Class 64

Updated: August 2026 – Compact, rounded, with no separate tender: the Class 64 is one of the best-known German steam locomotives and still carries its nickname Bubikopf today. 520 machines were built between 1928 and 1940 as the Reichsbahn’s standard tank locomotive for passenger services. It’s long gone from scheduled service – but in heritage operation it’s a realistic target.

What is the Class 64?

The Class 64 is a passenger tank locomotive from the standard-locomotive programme of the Deutsche Reichsbahn. Between 1928 and 1940, 520 machines were built with the numbers 64 001 to 64 520. They have the 1-3-1 wheel arrangement, are rated for 90 km/h, and were intended for passenger trains on branch lines and shorter main lines.

The standard-locomotive programme pursued a clear goal: standardised components across many classes, to simplify procurement and maintenance. The 64 accordingly has a tender-locomotive sister – the Class 24 – with which it shares major components. Today the Class 64 no longer runs in scheduled service; surviving locomotives belong to museums and societies such as the Dampfbahn Fränkische Schweiz.

What the number 64 means in the Reichsbahn scheme

The class number of a German steam locomotive tells you about its intended use and layout. Anyone who knows the number range knows immediately what kind of vehicle they’re dealing with – even before checking a single technical detail.

Number range	Intended use	Tender layout	Example
01–19	Express train	Tender locomotive	Class 01
20–39	Passenger train	Tender locomotive	Class 24
40–59	Freight train	Tender locomotive	Class 50
60–79	Passenger train	Tank locomotive	Class 64, Class 78
80–96	Freight and shunting service	Tank locomotive	Class 80, Class 81

The 64 therefore sits squarely in the passenger tank-locomotive range. The faster, considerably larger member of the same group is the Class 78 with the Prussian T 18; the later new-build answer to the same task is the Class 65.10. For a comparison with an express locomotive, it’s worth looking at the Class 01 – there you can see just how much wheel arrangement and wheel diameter differ depending on the task.

How to identify a Class 64

The general method behind decision trees like this is explained in the guide to identifying locomotive classes – it works just as well for steam locomotives as for modern traction units.

Context in railway operation: why tank locomotives for passenger services

A tank locomotive carries coal and water in tanks on the locomotive itself. That costs range, but brings a major operational advantage: the machine runs equally well in both directions and doesn’t need to be turned at the terminus. That’s exactly what was needed on branch lines with short turnaround diagrams and no turntable.

The symmetrical 1-3-1 wheel arrangement of the Class 64 underlines this concept: the carrying axles at front and rear guide the locomotive cleanly on the track in both directions of travel. For photographers, this means that in heritage operation the locomotive often runs cab-first on the return trip – a view many find less attractive, but one that’s entirely normal operationally. Anyone wanting the classic view with the chimney leading should check beforehand which direction the train will be running under steam.

How to turn that into a good photo – viewpoint, direction of light, exhaust plume, timing – is explained in detail in the guide how to photograph steam trains.

Spotting: how you realistically find a 64

The Class 64 is one of the more commonly preserved German steam locomotives – which makes it one of the more rewarding targets if you’re after a specific class. Even so: there’s no timetable. The route runs through institutions and dates – for instance the DGEG heritage railways, which include the Kuckucksbähnel in the Palatinate.

Start with heritage railways that run regular steam services. Many of them operate on fixed weekends of a season and publish their vehicle rosters in advance, such as the Angelner Dampfeisenbahn in Schleswig-Holstein. Then check society websites: that’s where you find out whether a machine is currently in overhaul or back under steam. Finally, event calendars are worth it – at steam festivals and anniversaries, several machines often come together in one place.

Specific search routes are described in the guide to finding special trains and charter services. If you’re interested in the structures behind all this – who actually operates these locomotives and how to get involved – the article on railway societies gives you a good overview.

Common mix-ups

Conclusion

The Class 64 is the steam locomotive that best illustrates the standard-locomotive principle: standardised, unspectacular, built for a clearly defined task – and precisely for that reason built in large numbers. You can recognise it by three features: no separate tender, three coupled axles, one carrying axle each at front and rear. You’ll only find it in heritage service, but more often than most other German steam locomotives.