ESU 31650 HO Scale Steam engine, 80 031 DB, black, Era III, appearance of 1960, LokSound, Dualsmoke, automatic coupler, DC/AC

ESU 31650 HO Scale Steam engine, 80 031 DB, black, Era III, appearance of 1960, LokSound, Dualsmoke, automatic coupler, DC/AC
The German State Railway Company (DRG)'s standard steam locomotive program also included a three-axle series for heavy shunting duties. For this series, the DRG specified a maximum axle load of 17.5 t, which, thanks to several tricks, was only moderately exceeded during acceptance testing at 18.1 t. This series made the best possible use of the track facilities in marshalling yards and industrial areas close to major cities. In contrast to the numerous, mostly larger locomotives dating back to the days of the state railways, the 80 were both more powerful and more economical. Because of their powerful boilers, the three-coupled locomotives were nicknamed "Bulli" (Bulli). Despite the undeniable advantages of the modern design, the DRG limited itself to the 39 units purchased in 1928 and 1929 due to the difficult economic situation. Mostly in passenger stations, the locomotives zipped along the tracks at the maximum permissible speed of 45 km/h (28 mph). By 1966, the reliable locomotives had disappeared from the marshalling yards of both German state railways. V60s of both designs delivered similar traction power, but were even more versatile due to their higher top speed. At less than 40 years old, however, the 80s were far from obsolete. Both state railways used the Bullis in repair shops or sold them to industrial companies or coal mines, which gratefully made use of the proven locomotives. For example, a handful of the 80s toiled in coal mines in the Ruhr region. There they were even used to pull internal passenger trains. The last operational Bullis were 80 036 and 80 039 of the Hamm Museum Railway, which were transferred to the Veluwsche Stoomtrein Maatschappij (VSM) in the Netherlands. 80 009 of the Deutsche Reichsbahn enjoys a special status, being the only state railway locomotive to be sold to a private individual during the GDR era. The locomotive driver Klaus Hollenbach acquired the locomotive with great effort in 1981, transported it under its own power and built a locomotive shed and a short "siding" on his private property for his 80 009, which was lifted onto the tracks in 1982 using two mobile cranes.
• Metal chassis, frame, water tanks, and smokebox
• DC/AC universal electronics
• Coreless motor with flywheel
• LokSound 5 micro decoder for DCC, Motorola®, M4, and Selectrix® operation
• Automatic registration via RailComPlus® with appropriately equipped DCC central units
• Automatic registration with Märklin® mfx central units
• PowerPack storage capacitor for uninterruptible power supply
• Pulsed dual smoke unit for smoke emission and cylinder steam synchronized with LokSound
• Dual speakers with large sound capsules for maximum sound enjoyment
• Universal electronics with plug-in AC-pickup-shoe and switch for switching between 2-rail and 3-rail operation
• Digitally remote-controlled couplings
• Chassis lighting
• Metal wheels
• Locomotive crew in the cab
• Etched decals for self-assembly are included.
• Minimum radius for operation = 360 mm
• Length over buffers = 114 mm