Steam locomotive BR41. ITALERI 8701

Assembly plastic kit of a steam locomotive for mixed service Baureihe BR 41.

From 1936, within the building programme for the German National Raiways (DRG), the BR 41 class of “standard” locomotives was developed for fast good trains. During the trial period the BR 41 received the nickname “Ox loco” because it was used for hauling fast cattle trains. Subsequntly, a total of 366 of the BR 41 locomotives were built, split among almost all the German locomotive builders. The BR 41 was designed as a so-called multi-purpose locomotive. In addition to its proper application – hauling express goods trains – its maximum speed of 90km/h enabled it to be used for fast and even express passenger trains. The BR 41 was coupled to type 2’2’T32 and 2’2’T34 tenders (as in our model). The 1900hp BR41 had a tubular boiler that in all respects matched the BR03- a light expess steam loco. Unfortunately these boilers were made of St47K steel, which was very difficoult to weld and was cold-formed. Due to the unsuitable material the boiler pressure had to be reduced from 20atm to 16atm. After the war, both the East end West German railways owned BR 41 locomotives. In order to prolong the life of the locomotives the Deutsche Reichsbahn (DR) and the Deutsche Bundesbahn (DB) had to equip many locomotives with new boilers. Consequently these locomotives were extensively rebuilt and modified, with the DB converting 40 locomotives to oil-fired. Even in the late sixties and seventies, both German railways administration were unable to dispense with the service of BR41. These locomotives could not be replaced until modern diesel locos came into general use.