Saturday 28th March 2020 will see a railtour operated by the Lausitzer Dampflokclub from Cottbus, via Dresden into the Czech Republic, with the destination of Luzna (home of the Czech railway museum). This is advised as being intended to be hauled by class 228 diesel-hydraulic loco 228 552 (back carrying its pre-reunification number of 118 552) and steam loco 03 2155; the exact split has not been advised yet but a similar tour last year kicked off with the 228 which then provided insurance/rear-end assistance to the Pacific for the main chunk of the tour.
Notably, this loco, as V180 052, along with sisters 048 and 050 were built for the Deutsche Reichsbahn as the dedicated fleet for the GDR governmental train.
This tour has not yet been opened for bookings, but keep an eye on the operator’s website for more details.
Below is a link to a photo showing 052 along with 048 over the inner-German border in Bebra in May 1970, hooking off from that train which was conveying GDR Prime Minister Willi Stoph to Kassel to a landmark meeting with West German Chancellor Willy Brandt, an event that held the world’s attention in the midst of the Cold War. This loco will have doubtless carried out many more equally prestigious jobs in its time.
European Traction 