• 344 Points
      Rank: 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)

      • Nickname: A less pronounced “Donald Duck” look, with a flatter front.

      • Design: Asymmetrical front (only one cab car per train set).

      • Speed: 280 km/h (though usually operated at 250 km/h).

      • 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:

        • Only 4 cars (shortest ICE ever).

        • First-class only, with flight check-in.

        • Red/white Lufthansa livery.

        • Fate: Retired in 1999 due to low profitability.

      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.

      Mtobias, Kajji and 2 others
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