Railworks TS2015 DB BR 103 TEE Loco torrent

The DB Class 103 operated by DB, was considered the flagship of the DB fleet for a long period. It was up until 1987 that this locomotive monopolized high speed trains in Germany. It is one of the most powerful conventional electric locomotives ever built, with a one hour rating of 10,400KW or 13,900HP.

During the 1950s there was a desire to produce an electric locomotive that could operate at speeds up to 200km/h. These were unveiled at the International Transport Fair in Munich in June 1965 as the Class E.03 (which became Class 103.0 when the new numbering system was introduced). Exhibition runs operated the train between Munich and Augsburg, achieving 200km/h on a regular basis. The fastest speed recorded on a Class 103 was 283km/h (176mph).

Following additional developments, the Class 103 became the backbone of the German Trans Europe Express (TEE) and Intercity lines.

The long reign of the Class 103 drew to a close in 1987 with the introduction of the new InterCityExpress (ICE) trains, with the Class 103 relegated to local services with more frequent stops.

A total of 17 Class 103s have been preserved, with 5 of them still in operation, 2 of which are still part of DB's fleet and often used in test runs