BVG Class E


Class E is a series of Großprofil multiple units of Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe which was exclusively used on East Berlin line E, today line U5 of the Berlin U-Bahn. Except for the two prototypes, all vehicles were built using parts of retired S-Bahn vehicles, namely the bogies and parts of the electrical equipment.

History

Aa part of the German reparations after World War II, Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe had to cede 120 vehicles of Class C to Moscow Metro. This type was of particular interest for Moscow as it was the newest class on the Berlin network, and technically very similar to the Moscow class A which had been modelled after it.
Hence, a shortage of rolling stock resulted for Berlin, and route E was most affected as it was the newest wide profile line which had been operated exclusively with Class C stock. To continue services of this route, Kleinprofil vehicles of Class AI were transferred from route U2 and had wooden running boards, popularly called Blumenbretter, attached to their sides. These trains were designated AI K. 40 trains were being re-deployed to route E. These "Blumenbretter" trains were also deployed on Line D on the Workers' Uprising and the Berlin strike in 1953.
As a continued operation of narrow profile cars on the wide profile line was economically not viable in the long run, BVG commissioned a new class, later designated E, for Berlin U-Bahn. Only the subtypes EI and EIII were built. Most of the trains were built using parts of DRG Class ET 165, DRG Class ET 168 and DRG Class ET 169.

EI trains

Prototypes of a new class of U-Bahn trains were drawn up beginning in 1952, and after the West Berlin BVG permitted to take exact measurements and detailed photographs of one of their Class C vehicles in 1954, LOWA in Ammendorf designed and built two new motor cars from 1955 to 1957. Until 1956 these were simply known as 18-Meter-Wagen, after consultation with BVG West who developed their Class D at the same time as Class E. The electrical equipment was supplied and installed by LEW Hennigsdorf.
The new vehicles were a steel frame construction with a rounded roof and four double sliding doors for passengers on each side. There were also doors for the driver and escape doors at the non-driving ends. Instead of ventilation flaps in the windows, pressure ventilation was used. Each car had four motors of 100 kW each, rheostatic brakes and electrically controlled pneumatic brakes. Scharfenberg couplers were used, and the vehicles were equipped with multiple unit traction control.
Because of the steel construction, the vehicles weighed almost 40 tonnes each and were, therefore, heavier than those of Class C. This and various other shortcomings were the reason why no production models of those trains were built. Although the Raw in Schöneweide was tasked with fixing some of the faults and building two matching trailers, a lack of capacity prevented this, and the vehicles were stabled in 1961. One was later used as a storage room, the other as a mess room for apprentices. In late 1988, both cars were scrapped.

EII trains

While Class EI was designed and built, BVG already planned an improved Class EII as a lightweight construction based on the experiences with the prototypes and with BVG Class D. Waggonbau Ammendorf was tasked with the design on 18 February 1959. The dimensions differed only little from those of the vehicles of the Moscow Metro, signifying plans to export such cars. After the border to West Berlin was closed on 13 August 1961, the traffic flows in Berlin changed such that passenger numbers on Route A significantly increased, and the vehicles transferred to route E were now missing on the narrow profile route. Hence, the plans for an EII type train were dropped in 1962. A faster and easier option was the conversion of S-Bahn vehicles which had become surplus to demand because of the boycott of the S-Bahn in West Berlin. This resulted in the numerous Class EIII.

EIII trains

Batch 1

Number
Number
Number
Dispensed Trains
1410/1411101 002/151 0031802/1803ET 168 009/EB 168 009
1412/1413101 004/151 0051804/1805ET 168 022/EB 168 002
1414/1415101 006/151 0071806/1807ET 168 037/EB 168 037
1416/1417101 008/151 0091808/1809ET 168 036/EB 168 036
1418/1419101 010/151 0111810/1811ET 168 031/EB 168 031
1420/1421101 012/151 0131812/1813ET 168 042/EB 168 029
1422/1423101 014/151 0151814/1815ET 168 046/EB 168 042
1424/1425101 016/151 0171816/1817ET 168 028/EB 168 028
1426/1427101 018/151 0191818/1819ET 168 018/EB 168 018
1428/1429101 020/151 0211820/1821ET 168 019/EB 168 019
1430/1431101 022/151 0231822/1823ET 168 040/EB 168 040
1432/1433101 024/151 0251824/1825ET 168 047/EB 168 047
1434/1435101 026/151 0271826/1827ET 168 044/EB 168 044
1436/1437101 028/151 0291828/1829ET 168 024/EB 168 024
1438/1439101 030/151 0311830/1831ET 168 020/EB 168 020
1440/1441101 032/151 0331832/1833ET 168 007/EB 168 012
1442/1443101 034/151 0351834/1835ET 168 001/EB 168 001
1444/1445101 036/151 0371836/1837ET 168 017/EB 168 017
1446/1447101 038/151 0391838/1839ET 168 021/EB 168 021
1448/1449101 040/151 0411840/1841ET 165 419/EB 165 419
1450/1451101 042/151 0431842/1843ET 165 038/EB 165 038
1452/1453101 044/151 0451844/1845ET 165 037/EB 165 037

