Covered Freight Car Tms⁸⁵¹ DB

Info about the original

As early as 1949, DB experimented with so-called Hubschiebedachwagen (sliding roof cars). They procured conventional Klappdeckelwagen (hinged lid gondolas) and compared them with the prototype cars in operation. These were similar to the conventional O-Wagen, with a double door in the centre of the car, but had a roof made of aluminium that slid off halfway. The remaining four-axle experimental open wagons, OOfs Kattowitz and OOf Berlin, were also converted in this way. The cars were very well received by shipping agents, and serial procurement began in 1951 as Kmmks 51. In the list of car type numbers that was continued by the DR until 1993 as DOK numbers, it was recorded under the number 679. The use of hollow box profiles for the side sills was characteristic here, although the cars were usually not similar in construction to the Omm 52. A part of the cars received a hand brake in the form of screw-on brake stand unit, which was primarily equipped with a brakeman’s cab. The first car still had open Siegener Schakenböcke (chain-link trestles) and Hik-GP brakes, but after the first few cars they were standardly equipped with KE brakes and Uerdinger Schakenböcke. Unlike the previous Klappdeckelwagen, the Kmmks 51 was also equipped with flap fronts, which allowed moisture- sensitive dry bulk freight to be rapidly discharged via front tilting devices. 4575 cars were built by 1967, eventually receiving the UIC designation T-51. In addition to dry bulk materials such as lime, potash, salt and clay, typical loads included metal sheets, coils and bulk goods.