Württemberg C

The Württemberg Class C were a series of 4-6-2 "Pacific" type steam locomotives that were built for the Royal Württemberg State Railways in the early 20th century and were Pacifics designed for hauling express trains. They were the smallest state railway Länderbahn locomotives with a 4-6-2 wheel arrangement.
== History ==
These engines were built between 1909 and 1921 by Maschinenfabrik Esslingen. They were designed from the outset for the steep gradients in Württemberg and therefore had smaller driving wheels with only a 1,800 mm diameter. Despite being the smallest engines with a Pacific configuration, they were economical, yet at the same time very powerful. In all, 41 units of this class were manufactured.
The appearance of the locomotives was relatively unusual at the time. Striking features included the outside subframe and the streamlined shape of the driver's cab and smokebox, resembling that of the Bavarian S 2/6 4-4-4 express locomotive and the later S 3/6 Pacifics.
After the First World War, three engines were given to France where they were handed to the Railway administration of the État and one to Poland where it became the sole example of the Om101 class. The remaining 37 were taken over by the Deutsche Reichsbahn as DRG Class 18.1, where they were given the running numbers 18 101–137, and ran until there withdrawal in 1955. 
The three locomotives surrendered to France, 2021, 2026 and 2027, were allocated to the Chemins de Fer de l'État, where they were numbered 231–997 to 231–999. The three Pacifics were allocated at Brest from where they were used for passenger services to Rennes. And then they moved to Le Mans to provide passenger services to Angers. However due to there small group, they were withdrawn in 1934. And the Etat used them as steam generators in the large rotinde of the deposit of Le Mans. The SNCF allocated them the numbers 3–231.A.997 to 999, but the locomotives never carried these numbers. The three locomotives were destroyed in an air raid on 13 May 1944 and subsequently scrapped. 
== Trivia ==
* The one of a kind speedy toy train in "Train Quest" (2001) is based on this type of locomotive.
* The German model railway manufacturer Märklin has produced models of the Wuttemburg C class as part of its HO and Z scale range in K.W.St.E green or grey as the C class, and in black as the DRG or DB 18.1 class.
* Roco has produced a model of the C class in HO scale with part number 43216.
* The locomotives were equipped with wü 2'2' T 20 and wü 2'2' T30 tenders.
* The locomotives were also known as "the beautiful Württemberg lass" (die schöne Württembergerin) due to this unique form.
* They were even taken over by the Deutsche Bundesbahn, but retired by 1955. The last two examples were numbers 18 133 and 18 136, which were stabled in Ulm during their final years.
* They are mostly known as the "Württemberg C".
Category:Steam locomotives
Category:Tender locomotives
Category:French steam locomotives
Category:European steam locomotives
Category:Six-coupled locomotives
Category:4-6-2 steam locomotives
Category:4-6-2 locomotives
Category:Passenger locomotives
Category:Locomotives
Category:German locomotives
Category:Scrapped steam locomotives
Category:Scrapped locomotives
Category:Esslingen locomotives