Three-Phase Current Pioneer
The three-phase current asynchronous motor was first used worldwide on electric standard gauge locomotives on the five class 120.0 preproduction locomotives delivered in 1979/80. This type of motor can be controlled infinitely variably. The regular production locomotives, road numbers 120 101-160, emerged from AEG, BBC, Siemens, Krauss-Maffei, Krupp, and Henschel between 1987 and 1989 with numerous improvements. They were used immediately pulling high-quality passenger trains (IC, IR), but they could also be seen pulling fast freight trains on the new construction routes. After over 30 years, the era of the class 120.1 came to an end in DB long-distance service with the last run pulling IC 2161 Stuttgart - Nürnberg - Munich on July 5, 2020. Several units found a new home in the meantime on private railroad companies.
Prototype: German Railroad, Inc. (DB AG) class 120 fast general-purpose locomotive. The locomotive looks as it did in Era V.
Highlights
The locomotive has a motor with a bell-shaped armature. Both trucks are powered. The locomotive has dark wheel treads. There are triple headlights, which change over with the direction of travel.
The locomotive has electric catenary function, and the selector screw for this is out of sight inside the locomotive.
Length over the buffers 87 mm / 3-5/16".
