page_title: Bahnbetriebswerk (steam locomotives)
section_title: Work groups
hierarchical_section_title: Bahnbetriebswerk (steam locomotives) / Management / Work groups
caption_attribution_description: English: Locomotive BR 65 1049 at railway plant Leipzig-Engelsdorf on open day 2005.
context_page_description: A Bahnbetriebswerk is a German railway depot where the maintenance of locomotives and other rolling stock is carried out. It is roughly equivalent to a locomotive shed, running shed or motive power depot. These were of great importance during the steam locomotive era to ensure the smooth running of locomotive-hauled services. Bahnbetriebswerke had a large number of facilities in order to be able to carry out their various maintenance tasks. As a result, they needed a lot of staff and were often the largest employers in the area.
  The history and present-day importance of such depots is covered in the Bahnbetriebswerk article.
context_section_description: In order to optimise the pattern of work, individual functions were allocated to various groups of staff as follow:
  Group A: managerial functions (Verwaltungsangelegenheiten),
  Group B: locomotive running (Lokomotivbetriebsdienst),
  Group C: locomotive repair (Lokomotivausbesserung),
  Group D: wagon operations and repair (Wagenbetriebsdienst und Wagenausbesserung),
  Group E: engineering facilities (Maschinelle Anlagen),
  Group F: fuel and oil storage facilities (Betriebsstofflager) and
  Group K: motor transport (Kraftwagendienst).
  This system was used by the Deutsche Bundesbahn as well as the Deutsche Reichsbahn, however the Reichsbahn had different names for the groups. The Austrian railways were organised in a similar way; here, too, the different tasks were divided up.
  Group A: Managerial Functions
  Group A was normally only found at larger Bahnbetriebswerke because there the managerial workload was the greatest. At smaller depots the shedmaster (Bahnbetriebswerkvorsteher) took on these tasks; medium-sized Betriebswerke the management functions were split between groups B and C. Group A had to draw up plans for the efficient running of the depot and for the allocation of locomotives. In addition they were responsible for the overall budget (awarding of fuel efficiency bonuses and payment of holiday and sickness pay). The management of operating records and locomotive cards (including mileages and fuel consumption of the rolling stock) as well as the oversight of energy consumption and the consumption of fuels (especially coal, water and gas) were also assigned to this group.
  Group B: Locomotive Running
  Group B was responsible for the running of locomotives. At a large depot, they were headed by an inspector (Inspektor), who was usually also the deputy to the shedmaster (Dienstvorsteher), and who was supported by various assistants and running foremen (Lokdienstleiter). The majority of large Bahnbetriebswerke also had an outside running foreman and their own duty roster clerk (Diensteinteiler). Smaller Betriebswerke handed the functions of this group to the running foreman. Group B, which was referred to by the Deutsche Reichsbahn as Sektion Triebfahrzeug-Betrieb (locomotive running section), had to look after everything to do with locomotive and train running. Tasks assigned to this group included supervising locomotive operations, clearing defects and faults,  drawing up locomotive diagrams and crew rosters,  allocating staff and engines, checking locomotive records, training personnel, managing all documents and the care and supply of all engines (heating, coaling and cleaning). The drawing up of tasks, locomotive diagrams and crew rosters was later taken over by so-called 'technologists' (Technologen).
  Group C: Locomotive Repair
  The management of Group C – locomotive repair – also fell to a Reichsbahn inspector. He had the role of a mechanical foreman and was usually a deputy to the shedmaster. Several master tradesmen reported to him, depending on the size of the Betriebswerk. This group comprised several gangs of tradesmen (up to 30 employees) who in turn were led by various subordinate foremen. The Deutsche Reichsbahn also called this group the Abteilung Triebfahrzeug-Unterhaltung (locomotive maintenance department). Group C was responsible for carrying out repair and maintenance jobs, transferring damaged rolling stock to the main repair shops, ordering spare parts and materials including management of the spare parts store, monitoring new vehicle systems, keeping the breakdown train ready and recovering broken down vehicles.
  Group D: Wagon operations and repair
  Group D had a special role within the Betriebswerk and not every depot had such a department. Smaller Betriebswerke allocated these tasks to a master tradesman's gang in group C, that had a maximum of 40 staff. Both the DB and the DR during the 1950s established larger D groups at independent locations, known as Betriebswagenwerke or wagon depots. Where this was not the case, Group D was headed by another inspector to whom, depending on the size of the depot, 
caption: Locomotives, the responsibility of Groups B and C
exif: {}