Key takeaways
- The 103 was DB's flagship locomotive: 145 production machines, built 1970–1974, rated for 200 km/h.
- Six axles are the key feature – hardly any other German passenger locomotive has this wheel arrangement.
- E 03 became 103: the 1968 renumbering converted the old E-numbers into three-digit class numbers.
- Now a historic vehicle: there are no scheduled passenger services left – encounters are limited to special trains and museum use.
- Its successor is the Class 101, which took over premium long-distance services from the mid-1990s.
Contents
Fact file
| Vehicle type | High-speed electric locomotive for premium passenger services |
|---|---|
| Original designation | E 03 (pre-production), Class 103 from the 1968 renumbering |
| Wheel arrangement | Co'Co' (six powered axles in two three-axle bogies) |
| Production period | 1970 to 1974 |
| Number built | 145 production locomotives, plus four pre-production machines |
| Numbering scheme | 103 101 to 103 245 (production), 103 001 to 103 004 (pre-production) |
| Maximum speed | 200 km/h |
| Electrification system | 15 kV / 16.7 Hz AC |
| Current status | no scheduled passenger service any more – preserved as museum and special-event vehicles |
Identifying features
Is this really the class in front of you?
- Six axles in two three-axle bogies – a rarity among passenger locomotives
- Long, deeply drawn-down front end with a strongly rounded nose
- Pronounced roof-mounted equipment and a body that looks tall and heavy by today's standards
- Vehicle number begins with 103, production machines between 101 and 245
- Often seen in the classic red-and-beige livery of 1970s long-distance services
Updated: August 2026 – Six axles, a deeply drawn-down nose, and a reputation no other German electric locomotive has matched: the Class 103 was the face of fast long-distance rail for two decades. Today it’s a historic vehicle – but you can still encounter one if you know where to look. This page shows you how to recognise it and how to plan an encounter.
Caught a 103? That belongs in the logbook.
Encounters with historic vehicles are rare and hard to plan for – log the date, place and number straight into Traintrack.
What is the Class 103?
The Class 103 is a six-axle high-speed electric locomotive of the Deutsche Bundesbahn. The series was built between 1970 and 1974 and comprises 145 machines numbered 103 101 to 103 245; they were preceded by four pre-production locomotives of the E 03 series. It was rated for 200 km/h – a figure that marked the top speed on the German network during the 1970s.
Operationally it was clearly positioned: the locomotive in front of the country’s most prestigious trains, first TEE sets, later Intercity and Eurocity services. That role was taken over from the mid-1990s by the Class 101. Today the 103 has vanished from scheduled passenger service and survives only as a museum and special-event vehicle. Preserved machines from this era can be found, among other places, at the DB Museum Koblenz.
From E 03 to 103: the 1968 renumbering
The locomotive’s number tells a piece of administrative history that still affects every German rail vehicle today. Until 1968, Deutsche Bundesbahn used designations with a leading letter: E for electric, V for diesel locomotives. When it switched to a machine-readable numbering system, these became three-digit class numbers.
| Old designation | New class | Role |
|---|---|---|
| E 03 | 103 | High-speed locomotive for long-distance services |
| E 10 | 110 | Passenger locomotive, standard locomotive family |
| E 40 | 140 | Freight locomotive from the same family |
| E 41 | 141 | Light general-purpose locomotive |
| E 50 | 150 | Heavy freight locomotive |
| V 200 | 220 | Diesel locomotive for fast services |
The system has endured: the first digit separates the vehicle type – 1 for electric locomotives, 2 for diesel locomotives, 4 for multiple units – and the running number after it identifies the individual machine. The guide to identifying classes explains how to find and read these numbers on the vehicle.
The old E-designations haven’t quite disappeared, by the way: on vehicles like the Class 110 (E10), the historic designation is still carried today because it’s more commonly used in the enthusiast community than the plain number.
Recognition: why the 103 is unmistakable
Count the axles
Three axles per bogie, six in total. Among German passenger locomotives, that's the big exception – four-axle designs dominate.
Look at the front end
The nose is long, deeply drawn down and strongly rounded. This design language comes from a time when aerodynamics were also treated as a styling statement.
Assess height and mass
The body looks tall and heavy, and the roof carries clearly visible equipment. Modern locomotives are flatter and tidier.
Check the number
103 plus a running number between 101 and 245 for the production machines. That settles identification.
The silhouette is enough
The 103 is one of the few locomotives you can recognise even as a silhouette. Once you've internalised the combination of six axles and rounded nose, you only need the number to confirm it.
