Created for Freight Service
In their type plan for standardized electric locomotives, the new German Federal Railroad defined a unit for freight service in the class 140. This design corresponded chiefly to the class 110, with a gear reduction adapted to the tasks of a freight locomotive. It was also used to pull passenger trains and was omnipresent thanks to the enormous quantity of 879 units. Delivery began in January of 1957. In August of 1973, the DB was finally able to take delivery of the last 140. Consequently, there were many small design differences. Several locomotives were thus equipped with buffer beams with expendable parts and multiple unit control for double-heading and shuttle train operation. The class 140 locomotives are still in use on privately owned railroads. DB Cargo has not used these units since October of 2016.

Prototype: German Federal Railroad (DB) class 140. Version with buffer beams with expendable parts. Ocean blue / ivory basic paint scheme. Road number 140 800-4. The locomotive looks as it did starting in 1986