To maintain passenger traffic on secondary lines Prussian National Railways (KPEV) had ordered in 1907-1914 years 178 accumulator mobile units of engineer’s Wittfeld construction. Their main advantage was the low cost of operation – in most cases they would charge their batteries at night and the electricity was not expensive. Their range initially was 70 to 100 kilometers, increased to 180 km by replacing the batteries with more efficient types. That determined the expansion of these units on some of the secondary lines belonging to KPEV, including those in Lower Silesia and Pomerania.

According to the Wersal Treat resolutions, between 1919 and 1921 Polish National Railways (PKP) received 18 Wittfeld units, two more went to the railway operating in the Free City of Gdańsk. In the 1930’s the units were being further modernised, increasing their range to 300 km. That made using them also on main lines possible – the units began to work on lines near Grudziądz, Bydgoszcz, Chojnice and also near Gdańsk and Hel.

After the Second World War PKP were using approximately 10 of these units in Pomerania. They replaced light passenger trains on secondary lines – which was the same work as the modern rail buses now have. At the end of the 1950’s, when PKP purchased a number of motor cars of SN52 class in Hungary, and due to heavy wear Wittfeld units went out of service and were assigned to various minor functions.

The owned by PSMK Wittfeld unit of Ma 090802 number was built in 1913 for KPEV Direction in Szczecin and marked AT 543/544. Between the World Wars this particular unit belonged to German Railways (DRG), operating mainly on the Słupsk – Ustka line. After the war it worked on lines near Kwidzyn. From that period is the current historical marking of the unit.

Pulled out of service in 1959, it has spent over 30 years in secondary maintenance work. In 1992 it was purchased by PSMK for a symbolic amount of money and added to the collection of antique rolling stock based in Skierniewice. In 1995 the unit was carefully restored by Rolling Stock Repair Factory (ZNTK) in Łapy and featured in the huge steam parade during the celebration of 150th anniversary of Polish railway.

Our Wittfeld unit (marked Ma 090802) is the only remaining vehicle of this type in the world and also a good representation of various series of electric (accumulator) units used before and after the war on PKP.

ESSENTIAL TECHNICAL DATA OF THE UNIT AFTER THE RECONSTRUCTION

• track width: 1435 mm
• type of used engines: LKa 310
• nominal power of engines: 2×62 kW
• nominal voltage of batteries: 560 V =
• maximal speed: 60 km/h
• range (theoretical): approx. 200 km
• weight: 60 t
• number of seats: 90
• maximal width of the unit: 3230 mm
• maximal height of the unit: 4110 mm
• length over buffers: 25.650 mm

Ma 090802 was built in 1913 by three co-operating factories:

• Aktiengesellschaft für Fabrikation von Eisenbahn-material zu Görlitz (construction),
• Bergmann-Elektricitäts-Werke, Aktiengesellschaft, Berlin (electric equipment),
• Accumulatoren-Fabrik Aktiengesellschaft Berlin-Hagen i.W. (battery supplier).