The Class 05: Flying High on the Rails. The German airline Lufthansa was started in 1926; a new transportation carrier was established in all of Germany. Five years later powerful, reliable passenger planes were available in the form of the Ju 52, and they were used to serve a growing network of routes. The German State Railroad recognized the coming competition and sought ways to counter it. New concepts such as the "Flying Trains" were developed on designated express routes in close cooperation with the railroad industry. The dominance of steam motive power was not a question; the German State Railroad required a new generation of standard design locomotives for long distance service at speeds of 175 km/h / 109 mph. The physical limits of the classic express steam locomotive had almost been reached with the class 01. The previously available continuous power output was about 2,500 horsepower, and new technology had to be used for higher speeds: Three-cylinder running gear with increased boiler pressure. Large driving wheels with a diameter of 2.30 meters / 90-9/16". A frame with a 4-6-4 wheel arrangement as with the American "Hudson" locomotives. The aerodynamics from airplane construction as a new design element for railroad locomotives and cars. In 1935, Borsig presented two giants that combined modern construction and efficient design: the 05 001 and die 05 002 with completely enclosed streamlining. This was parallel to a similar approach taken by Henschel (class 61). Both units fulfilled the demands made of them in an exemplary manner, and they surpassed the guidelines by a great deal. In 1936, test runs with passengers reached over 200 km/h / 125 mph - a record envied by other state railroads. At that time it might still have seemed possible to surpass the speed of the flying competition. Actually, this turned out to be the magic limit for passenger trains for almost 30 years. The DB's E 03 was the first to question this speed over time, which made today's fast passenger service achievable. Road no. 05 003 that followed was supposedly still more innovative: its cab was located at the front like the prototype of the American "Cab Forward" locomotives. The direct, sm

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