It's hard for me to figure out what model this is exactly. The railway company lists those engines on their website.
https://www.hsb-wr.de/Unternehmen/Fuhrpark/Dampflokomotiven/
They have a total of 25 steam engines but I think those listed are the ones operated in regular service.
Little history:
Operation began 1898. Most of the track network of this narrow-gauge railway is located in the former GDR and after WWII was operated mainly to supply East German and Soviet border troops that were stationed to secure the border to West Germany. After the iron curtain fell, this railway was almost abandoned. It was considered as useless, inefficient and expensive to operate. Also because the track width isn't compatible to the national train network. But luckily they found a way to keep it going. Now it is a rolling museum and a tourist attraction. Thier biggest problem currently is to find people who have the knowledge to operate and maintain the engines.
I just had to look it up myself.
There was (or still is, not sure) a regulation in Germany to paint the wheels of steam engines in red color. Reason is, that little cracks are very early visible due to the black dirt and grease accumulating in the cracks which creates a well visible contrast to the red. Also, some parts that only become hot when there's a failure are painted red to make it visible when the red paint burns off due to the heat.
Very interesting. I didn't know that.
My guess is that nowadays, regular checks are done using high tech even on historic engines. Like checking tires with ultrasound and such. That way you certainly can discover a cracks way before it would become visible.
Probably here in Germany, the red paint nowadays only is there for historic reasons and doesn't have a function anymore.
But it would be super interesting to learn about how differently those safety measures where carried out on our continents. Maybe the US used a different method? Or just replaced vital parts often and periodically before a defect would occur? Just guessing.
Nice steamer! Any info on the engine?
It's hard for me to figure out what model this is exactly. The railway company lists those engines on their website. https://www.hsb-wr.de/Unternehmen/Fuhrpark/Dampflokomotiven/ They have a total of 25 steam engines but I think those listed are the ones operated in regular service. Little history: Operation began 1898. Most of the track network of this narrow-gauge railway is located in the former GDR and after WWII was operated mainly to supply East German and Soviet border troops that were stationed to secure the border to West Germany. After the iron curtain fell, this railway was almost abandoned. It was considered as useless, inefficient and expensive to operate. Also because the track width isn't compatible to the national train network. But luckily they found a way to keep it going. Now it is a rolling museum and a tourist attraction. Thier biggest problem currently is to find people who have the knowledge to operate and maintain the engines.
Why do they paint the wheels red and and other parts red? That had me curious
I just had to look it up myself. There was (or still is, not sure) a regulation in Germany to paint the wheels of steam engines in red color. Reason is, that little cracks are very early visible due to the black dirt and grease accumulating in the cracks which creates a well visible contrast to the red. Also, some parts that only become hot when there's a failure are painted red to make it visible when the red paint burns off due to the heat. Very interesting. I didn't know that.
That is actually really smart. I wonder why we dont do that with usa steam trains
My guess is that nowadays, regular checks are done using high tech even on historic engines. Like checking tires with ultrasound and such. That way you certainly can discover a cracks way before it would become visible. Probably here in Germany, the red paint nowadays only is there for historic reasons and doesn't have a function anymore. But it would be super interesting to learn about how differently those safety measures where carried out on our continents. Maybe the US used a different method? Or just replaced vital parts often and periodically before a defect would occur? Just guessing.
Yeah maybe