Discover the pioneering era of German diesel railcars in our extensive photo database. Our historical image collection documents the technological development and operational use of these vehicles up through 1945.
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Franz Kruckenberg’s Schienenzeppelin covered the 257 km route from Hamburg to Berlin in just 98 minutes during its record-breaking run on June 21, 1931. The two-bladed wooden propeller at the rear of the lightweight railcar was powered by a 600 hp BMW aircraft engine.
| Series old / new | Numbers | built | Top speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| SVT 877 / VT 04.0 (DB) | 000 (two-units) | 1932 | 160 km/h |
| SVT 137 Hamburg / VT 04.1 (DB) / 183 (DR) | 101, 102, 106, 107 (two-units) | 1935 | 160 km/h |
| SVT 137 Hamburg / VT 04.5 (DB) | 501 (two-units) | 1951 Conversion to hydraulic power transmission | 160 km/h |
| SVT 137 Leipzig / 183 (DR) | 153, 154, 233, 234 (three-units) | 1935 | 160 km/h |
| SVT 137 Köln / VT 06.1 / 06.5 (DB) | 103, 104, 106-110; 501 und 502 (three-units) | 1938 501 und 502: 1951 Conversion to hydraulic power transmission | 160 km/h |
| SVT 137 Berlin | 901 und 902 (four-units) | 1938 | 160 km/h |
| VT 137 Ruhr | 283-287 (three-units) 288-295 (two-units) | 1938 | 120 km/h |
| VT 20.5 | 500 und 501 | 1938 (Freight-railcar) | 110 km/h |
| VT 137 / VT 25.5 (DB) | VT 137 097-109 VT 25 501-506 | 1935 | 110 km/h |
| VT 137 / VT 30.0 (DB) | 190 DRG / 001 DB | 1936 | 110 km/h |
| VT 137 / VT 32.0 (DB) – 185 (DR) | 097-109, 210-223 (DRG) | 1934-1936 | 110 km/h |
| VT 137 / VT 33.2 (DB) – 185 (DR) | 080-110, 164-223 | 1933-1937 | 110 km/h |
| VT 137 / VT 36.5 (DB) | VT 137 241-270, 442-461 | 1936-1940 | 100 km/h |
| VT 137 / VT 45.5 (DB) / 645 | VT 137 326-331, 367-376 | 1938/1940 | 90km/h |
| VT 137 / VT 60.5 (DB) / 660 | VT 137 347-366, 377-396 | 1939 | 80km/h |
| VT 859 / VT 62.9 (DB) | VT 851-861, 866-871′ VT 62 904 | 1927 | 80 km/h |
| VT 757 / VT 66.9 (DB) | VT 757-762 VT 66 901-905 | 1927 | 85 km/h |
| VT 10 / VT 69.9 (DB) | VT 10 001-003 (freight-railcar) VT 69 900-902 | 1930 | 80 km/h |
| VT 135 / VT 70 (DB) | various numbers | ||
| VT 135 / VT 70.9 (DB) / 186.0 (DR) | VT 135 061-064, 067-075, 083-132 | 1936-1938 | 75 km/h |
| VT 135 / VT 75.9 (DB) / 186.2 (DR) | VT 135 051-059 | 1936-1936 | 70 km/h |
| VT 137 / VT 90.5 (DB) | VT 137 240, 462, 463 Panoramic railcar VT 90 500-501 | 1936/1939 | 120 km/h |
| VT 135 / VT 88.9 (DB) | VT 135 077-080 Wismarer Schienenbus VT 88 900-902 | 1934 | 60 km/h |
| Schienenzeppelin (Kruckenberg) | (Test vehicle without series designation) | 1930 | 230 km/h |