The class E 16 was the only German locomotive design to feature the Buchli drive. Following a prolonged tendering phase, the Bavarian Group Administration of the German State Railway ordered first one and then, after an intensive trial period, a further 16 additional express electric locomotives from BBC in 1923 for its main lines intended for electrification. These were to be given the type designation ES 1. The locomotives with the wheel arrangement 1'Do1' were moved by a one-sided single-axle drive, which had been developed by the Swiss engineer Buchli and had proven its worth in the SBB series Ae 3/6. Although maintenance of this type of drive proved costly, it proved highly effective over the 52 years of service of the class, which was named E 16 after the newly introduced designation system, and then 116 from 1968 onwards. The locomotives were renowned as smooth-running vehicles. In 1929, the State Railway procured four more engines from Krauss and BBC. Because these featured some changes in comparison to the first locomotives, amongst other things to the frame and superstructure, these locomotives were listed under the class designation E 16.1.
The locomotives were able to achieve a top speed of 120 km/h with an hourly output of 2,340/2,580 kW and a continuous output of 2,020/2,400 kW. During their initial years of service, amongst others the high quality express trains coming from Munich were drawn by the E 16. Usually, they hauled the fast and express trains in Bavaria and into Austria. At the height of their operational career, these engines transported three F-trains, amongst these the F 5/6 Orient-Express, as well as 42 D-train pairs.
At the end of 1958, the Federal Railway brought all the E 16s together in the Freilassing depot. These reliable locomotives remained essential until well into the 1970s, and they were lovingly cared for and supervised in Freilassing. In 1978, scheduled operations ended for this class.
EDITION FREILASSING
Over the coming years, selected models from the former Freilassing depot are to be reproduced under the label “Edition Freilassing”. The first locomotives, at the time still running under steam, entered the locomotive shed with its 20 tracks in the year 1905. Around 20 years later, the electric locomotive workshops were constructed, and further buildings followed over the subsequent years. ROCO, too, has close connections with the Bavarian city of Freilassing, as the company’s first sales office was located here. Look forward to the models in this unique edition!
