Revell BR 232 "Ludmilla"

The BR 232 is part of a wider family of heavy diesel locomotives built in the USSR between 1970 and 1982 and used mostly by the Deutsche Bahn. This family of locomotives was made up of the following classes:

- BR 130/230 (DR 130, DBAG 230)

- BR 131/231 (DR 131, DBAG 231)

- BR 132/232 (DR 132, DBAG 232, 233, 234 and 241)

- BR 142/242 (DR 142, DBAG 242)

More than 700 such machines were built in Lugansk and imported into Germany. The Deutsche Bahn (in all its forms) has used them extensively and is still using them today, especially for cargo transport, but also for fast passenger trains. The Ludmillas are robust, powerful and heavy diesel locomotives. Due to the heavy axle load (20.3 t), the BR 232 can mostly be used only on main lines.

The locomotives of this family were born out of the desire of East Germany to focus on diesel traction after 1960. The first class designed and built at Lugansk was the BR 130/230. Its main limitation was the lack of an electric heating system. This not only resulted in these locos being restricted to freight traffic, but also helped them being the first of their kind to be retired. The BR 131/231 was pretty much the same and suffered the same fate, but it also had its top speed reduced from 140 km/h to only 100 km/h due to poor track conditions. The improved descendant, the BR 132/232, was first built in 1972, with electric heating system and these locos were longer by 0.2 m. Their top speed was limited to 120 km/h. They are still used today, mostly in Germany, but in other countries too.

The Ludmillas have Co-Co wheel arrangement, with two bogies , each pivoting around a central pin. They are powered by 16- or 12-cylinder turbo-charged diesel engines and the transmission is electrical.

The H0 model seen in the pictures is a beautiful Revell model of the BR 232 locomotive with serial number 800-3.

Facts (BR 232 / other classes of the same family):

ID: BR 232 800-3

Wheel arrangement: Co-Co

Builder: October Revolution Locomotive Works (Lugansk)

Built: 1975 (1970-1982)

Top speed: 120 km/h (100 km/h, 140 km/h)

Power: 2208 kW (2206 kW, 2940 kW)

Length: 20.82 m (20.62 m)

Wheel diameter: 1050 mm

Engine: Kolomna 5 D 49 / 16 Tsch N26/26

Gauge: Standard (1435 mm)

Links:

Revell's official website

BR 232 at Wikipedia

BR 232 800-3 at BR232.com

The real BR 232 800-3 pulling a freight train- video

The real BR 232 800-3 pulling a freight train in 2009

The real BR 232 800-3 in Liepzig

H0 Locomotives in Wooden and Glass Vitrine

I have finally found a solution for storing my H0 locomotives in a way that can protect them from the dust and also let them be admired: in a vitrine especially made for 6 H0 locomotives. The vitrine's frame is built of wood, the back panel is a mirror, and it has a large glass door through which the locos can be seen. The glass door's corners and knob are made of metal covered with chrome. Five glass shelves separate the interior space into 6 compartments, at the bottom of each there is a piece of H0 track, on which the locomotives rest. And the whole cabinet hangs on the wall. Perfect!

I've put in it a 4 German steam locomotives: BR 01, BR 41, BR 43, BR 50, the wreck of a BR 86 (just to occupy the space until I put together my second BR 01 kit) and a class 232 diesel locomotive ("Ludmilla"), all built from Revell kits.

100 trains de légende - 100 legendás vonat

Somebody dear to me, who knows my passion for trains, has given me, not so long ago, a very nice gift: a book that describes the evolution of the railroads from the first steam locomotives to the super-fast trains of today, all through the most famous pieces of railway history: locomotives of great innovation, like Richard Trevithick's first steam locomotive, Stephenson's "Rocket", the first German steamer, the "Adler", the Crampton locomotives, special luxurious train cars like the Pullman coaches, the first Diesel locomotives, the first electrics, the "Crocodile", the "Ice", the "Thalys" bullet, the TGV, the Taurus locomotives, the Siemens Desiro, african locomotives, rail motor coaches, the famous Hungarian 424.000 series and many others.

The original book was written in French by André Papazian and is entitled "100 trains de légende". My book is the Hungarian version: "100 legendás vonat", published in 2008 by Aréna 2000 Kiadó, Budapest. The book is not only a well-structured overview of the most famous locomotives and railroad inventions, but it also contains lots of beautiful images.

Derelict narrow gauge locomotives at Viseu de Sus

Unfortunately one can see many derelict narrow gauge locomotives at Viseu de Sus. During my mocanita trip I walked by the depot near the CFF station. Among the locomotives that I could identify I also found 3 broken steam locomotives from the 764.000 series and a small diesel locomotive, that I could not. Not used for many years, their number plates are long gone. The small locos once used to run daily on the mocanita line of the Vaser Valley, but now they are damaged irreparably. Most likely they will be slowly dismembered, their parts used as replacement for the operational locos.

Links:

Mocanita din Viseu

CFF Viseu de Sus official website

"Hilfe für die Wassertalbahn" official website