Royal Bavarian State Railroad (K.Bay.Sts.B.) class S 3/6. Separately applied royal coat-of-arms on the smoke box. With digital decoder and controlled high-efficiency propulsion. Headlights digitally controlled. 3 axles powered. 2 traction tires. Length over buffers 24.9 cm (9-13/16"). Equipped for installation of smoke generator.
Special one-time series for 1998.
The Bavarian S 3/6 was built over a period of 22 years and gave excellent service for 57 years. With its high power and economical coal consumption, it was undoubtedly one of the most successful designs of the provincial railroad period. It was admired for more than just technical features; due to its elegant appearance it was soon considered the most beautiful steam locomotive of its time.
The first S 3/6 was similar to designs for the Palatine Railroad and the Baden State Railways and was delivered for the first time by the Maffei Company in Munich on June 16, 1908 to the Royal Bavarian State Railways. Four days later the second S 3/6 with the number 3602 was rolled out of the erecting halls directly to the "1908 Munich" Exhibition. In a departure from its green sister unit 3601, Maffei painted this locomotive in a light ocher yellow color so that it would photograph better on the "photographic plates" in use at the time. The royal coat-of-arms on both sides of the smoke box, a golden smoke stack crown and boiler rings, as well as brass plated cylinders and slide valves underscored the elegance of perhaps the most beautiful of all the S 3/6 locomotives.
