DB Class V 162 - Operational History and Modifications

Operational History and Modifications

At the end of 1970 and the beginning of 1971, the three prototypes set out from Mühldorf to the DB railway works in Regensburg, where six of the production locomotives were also stationed. By 1972 all 15 of the class were concentrated in Regensburg. They were used for pulling heavy freight trains on the lines Regensburg - Schwandorf - Nuremberg - Sulzbach-Rosenberg - Schwandorf - Furth im Wald.

In 1993, the Class 217 locomotives were put into trial use with double-decker passenger coaches on the line connecting Mühldorf and Munich. This deployment lasted just two days, with the result that Class 218 locomotives were used on the double decker trains and the Class 217s returned to Regensburg.

In 1998, the bahnreform of the Deutsche Bahn led to its division into different subsidiaries: the class were assigned to freight division and thus became the property of DB Cargo (since September 2003 renamed Railion Germany, and currently DB Schenker).

In May 2000, all of the units (except DB 217 001) were assigned back to the engine shed at Mühldorf. They pull freight trains around their base in Muldorf - destinations being Munich, Simbach, Landshut, Freilassing and the Wacker plant at Burghausen, often in multiple workings.

The last 217 in use by DB Schenker was withdrawn in December 1999.