding, locomotives were organised into new classes, but the individual locos each retained their old operating numbers.
Steam locomotives
Early locomotives for all traffic types
The majority of these locomotives were rebuilt between 1867 and 1893. None were given operating numbers by the Deutsche Reichsbahn.
So-called "Alb" locomotives; first axle uncoupled in 1856 (1B n2) and replaced by a bogie in 1859 (2′B n2); no. 32 Ulm rebuilt in 1869 into a tank locomotive (2′B n2t)
The Royal Württemberg State Railways rebuilt older locomotives in order to re-use them and they did so to a much greater extent than other German state railways. This conversion activity may be divided into two periods of time: in the first one, from 1867 to 1887, under senior engineers Brockmann and Gross, older 2'B locomotives were rebuilt into rigid-axled 1B engines and tank locomotives of various wheel arrangements. Under chief engineers Adolf Klose and Eugen Kittel, the last remaining 2'B locomotives were also rebuilt into tank locomotives during the second conversion period between 1887 and 1910, and older 1B and C types, some of which themselves had already been rebuilt once before, were converted to match the newer locomotive types in appearance and performance.
First conversion period 1867–1887
Class
Railway number(s)
DRG number(s)
Quantity rebuilt
Year(s) rebuilt
Type
Remarks
B3
1"...148
51
1867–1883
1B n2
Rebuilt from 1 B (rebuild), 5 C (old), 45 D (old)
D (rebuild)
4"...48
16
1867–1874
1B n2
Rebuilt from 10 C (old), 6 D (old)
B2 (rebuild)
7...128
16
1868–1882
1B n2
Rebuilt from 9 A (old), 2 D (old), 5 E (old)
B (rebuild)
21...125
16
1869–1884
1B n2
Rebuilt from 3 A (old), 5 D (old), 1 D (rebuild), 7 E (old)
T2a
36, 37
2
1872–1875
1B n2t
Rebuilt from E (Alb)
E (rebuild)
88, 118
2
1873–1874
1′B n2
Rebuilt from E (old)
T4a
3"...123
11
1874–1886
2′B n2t
Rebuilt from 7 D (old), 1 D (rebuild), 1 E (old), 2 E (Alb)
T (rebuild)
87...129
7
1879–1887
B n2t
Rebuilt from E (old); 1 locomotive given the number and name of the retired Class D (old) engine, no. 105 Kirchberg
Aa (rebuild)
142, 179
2
1882
1B n2
Rebuilt from B (old)
Second conversion period 1887–1910
Class
Railway number(s)
DRG number(s)
Quantity rebuilt
Year(s) rebuilt
Type
Remarks
T2aa
88, 118
2
1887–1892
1B n2t
Rebuilt from E (rebuild)
T2
4"...150
15
1890–1894
1B n2t
Rebuilt from 1 D (old), 14 D (rebuild)s
Fa (rebuild) ab 1906: F2
127"...267
8
1890–1892
C n2
Rebuilt from F (from 1892: Fa)
F2 (Rebuild)
8"...333
53 8301
88
1891–1910
C n2
Rebuilt from F (from 1892: Fa)
T4n
101...151
6
1891–1895
2′B n2t
Rebuilt from D (old)
Ab
7...313
16
1893–1902
1B n2
Rebuilt from 3 B, 1 B (rebuild), 2 B2, 10 B2 (rebuild)
Kobschätzky, Hans (1980). Die Königlich Württembergischen Staatseisenbahnen (in German). Stuttgart: Franckh. ISBN3-440-04815-2.
Lohr, Hermann; Thielmann, Georg (1988). Lokomotiv-Archiv Württemberg (in German). Berlin: transpress. ISBN3-344-00222-8.
Mühl, Albert; Seidel, Kurt (1980). Die Württembergischen Staatseisenbahnen (in German). Stuttgart: Theiss. ISBN3-8062-0249-4.
Valtin, Wolfgang (1992). Deutsches Lok-Archiv: Verzeichnis aller Lokomotiven und Triebwagen Band 1 – Nummerierungssysteme (in German). Berlin: transpress. ISBN3-344-70739-6.
Valtin, Wolfgang (1992). Deutsches Lok-Archiv: Verzeichnis aller Lokomotiven und Triebwagen Band 2 – Dampflokomotiven und Dampftriebwagen (in German). Berlin: transpress. ISBN3-344-70740-X.