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German Federal Railway VT 98
later class 798 and Austrian Federal Railways class 5081
Germany | 1953 | 329 produced
VT 98 9796 (later 798 796) in June 2011 in Bochum-Dahlhausen
VT 98 9796 (later 798 796) in June 2011 in Bochum-Dahlhausen
Hugh Llewelyn

In addition to the VT 95, the family of Uerdingen rail buses also consisted of the VT 98. This was developed because the VT 95, with its single engine, was too weak for many routes and could not carry normal carriages. For this it received a second engine, which was of the same type as the later VT 95 and drove the second axle. A pedal was no longer used to control engine power, but a hand throttle.

In addition to the motor cars, not only the VT 98 trailers were procured, as was the case with the predecessor, but also the VT 98 control cars. Usually, a combination of a motor car, a trailer and a control car was used. However, they often ran without a trailer or as a motor car only. Thanks to the multiple controls, which could control up to two motor cars, trains with six cars could also be put together if necessary. The vehicles had been given buffer beams and screw couplings so that they could carry normal cars. In practice, sometimes covered freight cars for express parcels or passenger cars were attached as reinforcement.

Production included 329 motor cars, 320 trailers (220 of which had luggage compartments) and 310 control cars. From 1968 the motor cars ran as class 698 and the trailers and control cars as class 998. Only a few later got the new color scheme of mint turquoise, pastel turquoise and light gray instead of their red paintwork. Also in 1988, 47 motor cars, 23 trailers and 45 control cars were converted to one-man operation. In 1989, the Turkish State Railways bought 25 motor cars, 25 control cars and 15 trailers from the Bundesbahn. A few vehicles still made it to the DB AG, but in 2000 the last ones were retired.

General
Built1953-1967
ManufacturerUerdingen, MAN, Donauwörth, SGP, Jenbacher
Axle configAA 
Gauge4 ft 8 1/2 in (Standard gauge)
Seats58
Dimensions and Weights
Length45 ft 9 3/16 in
Wheelbase19 ft 8 1/4 in
Rigid wheelbase19 ft 8 1/4 in
Empty weight41,667 lbs
Adhesive weight41,667 lbs
Axle load21,385 lbs
Boiler
Power Plant
Power
Power sourcediesel-mechanic
Top speed56 mph
EngineBüssing U 10
Engine type2x 6-cyl. diese1
Engine output295 hp (220 kW)
Calculated Values
DMU
secondary line
local
railbus
last changed: 01/2023
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