Collodi: The primordial Köf
(Written by P.G. while travelling on the Thalys)
If there is a family of small locomotives that really deserves to belong to “Puppies”
this is the one of Köf.
The abbreviation Köf, introduced in 1931 by the Deutsche Reichsbahn, stands for K = Kleinlokomotive (small locomotive), ö = (Öl) (diesel); f = Flüssigkeitsgetriebe (hydraulic transmission).
The first name that appears on the project ‘s source is “Öl-Flüssigkeitsgetriebekleinlokomotive”, but please excuse me if I prefer the name “Pinocchio”,
assigned by the FTV staff to single Köf of “Vicenza” because of the “long nose” of this car .
These small locomotives, built in large numbers in the ’30s and in the ‘ 40s, can be divided into three series.
We take into consideration only the second set of machines, which correspond to the scale models HO / OO of which we intend to speak.
True then, these nice locomotives, in addition to having served on German rail …
… And it has operated on many industrial rails across Europe ….
… freight cars and coaches are much larger of their …
… Many came to Italy following the Wehrmacht and, after the war,
many were incorporated into the group of 213 FS …
… Or they were used by private railways, such as the Roma-Ostia where this car, the No. 51, was called “the Wreck” ….
I remember, in particular, that, called “Pinocchio” in service at the FTV and to be correct, being electric rather than hydraulic transmission, we should call it “Koe”, and that led, incidentally, too the No. 51 …….
… It was equipped with four bumpers on each cylinder head and four hooks to mate with all vehicles of FTV and FS. Even this was still nicknamed “Catorcetto” from my cousin Giancarlo (Roman), who often followed together me the movements on so many industrial rails served by FTV.
At the close of the Vicenza network in 1980, it was acquired from Arezzo railways where it still stands and continues to lead the No. 51.
Even the Officine Grandi Repairs located west of the city had supplied one of these locomotives, dubbed by the board “iron staff”.
This ensured not only the internal maneuvers, including the “jog workshops”, ie, the coupling of two passengers cars, the transport of employees by Officine until the station in Vicenza. I believe that this was, at least in Italy, the only passenger train that is entrusted to Köf.
Note that often, in the 60s one of these cars was the legendary “Piaggio” stainless Alz 13000,
then Az 23000
These little machines were greatly appreciated by the staff for their good towing capacity and ease of access to the cabin, direct and without cumbersome ladders.
The scale model HO / OO of these locomotives has place for many years the housing problem of the engine due to the shape of the nose long and narrow “the Pinocchio”
and the lack of all inside of the superstructure space.
The first brand to play the Köf was Sommerfeld who presented it to the Nuremberg Fair in February 1955
In scale rather abundant, it no longer deserves the name of “Pinocchio” due to the larger hood and especially wider than the real and of sufficient size to accommodate the engine.
The Black Köf Sommerfeld is an all-metal model, simple and robust, with few parts reported
….the free cab …
…. a five pole motor with longitudinal axis, built by ELMOBA (Berlin), arranged in the hood … ..
… That, through a pair of reduction gears, transmits the motion to both axes.
In its time it was not successful, especially, I think, because of the high sales price: at the era were paying just under a Maerklin F 800! thus it remained in production for a
short time and it is now very rare.
The Sommerfeld model is taken from Eheim / BRAWA in 1963 …
…. with several changes for the electrical and mechanical part …
… Added some details such as trumpets, headlights, air tank ….
… And a lot more lively and attractive painting.
In ’64 Tarvisium proposes Italians fans the FS version Köf of BRAWA
Painted in green, with yellow handrails and the addition of pipelines brake coupling, hooks and written registration “213 155” …
… It is produced in a hundred copies.
Here ends the story of “primordial” Köf that were followed then, twenty years later by much more loyal to the reality of the same BRAWA and other brands that are not the subject of this article.
And here, finally, the “family pictures”
of the three primordial Köf
and I introduce Carlo Lorenzini named “Collodi” and his Pinocchio
(@ February 17, 2016)