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Oscar posted an update in the group
3 days agoGerman Model Trains 
344
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Train Conductor
Baureihe 403.0 (ICE 1, 1985–1993 Prototypes)
Nickname: The original “Donald Duck” due to its slanted windshield.
Role: Pre-production Intercity Experimental (ICE-V) trains, later developed into the ICE 1 (Baureihe 401).
Top Speed: 280 km/h (test runs), but limited to 250 km/h in service.
Lufthansa Airport Express: Some were used for this premium service in the early 1990s.
Baureihe 404.0 (ICE 2, Mid-1990s)
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Nickname: A less pronounced “Donald Duck” look, with a flatter front.
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Design: Asymmetrical front (only one cab car per train set).
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Speed: 280 km/h (though usually operated at 250 km/h).
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Usage: Mostly on Berlin–Hanover–Cologne routes.
Baureihe 404.1 (ICE S – “Sprinter” for Lufthansa, 1996–1999)
Nickname: The last “Donald Duck” variant.
Purpose: High-speed shuttle trains for Lufthansa Airport Express (Frankfurt–Cologne–Düsseldorf).
Features:
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Only 4 cars (shortest ICE ever).
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First-class only, with flight check-in.
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Red/white Lufthansa livery.
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Fate: Retired in 1999 due to low profitability.
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Why the “Donald Duck” Nickname?
The 403.0 and 404.1 had the most cartoonish appearance, with:
✔ Slanted windshields = “Angry eyes” (like Donald Duck).
✔ Pointed nose = “Beak.”
✔ Round headlights = Added to the “face” effect.
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