European Railroad Discussion > Denmark: Contraptions

As we noticed in one of the previous threads, DMUs of Denmark are one of a kind, due to willingness to save the very last Euro in acquiring them. And as a result strategies that once worked very well and were pleasure to eye, no more serve the railroad company of the country.

Another interesting chapter can be written on all kinds of contraptions, that were used for last mile freight, inspections, other MOW use, etc.

I hope you can add your own stories and experiences from Denmark here too to make thread even more informative. Oh, I have a hidden agenda too: I'm trying to make you stop at Danish railroad museum, next to Odense station, if you are travelling by on car or train...place is smallish but well worth visiting! You can also eat your lunch there, they have a bookshop with rare RR books, and even kids have their own playground there.

Here comes the first contraption:
This funny looking motorized trolley was used for track inspections on DSB. It was built in the neighboring Sweden, a big machine building nation at the time, by Berg & Co. Mekaniska Verkstad AB. It is presumed, that this contraption was built in 1926. It was used by DSB telegraph crews until 1960s. You can find this vehicle at the Danish railroad museum permanent exhibition, unless its being used for fun outside their base in Odense. Just think about running this in a blizzard to fix some telephone wires hanging down from poles!    



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/23/15 01:35 by McKey.

---

The next contraption was obviously used before the first, at the time when some people were hired to use their heads while others only muscles...very much unlike today in Nordic countries. What a terrible waste of human capability in the old days! 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/23/15 11:12 by McKey.

---

---

Time to pick the next vehicle. MT1 was one of the early switchers used in Denmark. My apologies, I did not notice the value of this vehicle before watching the pictures afterwards, so the only picture I took of this is grainy and from a bad angle. Yet it should show chgaracteristics of this locotractor.

MT1 were built by Frichs (as most other rail vehicles in Denmark) in 1930s. It features interesting looking innovative sloping walkways at sides, meaning the cab is lower and easier to access than normally. Of course these walkways are a very bad location to slip as you might end under the wheel that way. MT1 originally had only 45 kW / 60 hp but this will just making mowing cars slower, not stopping it. And from old pictures it appears that MT1s also ran local freights. Slow movements of up to 30 km/h / 20 mph suited old ways of living much better than today's hectic rhytm.  

---

Visibility might be a little poor from this, but definitely it must have been relatively well ahead of time back in 1927, when 7 of these interesting looking locotractors were imported to Denmark from France. Looks like the name for this manufacturer is kind of complicee: "Societe Anonyme des Ateliers et Chantiers de la Manche, Dieppe". One of the locotractors has found its way to under the roof of Danish Railway museum on Odense where these pics were taken. Power: 50 hp! (37 kw)





 

---

---

To my surprise I found yesterday MT1, in Toijala, Finland Locomotive Museum!  It appears that the Danish builder Frichs built these locos themselves too at least until 1944. Look at the unusual design of this contraption!

The plate next to this locomotor said that the engine inside is powerful enough...just like in Rolls Royce 8-)   

---

---

---

Time to throw in something new: #57

Instead of static display pics, Ilkka got it being carefully moved around the museum area. Many vehicles there can be used when ever there is need. And, as we know, a combustion engine might need occasionally being used too to stay healthy.

#57 (and similar #56) were built at Pedershåb Maskinfabrik in Denmark for DSB in 1957. 57 stayed in use until 1991 in Copenhagen, and was moved to Odense in 1994. Many similar industrial locotractors existed on industry use in Denmark. Surprisingly, engine here is gasoline powered, produces 58 kW / 78 hp, and the locotractor can run 50 km/h / 31 mph.   
 

---

---

---

To get this thread finished I'll add the last contraption, but it is by no means least: Köff / Frichs built copy. It appears Europe had many of these between WWs. Here the locotractor is being walked outside in Odense, Denmark.  

---

---

---