DR Open-Air Observation Car
The passengers in the "Saxon Convertibles" of the Saxon Oberlausitz Railroad Company (SOEG) enjoy that "Open Air Feeling" and the unmistakable smell of a steam locomotive at the front of the train. These observation cars were made from old provincial railroad cars whose bodies were originally built of wood and were replaced by the DR in the mid-Eighties with bodies of sheet steel. The conversion required essentially the removal of the roof and the upper half of the car bodies as well as the installation of a grille construction to keep people from leaning out too far.
Most Important Facts
| Article No. | 32350 |
|---|---|
| Gauge / Design type | G / |
| Era | III |
| Kind | Passenger Cars |
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Highlights
- New tooling.
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Product description
This is a model of a DR type KB4 open-air observation car. The paint and lettering are prototypical for Era III. The interior details are prototypical and finely modelled. The car has metal wheel sets.
Length over the buffers 58 cm / 22-13/16".The series of DR Saxon narrow gauge locomotives and cars will be continued.
The ideal add-on to the 36358 and 36359 passenger cars as well as to the 30321 and 30322 baggage cars.
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Publications
- Fall New Items 2016 - Catalog 2017
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Prototype information
Saxon Convertible (DR Open Air Observation Car) The Saxon Oberlausitz Railroad Company has two observation cars on its roster as so-called "Saxon Convertibles" that were developed out of updated provincial railroad cars and that have an interesting past: In 1912/13, the Royal Saxon State Railways purchased 54 type 720 narrow gauge cars, 3rd class. Another series of 52 similar cars were placed into service in 1922. The frame for these cars consisted of riveted steel shapes. Due to the large truck king pin spacing of 8,100 mm / 318-7/8" this frame had to be reinforced at the side sills by a straight truss rod. Two two-axle sprung trucks supported the frame. Since the side sills only reached to the end of the car body, the open-end platforms at the car ends had to have diagonally mounted auxiliary side sills installed. They were sheathed with sheet metal halfway up and had extended step boards as entries. Wooden half-timbered construction was used for the car bodies in which the walls, floor, and the high-vaulted ceiling were lined on both sides with wood. A sliding door at both ends of the car enabled entry to the car interior. In 1958, the cars were given the type designation 970 with a corresponding consecutive number as part of the numbering plan introduced by the GDR's German State Railroad Company (DR) in 1950. From the mid-Seventies on the DR had its narrow gauge passenger cars updated. The essential plan was to replace the wood body frame with as standardized a steel design as possible. Just the car roof had to be kept due to different car widths. The new side walls were made of fabricated sheet steel that were welded together as well as to the underframe. In the new millennium, the SOEG converted two of these cars to observation cars: The roof and the upper part of the car body were removed so that only about 100 cm / 39" of the car bodies still remained. An approximately 20 cm / 8" grille construction was placed on this to keep passengers from leaning out too far. Inside the car, there are wooden lattice benches / seats with backs and a seating distribution of 2+1 seats for around 40 passengers. Since being put into operation these "Saxon Convertibles" (car numbers 970-257 and -375) are included in the SOEG trains in good weather and thus delight the "open air fanatics" on the train.
