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Description
Again uploading something which is already on DA, but I wanted to share my own trophy again.

has already posted a pic of this EMU, the class 420, with this one not having that childish graffiti on its front, but some metal damage instead. I really don't know what they have done to this train, but I doubt that they want to look after them too well. Certain S-Bahn lines are going to be combined or discontinued, and when that happens, these guys willl probably be out of work (read: scrapped).

So for those who are interested, we're looking at one end of a three car EMU, the third series of this type, built between 1977 and 78. This was probably the first modern trainset that would even meet many expectations that one has today. Features include an electric braking system, pneumatic suspension, all electric equipment being stored below the floor, pneumatic suspension, fully automatic Scharfenberg couplers and thyristor controlled power output. Of course nowadays one would want to have multiphase AC traction etc., but considering their age, these cars still do their job. Top speed is 120km/h, nothing too fancy, but more than enough for regional urban traffic. There seems to have been a battle between these trainsets and loco pulled trains, which the latter seem to have won. Around here in NRW, the 420 only operates on a few lines, and as I've said, is prone to be scrapped soon. I think this train has much more character than the newer EMUs, it has something classic to it. And I bet the driver appreciates the huge windshield, at least huge by train standards The biggest drawback of this trainset is its design, which is aimed at localized mass transit, so with not too much space between stops, such as a subway for example. It would be perfectly fit for that role, considering that each car has four doors, allowing a quick passenger exchange, but S-Bahn lines have turned out to be more fit for carriages+locos, due to at times long distances between stations.

Another very interesting fact is also that the former class 403 (nowadays the ICE of the third generation carries this type number) is very much based on this regional train! The pneumatic suspension, lightweight construction, automatic couplers, and the idea of a trainset instead of engine+carriages was used to build Germany's first dedicated high speed train. It was a marvellous piece of engineering, streamlined, up to 220km/h fast (though only allowed 200), equipped with a tilting mechanism to reach higher speeds on curvy track, and all this back in 1972! However, it proved to be too inefficient (few seating places, first class only, very small and cumbersome kitchen in the dining car, almost no dedicated high speed tracks, tilting mechanism making passengers feel unwell, and being disabled because of that etc.) and was soon retired. After a revival as the "Lufthansa Airport Express", it suffered corrosion problems, with the legend saying that on its last run, a door even fell off at 100km/h... The trainsets were then pushed to a siding, rotting, being vandalized, rusting, being bought by another company and pulled to another siding, where they could finally keep rotting... A very sad story. I urge you to take a peek in this small collection of pics that shows the cars in service, and how they look nowadays. The current status is that they are beyond repair

Description
Again uploading something which is already on DA, but I wanted to share my own trophy again.

has already posted a pic of this EMU, the class 420, with this one not having that childish graffiti on its front, but some metal damage instead. I really don't know what they have done to this train, but I doubt that they want to look after them too well. Certain S-Bahn lines are going to be combined or discontinued, and when that happens, these guys willl probably be out of work (read: scrapped).

So for those who are interested, we're looking at one end of a three car EMU, the third series of this type, built between 1977 and 78. This was probably the first modern trainset that would even meet many expectations that one has today. Features include an electric braking system, pneumatic suspension, all electric equipment being stored below the floor, pneumatic suspension, fully automatic Scharfenberg couplers and thyristor controlled power output. Of course nowadays one would want to have multiphase AC traction etc., but considering their age, these cars still do their job. Top speed is 120km/h, nothing too fancy, but more than enough for regional urban traffic. There seems to have been a battle between these trainsets and loco pulled trains, which the latter seem to have won. Around here in NRW, the 420 only operates on a few lines, and as I've said, is prone to be scrapped soon. I think this train has much more character than the newer EMUs, it has something classic to it. And I bet the driver appreciates the huge windshield, at least huge by train standards The biggest drawback of this trainset is its design, which is aimed at localized mass transit, so with not too much space between stops, such as a subway for example. It would be perfectly fit for that role, considering that each car has four doors, allowing a quick passenger exchange, but S-Bahn lines have turned out to be more fit for carriages+locos, due to at times long distances between stations.

Another very interesting fact is also that the former class 403 (nowadays the ICE of the third generation carries this type number) is very much based on this regional train! The pneumatic suspension, lightweight construction, automatic couplers, and the idea of a trainset instead of engine+carriages was used to build Germany's first dedicated high speed train. It was a marvellous piece of engineering, streamlined, up to 220km/h fast (though only allowed 200), equipped with a tilting mechanism to reach higher speeds on curvy track, and all this back in 1972! However, it proved to be too inefficient (few seating places, first class only, very small and cumbersome kitchen in the dining car, almost no dedicated high speed tracks, tilting mechanism making passengers feel unwell, and being disabled because of that etc.) and was soon retired. After a revival as the "Lufthansa Airport Express", it suffered corrosion problems, with the legend saying that on its last run, a door even fell off at 100km/h... The trainsets were then pushed to a siding, rotting, being vandalized, rusting, being bought by another company and pulled to another siding, where they could finally keep rotting... A very sad story. I urge you to take a peek in this small collection of pics that shows the cars in service, and how they look nowadays. The current status is that they are beyond repair