178231
InterCity pilot car 1st class with baggage compartment of the Deutsche Bahn AG, class Azf 209, running number 002, example-like interior, interior lighting with digital decoder (analogue/DCC/SX); changing front back light at the driver’s cabin side

About the product:

In the early 70s the German Federal Railways (Deutsche Bundesbahn, DB) started to modernize their fleet of passenger cars. In 1973 the „Bundesbahn-Zentralamt“ (technical center for cars of DB) and the train manufacturer LHB in Salzgitter started constructing new passenger cars for suburban and regional traffic. These cars were intended to substitute the well known „Silverfishes“. With these new cars there should have been improvement in quality and comfort for the passengers so different seat types, colors, etc. were built in.

In 1976 ten prototypes of these „LHB cars“ were delivered, an eleventh car came from MBB Donauwörth. This one was different from the LHB types because it was made of aluminium while the LHB types were made of high-grade steel (stainless).

The cars went through intensive testings in the Hannover area in suburban and fast trains. One reason for testing them in Hannover was that Hannover was in the middle between the „Bundesbahn-Zentralamt“ and the manufacturer LHB in Salzgitter and experiences could easily be interchanged and improvements or repairings were easily and shortly to be made.

For years these cars were in service on the „Deisterstrecke“ from Hannover to Haste(Han). The service was S-Bahn-like (commuter service). The cars were as complete trains in service. Later they were in service together and mixed with Silverfishes and other compartment cars. Their domain were trains to Minden(Westf), Celle, Braunschweig, Nienburg(Weser), Altenbeken and Bad Harzburg. One car was rented to Hamburg for a short time because of a lack of passenger cars there.

In 1988 both pilot cars and two regular cars were rebuilt. Because of political request they were rebuilt to passenger cars for InterCity service for the new InterCity line Mainz – Wiesbaden. The trains were named „WiesbadenCity“. Later the other 2nd class cars that remained in service in Hannover were also rebuilt and the service was extended to Karlsruhe, Ludwigshafen and even Düsseldorf Airport.

The pilot cars were rebuilt to 1st class cars, the other cars remained 2nd class. All cars got the seats from regular InterCity cars. All of them were painted in the InterCity color scheme of those days.

On May 31st 1998 all existing LHB cars were sorted out by the DB Reise&Touristik AG.