A comprehensive historical record from Eisenbahn Kurier, examining the history and operating life of the Prussian Class G 8.3 and Class G 8.2 steam locomotives.
The requirement for these locomotives arose from the lack of serviceable freight locomotives during the First World War. Both designs were a development of the Prussian G 12 locomotive. 85 three-cylinder locomotives of Class G 8.3 were built, which later became part of the DRG series as Class 561.
The not-particularly-popular three-cylinder engine with its derived internal control was soon abandoned in favor of a two-cylinder engine and the later locomotives were put into service as Class G 8.2. In total, 846 of these locomotives were built; they were designated as Class 56.20-29 by DR. Both types were used by both German railway administrations until the early 1970s.
The locomotives were not only used in Germany, but also in Poland, the Soviet Union and Romania. Derivatives built under license in Turkey continued to see use as late as 1990.
In Die Baureihen 56(1) und 56(20), author Hans-Jürgen Wenzel covers every aspect of the locomotives’ story. Also contains approximately 170 black & white photographs, several diagrams and tabulated data. 128 pages. German text. Hardback
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