The story of the electrification of Germany's railways in the period following the Second World War. Electrification began in Germany before the First World War and continued through the 1920s and 1930s, although the electrified network could be described as patchy at the outbreak of the Second World War.
EK Special 142: Unter Strom: Die Elektrifizierung bei der Bundesbahn 1949-1969 describes the difficult initial situation in the western half of Germany in the post-war period and the measures taken by the fledgling German Federal Railway to further electric operation.
The magazine-style publication contains particular focus on the new building programs of DB that began in 1949. Important milestones examined include the introduction of electric operation in the Rhine and Ruhr areas and the connection of the North Sea ports to southern Germany. The procurement of high-performance electric locomotives in large numbers is also examined, including the standard electric locomotive program of the 1950s which delivered many of the standard types that saw regular service for several decades..
The book is well illustrated throughout, mainly using archive black & white photos, but also with some colour material. Technical data is provided regarding the capabilities of certain locomotive classes and the depots to which locomotives were allocated. Extensive statistical data is included detailing the extent of the DB electrified network by 1969. 98 pages. German text.