The project began in the summer of 1962. Six trains of the S-Bahn type 168 were converted in the Reichsbahnausbesserungswerk Schöneweide until the end of 1962. All in all, five batches of this new U-Bahn train type, called EIII, were delivered.

Batch 2

Number
Number
Number
Dispensed Trains
1454/1455102 050/152 0511850/1851ET 169 031a
1456/1457102 052/152 0531852/1853ET 169 013b
1458/1459102 054/152 0551854/1855ET 169 010a
1460/1461102 056/152 0571856/1857ET 169 010b
1462/1463102 058/152 0591858/1859ET 169 008a
1464/1465102 060/152 0611860/1861ET 169 008b
1466/1467102 062/152 0631862/1863ET 169 002a
1468/1469102 064/152 0651864/1865ET 169 002b
1470/1471102 066/152 0671866/1867ET 169 006a
1472/1473102 068/152 0691868/1869ET 169 006b
1474/1475102 070/152 0711870/1871ET 169 016a
1476/1477102 072/152 0731872/1873ET 169 016b
1478/1479102 074/152 0751874/1875ET 169 015a
1480/1481102 076/152 0771876/1877ET 169 015b

The Kleinprofil trains could finally be moved back from the E line to the A line, which sorely needed the trains due to a very large number of passengers on the segment between Schönhauser Allee and Alexanderplatz.
The fleet numbering system was changed from 14xx to 10x and 15x series for the trains.

Batch 3

Number
Number
Dispensed Trains
103 080/153 0811880/1881275 837/275 838
103 082/153 0831882/1883275 839/275 840
103 084/153 0851884/1885275 849/275 850
103 086/153 0871886/1887275 835/275 836

Construction began for the extension of Line E from Friedrichsfelde to Tierpark, to serve the Tierpark Zoo there. In order to increase the capacity for the extension, BVB had to get 4 trains from the DR Class 275. These trains were converted between 9 September 1972 and 25 January 1973.

Batch 4

Number
Number
Dispensed Trains
104 090/154 0911890/1891275 671/275 672
104 092/154 0931892/1893275 759/275 760
104 094/154 0951894/1895275 217/275 218
104 096/154 0971896/1897275 795/275 796
104 097/154 0991898/1899275 823/275 824

After the opening of Tierpark station, there was a need to increase capacity on the Line E. Therefore, BVB had to convert five more trains which is from the DR Clsas 275. These trains were delivered between 1975 and 1982.

Batch 5

Number
Number
Dispensed Trains
105 100/155 1011900/1901275 613/275 614
105 102/155 1031902/1903275 035/275 036
105 104/155 1051904/1905275 077/275 406
105 106/155 1071906/1907275 445/275 446
105 108/155 1091908/1909275 229/275 230
105 110/155 1111910/1911275 549/275 550
105 112/155 1131912/1913275 957/275 670
105 114/155 1151914/1915275 197/275 198
105 116/155 1171916/1917275 827/275 372
105 118/155 1191918/1919275 497/275 498
105 120/155 1211920/1921275 329/275 330
105 122/155 1231922/1923275 821/275 960
105 124/155 1251924/1925275 321/275 322
105 126/155 1271926/1927275 139/275 140
105 128/155 1291928/1929275 359/275 360
105 130/155 1311930/1931275 607/275 820
105 132/155 1331932/1933275 065/275 066
105 134/155 1351934/1935275 657/275 448
105 136/155 1371936/1937275 731/275 554
105 138/155 1391938/1939275 829/275 830
105 140/155 1411940/1941275 079/275 080
105 142/155 1431942/1943275 145/275 146
105 144/155 1451944/1945275 159/275 160
105 146/155 1471946/1947275 463/275 464
105 148/155 1491948/1949275 089/275 090
105 150/155 1511950/1951275 101/275 102
105 152/155 1531952/1953275 123/275 124
105 154/155 1551954/1955275 207/275 208
105 156/155 1571956/1957275 055/275 056
105 158/155 1591958/1959275 523/275 524
105 160/155 1611960/1961275 211/275 212
105 162/155 1631962/1963275 825/275 826
105 164/155 1651964/1965275 029/275 030
105 166/155 1671966/1967275 789/275 790
105 168/155 1691968/1969275 259/275 260
105 170/155 1711970/1971275 447/275 553
105 172/155 1731972/1973275 017/275 018
105 174/155 1751974/1975275 367/275 368
105 176/155 1771976/1977275 409/275 410
105 178/155 1791978/1979275 349/275 350
105 180/155 1811980/1981277 293/275 644

