Bavarian EP 2

These light passenger locomotives were ordered in 1922 as EP 2 by the Bavarian Group Administration. Since they were procured between 1924 and 1926, they only wore the Bavarian designation for a short time and were subsequently known only as the E 32. In contrast to other electric locomotives from the 1920s, some of the locomotives remained in use for a very long time, so that the last examples, now designated class 132, were not retired until 1972.

What was striking about the E 32 was the short and box-shaped body, which, like many Bavarian locomotives, had sloped corners and ensured an external length of only about 13 meters. Also typical for passenger locomotives from Bavaria were the gangways at the ends, which were later removed to simplify maintenance. Two twelve-pole AC series-wound motors sat on the frame and were connected to a common reduction gear. According to the state of the art at the time, the power was still transmitted via inclined rods and a crankshaft to the three coupled axles. The ability to negotiate curves was improved by connecting one of the carrying axles to a coupled axle via a Krauss-Helmholtz bogie. 

In addition to the 19 orders from the Bavarian group administration, ten more came from the Reichsbahn, so that 29 were finally produced. With a maximum axle load of less than 19 tonnes, the E 32 could be used on all electrified lines in Upper Bavaria. Due to the good running characteristics, the gear ratio was changed in 1936 on eight locomotives so that they could run 90 instead of 75 km/h. These were now designated as E 32¹. At the end of the war, a total of five had been lost and all the rest were still in use in Upper Bavaria, so that these 24 units were all taken over by the Bundesbahn. With the exception of two, all the others were still present when the 1968 renumering was carried out. The last eight were retired on August 1, 1972. 132 027 is still in existence today, it carries the old number E 32 27 again.