BVG Class A

The A class trains are the oldest BVG trains in the network. Those trains are used for 88 years in the Berlin from 1901 to 1989, and besides the smaller profile trains, it also went to the bigger profile trains when there are not enough trains on the network, such as the case of U5, U6 and U8.

Numbering System

The AIU train 126 530 is located at Magistrat's Court in 1989

Number after 1970

Type	Number
AI	125 400–125 456 175 401–176 457
AIU	126 500–126 580 176 501–176 581
AII	127 600–127 646 177 601–177 647
AIIU	128 700–128 734 178 701–178 735

The cars of the AI and AII were numbered from the 1, and the side cars were 200 series, before renumbering to 500 series in 1912. The second reuse of the numbers 1 to 58 was made in 1926, before it conflicts onto the original assigned numbers.

In 1970, BVB constituted the electronic data processing system, therefore certain trains were renumbered to 125, 126, 127 and 128. Side cars were renumbered to 175-178.

A I

Lieferung	Year	Multiple units	Side cars[note 1]
1.	1901/03	1–42	501–522
2.	1902/03	43–57	523–528
3.	1902/03	58–66	529–531
4.	1903/04		532–538

Two test vehicles were ordered for the first Berlin U-Bahn line from the Cologne coach builders, van der Zypen & Charlier. One of these vehicles was used by Wilhelm II in 1908, leading to their nickname Kaiserwagen ("emperor's coach"). The train width of 2.30 meters was already fixed at this point. At that time, trains and subways were still modelled on streetcars. The first production vehicles, which were appropriately titled A-I, were built in the Warschauer Brücke workshop. At the U-Bahn's opening in 1902, 42 multiple units and 21 pure railroad cars were ready for service. Unlike the test vehicles, the seating was placed along the walls of the train, which was considered more comfortable. This arrangement is still used today. These trains had a top speed of 50 km/h.

Because Berlin or more specifically the Nord-Süd-Bahn AG had no Großprofil trains for the opening of the Hallesches Tor – Stettiner Bahnhof route (now U6), the running of that route was handed to the (then) privately owned Hochbahngesellschaft, which serviced the route using Kleinprofil trains with wooden boards (the so-called Blumenbretter, "flower boards") attached to the sides. These trains were moved to U6 with flower boards.

These trains were retired after serious accidents in 1937. Those side cars were kept and badly damaged except for the four remaining cars in the World War II. The other four came in equal parts of BVB and BVG where they were retired after the erection of Berlin Wall on 14 August 1961. Of the four deliveries of the cars, no vehicle has been preserved.

Holzwagen Trains

Lieferung	Year	Multiple units	Side cars[note 1]
5.	1906/07	67–072	539–551
6.	1908	73–078	552–559
7.	1908	79–082
8.	1908	83–114	558–586
9.	1909	115–120
10.	1909	121–129	587–596
11.	1910	130–133	597–600
12.	1912	131–139	601–612
13.	1913	140–163	613–636
14.	1913	164–226	637–674
15.	1913	227–229	675–680

Between 1906 and 1913, a fifth batch of vehicles was delivered; these had an improved steering system, making possible 8-car trains, which had become necessary due to rising traffic.

Originally there were smoking compartments and third class cars on the U-Bahn. Different classes were abandoned in 1927.

Schöneberg Trains

Lieferung	Year	BVG	Schöneberg[note 2]
1.	1910	358–369	11–022
2.	1912	765–770	23–029

In 1926 the Schöneberg U-Bahn, which had been independent and had used their own vehicles up to that point, were taken over by the main U-Bahn network. Because a connection to the rest of the network had been planned from the beginning, the Schöneberg trains had been built to the same specifications as the main network.

Stahlwagen Trains

Lieferung	Year	Multiple units	Side cars
16.	1924/25	230–280	681–731
17.	1925/26	281–292	732–743
18.	1926	1–058 293–306	751–764

One-person operation had begun in 1964, and therefore all trains have been phased out from Line AIII and Line BI, followed by AI and BII by 1966.

BVG-West had withdrawn the wooden cars by 1966 and the steel cars by 1968. The last trains ran on the Line 3 and 4. All the BVG-Ost trains, took their time because they did not have technology, and they were in desperate need for replacement - the G-Zug. Finally, by 5 November 1989, all the trains have been withdrawn. It is the only train that lasts during the East Berlin division.

A II

Lieferung	Year	Multiple units	Side cars
19.	1928	307–357	771–821
20.	1928/29	370–414	822–866

From 1928 to 1929 a new type of Kleinprofil was introduced, the A-II cars. The most notable difference to the A-I type was that the A-II only had three windows and two sliding doors. Berliners called these trains Ammanullah-cars because the Afghan king Amanullah Khan had supposedly steered one of these trains during his 1928 Berlin visit.

BVG-West had withdrawn the trains on 30 April 1973. The BVG-Ost took their time to withdraw the trains, and by 5 November 1989, the trains has been withdrawn. It is the only train that lasts during the East Berlin division.

The 21st Lieferung trains were delivered in 1929. 207 and 209 were converted as test vehicles into 507 and 509. 515 and 867 were also there. It was converted into a maintenance and driver training vehicle after the retirement in 1976.

The 22nd Lieferung trains were delivered between 1947 and 1951 because of the badly-damaged trains in the war. Those are 416-425 (rail car) and 744, 747 and 748 (side car). 748 was withdrawn in 1972 and 744 and 747 were used for the last trip on 30 April 1973.

Notes

1. before 1912, the side cars were numbered in 2xx series
2. Numbers before 1928

References