German Railways in the East

[Der Alte Fritz]

Img_0548.jpg

Two Prussian P 8 in Ukraine
Of the locomotive 38 2594 we know that it has been sent by Higher Train Depot Halle P to "East".
After the retreat it moved to Czechoslovakia, so that it served after the war in the CSD service. Our picture shows her with a sister locomotive in Higher Train Depot Kiev, which at the end of 1942 possessed no less than 62 Prussian P 8.

The P8 locomotive was designed in 1906 by Robert Garbe and was built up until 1926 with a 4-6-0 wheel arrangement, 17.6t axle load and an indicated power of 868 KW and could haul 300 t at 100 km/h (62 mph) and 400 t at 90 km/h (56 mph) on the flat.

[GregSingh]

That is correct. Trichatz, Trichaty or Трихаты. These days called Трихати (Trykhaty). It's on Odessa-Nikolajew line.
Soviet railway map from 1943 shows it, although according to German map from 1943 (based on 1941 data) - there is no bridge and railway to the east of the river is under construction. Based on information from village webpage - "first bridge was built there in 1914, burned during civil war in 1919. Second bridge was built by Germans during occupation".
Seems to me that this line was not in operation before 1941.

[Der Alte Fritz]

Img_0549.jpg

Again, a Prussian locomotive at the coaling station, but thousands of miles away from the previous Location: The frost protected 911 754 was stationed in Libau on the Lithuanian Baltic Sea coast in accordance with the higher technological level of the Baltic railways, we see already a coal crane with a suspended jib with an electric motor. It is being operating by a woman.
The locomotive had come from Oebisfelde to Vilna, where it is seen from March 1942 to July 1943. At war's end it remained in West Germany and was on 15 June 1962 ls one of the last T 93 retired from the DB

[Der Alte Fritz]

Img_0547.jpg

Such trains could often be seen from the summer of 1941 in Germany. A significant part of the stock of 38-10, 55-0, 55-7, 55-16, 56-2-8, 56-20, 57-10, 91-3 and 92-5 was appointed to "Eastern Front" and departed went to meet varied fates. Here are the 55 4058 a 57-10, then a 55-25, 57-10 a again, again two 55-25, then 56-20, and finally probably a compartment car for the accompanying Personal. Perhaps the 55 4058 just on the documented in their log book way from the old home-depot Scherfede (to 8 November 1941) after "Tarnow to be forwarded to Gornel" (from November 9, 1941). After deployments to Daugavpils and Dnepropetrovsk it was among the many locomotives whose traces were lost during the war. The "locomotive trains" required a lot of staff: in the early forties 15% of the engineer and fireman of the RBD Berlin were tied up in guiding trains.

[Der Alte Fritz]

Img_0546.jpg

Snowy locomotives in the East
The damage caused by cold forced many much-needed locomotives for weeks and months into the sidings. The 56-20 in the center has already received prior to the frost protective covering of the air pump,
is turned off but still defective. Next to it is a 57-10 without connecting rods, then the following strong smoldering locomotive eludes identification. The left-Lok series consists of a 55-25, 56-2 and a further two 57-10, one of which receives a straight visit to the cab. Behind guessing, A horse drawn sleigh, muffled railwaymen and a snowy train yard with hoarfrost covered telegraph lines.

[Der Alte Fritz]

Img_0555.jpg

A 58-23 (Polish Type 23) heavy coal train. The wagons mixture could not be more contrasting with the solid four-axle booty wagon and with its cargo just about holding together a "Halle" (wagon of the federation type for 15t cargo from 1911). In all other respects a masterly railway photography.

[Der Alte Fritz]

Img_0552.jpg

With the parked machines 6684 & 6809 of the Directorate Odessa, which has been immortalized in the occupation of Transnistria taken over by the new owner - the Rumanian State Railways, but they do not have much joy: The Soviets have taken the connecting rods during their retreat. The third locomotive is a щ 1Dn2 model built in the years between 1907 and 1911.

[Der Alte Fritz]

These locomotives are O types see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_locomotive_class_O built from 1890—1915, 1925—1928 with an axle loading of only 7 tonnes per axle it could be used on almost any rails. Fairly typical stock for the Western Ukraine.

[Der Alte Fritz]

P-198 Destruction and Reconstruction of Railways in Russia
Organisation of the German Eisenbahnpioniere and other railway forces.

Page 33.jpg

Page 34.jpg

[Der Alte Fritz]

Page 38.jpg

Post Nr.92 http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... 4#p1850644 gives a total for about 90,000 Germans and 65,000 for AG MItte in 1943 but this is for Eisenbahnpioniere, FEDko, HBD and signals and security forces.

[Der Alte Fritz]

Page 41.jpg

This page is of interest because of the description of the state of the Reichsbahn before the war, following the running down of its resources.

Page 44.jpg

Page 45.jpg

These pages are of interest because a German officer is describing some Soviet railway lines that are more solidly built (heavier rails, stone ballast) than usual descriptions would suggest see von Bork T7 Russian Roads and Railways.

[Der Alte Fritz]

Page 47.jpg

The description of German and Soviet locomotives.

Page 62.jpg

The 'hook' train for destroying railway tracks and permanent way is well known but other types of track destroyer were available, this sort rips one rail up from the road bed and rips and bends the other rail so that it lies beside the other one.

[Der Alte Fritz]

Page 84.jpg

Page 85.jpg

Page 86.jpg

Page 87.jpg

Page 88.jpg

[Der Alte Fritz]

Page 89.jpg

Page 90.jpg

Page 91.jpg

Page 92.jpg

Page 93.jpg

[Der Alte Fritz]

Page 94.jpg