Wendezugsteuerung (push-pull controls) on the DB
I thought we should start a new thread on this since it's having less and less to do with 3-axle Umbauwagen. Now that you ask, of course I can't find the original source of my information about the push-pull capabilities of the Mitteleinsteigwagen. I will look further. In the meantime, I did find this reference to indirect push-pull capability in DB steam locos, especially the BR 78, fitted in the 1950s, on the German Wikipedia under Wendezug. Translation due to Babel Fish with some obvious mistakes fixed by me: "In the 50's the DB converted several steam engines of the series 78 for the turning train service between Frankfurt and Wiesbaden. The Lokomotivfuehrer had directly only access to the brake. He passed the instructions on for accelerating or maintaining the speed to a particularly trained fireman, who served the automatic controller and the control (indirect push-pull)." I know you can't believe everything you read on Wikipedia, but I haven't seen any info to contradict these claims elsewhere. I'll let you know if I can find more on the Mitteleinsteigwagen. Tom Steam locos, diesels and electrics all had different requirements for being able to operate in Wendezug-service. As far as I am able to gather, the controls and wiring in the Wendezug stock in use, in the 50's through 70's at least, was able to accommodate all three systems. I don't disagree with your assertions on how steam locos were controlled in push-pull service. I just suggest that Mitteleinsteigswagen control cars were cabable of more than just operating with steam locos. This is a quote from "D-Zug-Schaffner" on DSO http://drehscheibe-online.ist-im-web.de/forum/read.php?17,3480626,3482711#msg-3482711 : Während meiner Schul- und Berufsschulzeit in den 70er Jahren pendelte ich täglich mit dem Zug zwischen Bordesholm und Neumünster. Und an die Wendezüge mit den 3-achsigen Umbauwagen kann ich mich noch sehr gut erinnern, da die Laufeigenschaften bei geschobener Fahrt besonders in den Weichenbereichen des Bahnhofs Neumünster mich immer zum Festhalten zwangen. Der Steuerwagen war entweder ein Mitteleinstiegswagen oder ein Silberling. Manchmal fuhren die Züge auch mit BR 212 im Sandwich. Ich ärgere mich heute noch, dass ich so gut wie keine Fotos von diesen Zügen gemacht habe. Translation: "During my school and apprentice years in the 70's I travelled daily by train between Bordesholm and Neumünster. And I remember clearly the push-pull trains with 3-axle convert coaches, as the ride characteristics in push mode, especially on switch ladders in the Neumünster station forced me to hang on tight. The control car was either a centre-entrance coach or a Silberling. Sometimes the trains operated with a BR 212 sandwiched in the middle. I'm still aggravated that I didn't take any pictures of those trains." There were two main control systems in these coaches: the Hagenuk-Befehlsgerätes was used to communicate with steam locos and the KWS (Konventionelle Wendezugsteuerung) for diesels and electrics. (I think I read somewhere that there were differences in the controls used for electrics and diesels because of their different throttle requirements, too.) I believe both used the same 36 wire cable common to Wendezugwagen in the 50's through 70's. Nothing in my search has shown any limitations on any of the three common Wendezug coach types of that era. Later, a new system was introduced when push-pull service was initiated on IC and Interregio trains (ZWS), and the two are not compatible. Jurgen

Hi Jurgen, I have noticed on a number of German club layouts, that they also use the 4 axle Umbauwagen mixed in the rake as well as the 3 wheel coaches. Is this correct? David

For those curious, in my reading on DSO I have a basic idea of how Wendezug operation with steam worked. As I mentioned, the control system used was called the Hagenuk-Befehlsgerätes. Essentially it worked much like the ship's telegraph used in the boiler rooms and on the bridge of ships. The engineman would send a signal on the Gerät to, for example, close the throttle to 25%. The fireman in the locomotive would see an indicator light up in the cab repeating that message. The fireman would then have to move his indicator to match it, which in turn would be repeated in the control cab. He would then make the necessary adjustments to the controls to fulfill the command. The fireman only worked the throttle wheel and the cutoff control (reverser). The brakes were operated by the engineman in the control cab. Locomotives which had Wendezug capability could be identified mainly by having four brake hoses on the end facing the train, rather than the usual two. There was also a failsafe in the form of a mechanism which could automatically close the throttle if the message send by the engineman wasn't acknowledged properly. The engineman could then stop the train with the air brakes. The steam loco classes I'm aware of with these controls were BR78, BR38, BR65, BR66 and BR23. There may have been others. Jurgen

I have gleaned some more information on Wendezugsteuerwagen. First, a photo: The experts on DSO have identified this as the control cab of a Mitteleinsteigswagen. The desk in front of the driver is actually removable. In this case, it's a diesel control set; for electrics, another is put in its place. I gather the Hagenuk-Befehlsgerätes for steam has a similar setup. The monitoring gauges and the air brake stand are permanent parts of this coach, and used for any type of motive power. Based on the discussion on DSO (http://drehscheibe-online.ist-im-web.de/forum/read.php?17,1254746,1254835#msg-1254835), there's not much difference between this cab and a Silberling; only experienced eyes could spot the tell-tales. So, in a sense, Tom is right; a control car can only operate with one type of loco, whether steam, diesel or electric. To operate some other type, a trip to the shops was necessary. But the conversion wasn't difficult and seems to have occured whenever necessary. Jurgen