Locomotive portrait steam locomotive 97 501
The locomotive number 97 501 was delivered to the Deutsche Reichsbahn (German Reichsbahn) by the Esslingen Machine Factory in 1923.
The Royal Württemberg State Railways commissioned the construction of the Württemberg Hz locomotive. The locomotive was intended for use specifically on the Honau–Lichtenstein railway line.
After final acceptance on May 4, 1923, the locomotive number 97 501 was based at the Reutlingen depot. Its area of operation was the line from Reutlingen to Engstingen and the associated rack and pinion section between Hohnau and Lichtenstein.
Towards the end of the war in January and February 1945, the Reutlingen station area was severely damaged, including the locomotive number 97 501. After the war, the locomotive was sent to the Esslingen Railway Repair Shop for repairs from April 1 to December 12, 1945, to repair the war damage.
As part of a modernization program at Maschinenfabrik Esslingen in 1956 and 1957, locomotives 97 502 and 504 underwent a very extensive general overhaul with several technical modifications. Our 97 501 only underwent a standard overhaul. The work took place at the Esslingen Railway Repair Shop from March 18 to June 27, 1957.
Afterward, it was used only as a reserve locomotive – the more modern 97 502 and 504 were primarily used for scheduled service on the Honau – Lichtenstein line.