DRG Class ET 171

The DRG Class ET 171 (since 1968 DB Class 471/871) is a three-car electric multiple unit train built for the Hamburg S-Bahn.

History

The first electric Hamburg S-Bahn trains appeared on the Hamburg-Altona City and Suburban Railway in 1907. In 1937, the main-line railway operator, Deutsche Reichsbahn, decided to switch the current collection method from overhead catenary (AC 6,3 kV/25 Hz) to third rail (DC 1,2 kV). The new Class ET 171 trains were built to replace the old overhead line trains. The first unit appeared in Hamburg in December 1939.^[1]

Description

1939-1974

The first 47 trainsets were built from 1939 to 1943. There were to have been 100 units in total, but the World War II interrupted production and it was not resumed until 1954. A further 21 units were built from 1954 to 1955 in order to enable the overhead line traffic to be withdrawn. An additional 5 units (171 082-086) were built in 1958 to work the new line between Hamburg Central Station and Bergedorf.

1975-today

In the 70s and 80s, some trains received a new livery, like that of the new Class 472 trains. Retirement began in the late 80s for single trains. In late 90s most trains were taken out of service and replaced by the Class 474. The last 471s were retired from regular service in October 2001. Unit 471 082 from 1958 was operational and used as a heritage train until March 2015. Numbers 471 039 and 471 062 have also survived but cannot be moved under their own power.

Equipment

All units had a dynamic brake to reduce brake pad wear. All doors can be automatically closed from the driver's cab by the driver but can be opened again after a short time. This was possible until the 1970s due to safety reasons. All trains had a 2nd class end cars and a 1st class centre car. The first class service was removed from all Hamburg S-Bahn trains in November 2000. Lighting was provided by light bulbs. All trains are permanently equipped with Sifa. In 1965, the trains were also equipped with PZB to improve safety.

Gallery

• 
  Driver's cab of class 471.
• 
  First class in a centre car.
• 
  Two 471s in Hamburg Central Station, June 1974.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to ET171.

• http://www.hish.de - German - Historische S-Bahn Hamburg e.V. - Historical Hamburg S-Bahn

Classes of German EMUs and battery railcars
BR number	401 402 403 403 alt 406 407 410 411 412 415 420 421 422 423 424 425 425 alt 426 426 alt 427 427 alt 428 430 440 442 450 465 485 alt 490 alt 491
Older, pre-1968 classes	ET 11 ET 25 ET 26 ET 27 ET 31 ET 41 ET 51 ET 55 ET 65 ET 82 ET 85 ET 90 ET 91 ("Gläserner Zug")
Battery railcars	515 517 ETA 150 ETA 176 ETA 178 ETA 179
S-Bahn EMUs	Berlin 475 476 477 480 481 485 ET 125 ET 165 ET 166 ET 167 ET 168 ET 169 ET 170 270 Hamburg 470 471 472 473 474 490 ET 99 ET 170 ET 171