Roco 7520052 H0 E- Loc 180 004-4 of DR

In the 1980s, the DR purchased two-system electric locomotives to simplify the ever-growing traffic and operations in cross-border traffic between the GDR and Czechoslovakia. Due to the lack of experience in the field of two-system technology (DDR: AC voltage 15 kV/16⅔ Hz, CSSR: DC voltage 3 kV) and the full capacity utilization at the electric locomotive manufacturer LEW in Hennigsdorf, the machines were built on the basis of the CSD series ES 499.1 and 499.2. However, the Skoda locomotive factory had not yet built a machine for the 15 kV/16⅔ Hz AC system, so the parts of the AC part were supplied from the GDR. The need for the CSD resulted in a double order for Skoda with 15 BR 372 locomotives and 20 BR 230 locomotives for the DR. As part of the merger of both German state railways, the German locomotives were given the new series designation 180 from 1991 onwards.

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