Covered Freight Car (GGhmsx) GGhx DR

Info about the original

In the early 1950s, the Association of Publicly Owned Enterprises for Locomotive and Wagon Construction in the GDR (VVB LOWA) began updating the GGths Bromberg goods wagon to facilitate the transport of large quantities of grain in closed goods wagons. Following the production of three prototypes in 1952, mass production of the new GGts goods wagons commenced in 1954. These wagons retained many features of the GGths Bromberg, such as loading hatches, roof walkways and unloading chutes integrated into the doors. However, the doors were now designed to be tightly sealed, eliminating the need for additional planks to prevent cargo loss. The door width was reduced to 1.5 metres, as these wagons were primarily intended for grain transport and rarely used for other purposes. To optimise the load volume relative to payload, the wagons were also shorter than the GGths Bromberg. Between 1954 and 1957, LOWA factories produced a total of 1,655 GGrhs15-30 wagons. As is typical with large production runs, there were variations in features such as the arrangement of roof walkways, unloading hatches and braking systems (including parking brakes, handbrakes and brakeman’s cabs) due to manufacturing differences and subsequent modifications. In operation, these new wagons fully met expectations. After four decades of service, the last examples were retired from regular operations in 1994, although some remained in use as railway maintenance cars.