DB Class 403

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403 in Lufthansa livery
403 in Lufthansa livery

The Baureihe 403 was a series of three electric multiple units commissioned by the Deutsche Bundesbahn in the 1970s. The units were mainly used for InterCity services in the 1970s and by Lufthansa in the 1980s. The trains were put out of service in 1993. Due to their distinct design, they were nicknamed "Donald Duck".

[edit] History

[edit] InterCity

The first train was handed over to DB on March 2, 1973 and the class saw its first use as an InterCity service in the 1974/1975 schedule. The trains soon were found impractical, and were removed from IC services in 1979, when the IC '79 scheme introduced the 2nd class on previously 1st class-only IC services.

[edit] Lufthansa Airport Express

The ET 403 were used between 1982 and 1993 as the Lufthansa Airport Express, connecting the airports of Düsseldorf and Frankfurt. Usage ended in 1993 because of corrosion on the trainsets.

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