Suitable for the D374/375 “Vindobona/Hungaria”, items 74188, 74189, 74190

Prototype Information

The class 230 was the first dual-system locomotive used for the mainline service of what was then the Deutsche Reichsbahn (DR) in the GDR. The development, construction and testing of these locomotives took place as a collaborative, joint project between the DR and the Czechoslovakian State Railway (CSD). Due to a lack of experience in the field of dual-system technology (GDR: AC voltage 15 kV/16 2/3 Hz, CSSR: DC voltage 3 kV) and the full utilisation of capacities at the electric locomotive manufacturer LEW in Hennigsdorf, the engines were designed based on the CSD classes ES 499.1 and 499.2.

However, the Škoda locomotive factory had never built an engine for the 15 kV/16 2/3 Hz AC system before, and for this reason the AC unit parts were supplied from the GDR, by LEW in Hennigsdorf. Due to the CSD’s requirements, this resulted in a two-fold contract for Škoda, with 20 locomotives for the DR (class 230) and 15 locomotives for the CSD (class 372). In 1988, one prototype was delivered for each railway; the 230 001 for the DR and the 372 001 for the CSD. Subsequent to the extensive testing program, series delivery of the other locomotives took place from 1991 onwards. These engines featured an hourly output of 3,260 kW and a maximum speed of 120 km/h. In 1992, the engines were renamed as BR 180 for the DB AG. The development of the Decín–Prague connection at a maximum speed of 160 km/h made it necessary to upgrade several locomotives.

For this purpose, the CD converted six engines for express service, whilst the Deutsche Bahn only converted the 180 001. The special technical features and striking appearance of these locomotives ensured that railway employees rapidly developed nicknames for them. The BR 230/180 is lovingly known as the “Knödelpresse” (dumpling press). Its Czech counterpart was also given a nickname. In the neighbouring country, the class 372 is known as the “Bastard”, and the class 371 with its maximum speed of 160 km/h is called the “Turbobastard”. In the year 2014, the BR 180 run by DB Schenker Rail was slowly phased out as modern locomotives such as the BR 189 increasingly took over its services. In the first half-year of 2014, two locomotives underwent a general inspection, but on the other hand, ten of these engines were sold to the Czech Republic from the DB AG Shutdown Management Department.

On 4th December 2014, the operation of the BR 180 in DB AG services came to an end. Some of the engines sold to the Czech private railway TSS Cargo with valid deployment periods were rapidly put into use again, and hauled cross-border goods trains to Bremerhaven, amongst other locations. This was a hitherto unthinkable field of operations. From 2016, the first locomotives were repainted in the yellow and blue colour scheme representing TSS. However, after a few runs on the Elbtal line and in the Czech Republic, the locomotives were soon withdrawn from service.

The 180 014 is the only engine still preserved in German today as a museum piece by the Thuringia Railway Association.