Prototype: German Federal Railroad (DB) class 120.0 express general-purpose locomotive. Pre-production version in the original paint scheme.
Article No. | 37485 |
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Gauge / Design type | H0 / 1:87 |
Era | IV |
Kind | Electric Locomotives |
Model: The locomotive has an mfx digital decoder, controlled high-efficiency propulsion, and factory-installed, controllable sound functions. 2 axles powered. Traction tires. The headlights are maintenance-free LEDs. The headlights will work in conventional operation and can be controlled digitally. The engineer's cab lighting, the sound effect of a whistle, and the acceleration and braking delay can be controlled digitally. The engineer's cabs have interior details. The locomotive has separately applied grab irons.
Length over the buffers 22.1 cm / 8-11/16".
The class 120 is the first regular production three-phase current locomotive in the world. In 1984, road number 120 001-3 set a new speed record at 265 km/h / 165.6 mph.
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One-time series.
The Three-Phase Current Pioneer. The class 120 marked the technological change to three-phase current propulsion. This principle promised compact motors largely free of parts that would wear out, without commutators, commutator rings, brushes, and mechanical contacts. Because a wide torque range and rpm range can be mastered with three-phase current technology, the performance specifications for this new development were broadly formulated. The class 120 was designed to pull 200 km/h or 125 mph fast InterCity trains and 5,400 metric ton freight trains and be equipped with push/pull controls and electric regenerative brakes. In 1977, the DB ordered five experimental units, which were thoroughly tested on test stands, on test runs, and in operational use. Startup, tractive effort, acceleration, running characteristics, braking power, power consumption, and stability were part of these tests. Comparison tests with other makes of locomotives as well as startup tests on the Lötschberg and Semmering grades confirmed the effectiveness of the technology. The speed record was 265 km/h or 165 mph. During the test phase, new developments were introduced, for example: microprocessors for faster monitoring and control. Components were constantly improved until all five units were technically at the same level in 1982 and were ready for regular production. During the several years of development the purchasing policy changed, however. Instead of all-round locomotives, special locomotives were once again preferred on the basis of common development platforms with many parts in common. Therefore, only the first production run of 60 units of the class 120 were purchased. The five prototypes, to which the prototype of our model also belongs, continue to be used for test purposes.
Control Unit | Mobile Station | Mobile Station 2 | Central Station 1/2 | Central
Station 3/2* Mobile Station 2** |
|
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Headlight(s) | |||||
Engineer’s cab lighting | |||||
Station Announcements | |||||
Horn | |||||
Direct control |
* New features of the Central Station 2 (Part No. 60213, 60214 or 60215) with the software update 4.2
** New features of the Mobile Station 2 (Part No. 60657/66955) with the Software Update 3.55