BVB had the need to order new trains because of the extension of Line E from Tierpark to the Hellersdorf area and Hönow. BVB had contracted several trains from the Berlin S-Bahn and those selected D57/D60 units from the BVG which was originally destined to be scrapped. The first two prototypes started delivery in May 1986 before the subsequent delivery in September 1986. The condition was later reversed. For safety reasons, the ceilings of the manufacturer plate was given after the trains were burnt out at Klosterstraße station. 25 double-end cars were also added into the fleet for the D class trains, whereas the remainder of 41 were Line E. The last of these trains were delivered before September 1990, just before Die Wende.

EIV trains

The GDR or the BVB planned already further: Although it has developed 50 since the mid-years useful subway trains, but the technique of these traits came mostly from S-Bahn trains, which were built in the 1920s and the 1930s, and thus very was old, where it was cleared by the BVB. On the other hand, enormous efforts have been made by the industry to develop a modern S-Bahn train. This then succeeded so well with the series 270, which were produced in the years 1987-92 for the German Reichsbahn in series. In LEW in Hennigsdorf since the 80s there were already filed for a new subway train for large profile line E as the successor to the E-III trains. They had dimensioned the timeframe so that the mid-90s should be started with the delivery of this thoroughly modern trains. should get an AC drive, among other things, what would have been a novelty for local trains in the GDR. Design studies for this new type of train has never existed since the turn of 1989/90 the works were set on this type of train.

Accidents

Over the years, the EIII has repeatedly suffered minor accidents and damage. In addition there were four major accidents in the period from 1972 to 1992, although, as a rule, only property damage arose.
In March 1972 there was a rear-end collision in the Lichtenberg subway station, the tram 101 040 was damaged. It was rebuilt until 1974 in Raw Schöneweide.
On 13 January 1980 traction truck 101 escaped in the sweeping station at Alexanderplatz subway station. The car was rebuilt until March 1980 in Raw Schöneweide and derailed again in January 1981 in the same place. Reconstruction took place until December 1982 in the context of a major main investigation.
On 21 October 1992, there was a collision between the subway stations Kaulsdorf-Nord and Wuhletal Station a rear-end collision between the DI cars 110 318 and the EIII car 101 015/151 015. As the EIII / 4 had already been decided at this time, the vehicle was no longer built.

After reunification

In 1992, when the BVB was re-unified with the BVG to form BVG, the trains were progressively renumbered from 10x and 15x series, into the 18xx and 19xx. Most of the trains were also serviced in the Wannsee depot in the meantime before transferring to the reunified Deutsche Bahn on 1 January 1994. The management board of the BVG decided to replace the EIII cars into a new millennium with the new F cars.
This allowed phasing out of the trains to target those beyond EIII.4 cars. According to some sources, some trains will be sold to Warsaw Metro after the retirement, but it did not materialise. This would also be a modernisation of the trains such that trains will have BOStrab. The vehicles had received no major studies, the last unit 1818/1819 left on 11 January 1993 from the Raw in this state.
Originally the BVG wanted to keep the EIII trains until 1999, but because of enormous operating and maintenance costs after the reunification of Germany, the EIII trains were retired as early as 1994. There were plans to use up the EIII/4 of the lifespan until 1995, and the EIII/5 and EIII/5U until 2000. Since the necessary spare vehicles for the Class F were not ready, the BVG proceeded to redeploy more trains to the U8 and reduce the number of trains of U5, until the H class trains were delivered.
The trains were not designed for use in magnetically secured routes. Some of the aspects include relatively sedate driving techniques. There have been attempts to test the EIII trains on other lines, however this was failed. The actual last day is on 16 July 1994. The last trains were 1830/1831+1810/1811+1842/1843 and 1916/1917+1914/1915+1908/1909, running from Alexanderplatz to Hönow.