Where it fits in: a historic vehicle
This is the key point for planning: there are no scheduled services left. Anyone wanting to see a 103 has to go about it differently than with an active class. Good starting points are events run by historic depots, such as at Bahnpark Augsburg.
| Opportunity | Realistic chance | How you’ll find out |
|---|---|---|
| Special trains run by societies and organisers | good, but date-dependent | Event calendars, society websites, specialist forums |
| Museum events and anniversaries | good on specific dates | Announcements from museums and heritage depots |
| Static display in a museum | any time | The relevant institution’s opening hours |
| Transfer and workshop runs | down to luck | Community sightings, short-notice reports |
| Regular timetable | none | There are no scheduled services |
Always check dates yourself
Special trains get postponed, cancelled or run with a different locomotive when a deadline expires or a fault occurs. Never rely on a secondhand date – check with the organiser or society shortly before you travel.
The guide to heritage railways and special trains explains how to actually find such dates in the first place. It also shows which forums and calendars are genuinely kept up to date in the enthusiast community.
Don't miss a special train
Community sightings often report historic vehicles while they're still being transferred – a clear head start.
Photo tips for the 103
Historic vehicles make different demands than everyday services: you usually get only one attempt, and the location is often fixed for you.
- Decide on your spot in advance. With a special train you get one pass, not ten. Check light direction and background beforehand.
- Respect its length. A six-axle locomotive needs more frame width than a four-axle one. Too tight a crop cuts off the rear bogie.
- Look for side light. The rounded front thrives on edges and reflections. Flat light in the morning or late afternoon shows it better than midday sun. More basics are in the guide to taking good photos of trains.
- Think about the train too. With special trains, the coaching stock is part of the story – a shot including the rear of the train tells more than a pure locomotive portrait.
Tracks, operational railway land and depots are off limits. They are private property, entry is prohibited and dangerous – and that applies without exception at special trains, when many photographers are out and about.
Common mix-ups
It's a 103 if …
- you count six axles
- the front is long and deeply drawn down
- the body looks tall and heavy
- the number starts with 103
Look more closely if …
- a special livery replaces the familiar colour scheme
- you only see the locomotive from behind or against the light
- you're trying to tell a pre-production machine from a production one
It's not a 103 if …
- you only count four axles – then 101, 110 or 120 come into question
- the front is flat and boxy
- the number starts with 101, 110 or 120
The most common mix-up isn’t with other six-axle machines but with the generation after it: anyone who sees an older red electric locomotive with an unfamiliar front quickly thinks of the 103, when it’s actually the four-axle Class 120 – the first German production three-phase locomotive, also built for long-distance services but a generation younger and noticeably slimmer in its proportions. The axle count settles the matter in two seconds.
Verdict
The Class 103 is that rare combination of technical significance and an unmistakable shape. Six axles and the deeply drawn-down nose make identification a matter of seconds – the real challenge today is encountering it at all. Keep an eye on event calendars and community reports, and the chance still comes around regularly.
Quick verdict
Six axles, rounded nose, number starting with 103: unmistakable. There are no scheduled services left – look to special trains, museum events and current sighting reports, and always check dates yourself.
Historic sightings are archive material
Every encounter with a 103 is a date that won't repeat – secure it with a photo, number and place in Traintrack.
Summary
- The Class 103 was built for fast long-distance services in the 1970s and shaped the image of TEE and Intercity for two decades.
- Its six-axle design and deeply drawn-down front make it one of the most easily recognisable German locomotives.
- In regular service it's history – preserved machines run in museum and special-event traffic.
- Anyone wanting to photograph it should plan around event calendars and heritage railways rather than the regular timetable.
Frequently asked questions
What is the DB Class 103?
A six-axle high-speed locomotive of the Deutsche Bundesbahn for premium passenger services. The series comprises 145 machines, built between 1970 and 1974, rated for 200 km/h. For two decades it was the standard locomotive on TEE and Intercity trains.
Why was the locomotive previously called E 03?
Until 1968, Deutsche Bundesbahn used designations with a leading E for electric locomotives. When it switched to a computer-friendly numbering system, these became three-digit class numbers: E 03 became 103, E 10 became 110, E 40 became 140.
How do I reliably recognise the Class 103?
By the number of axles. Six powered axles in two three-axle bogies are the big exception among German passenger locomotives. Add to that the long, deeply drawn-down front end and the heavy overall shape. The number begins with 103.
Does the Class 103 still run scheduled services today?
No. There are no scheduled passenger services left; the class has been withdrawn from regular duty. Preserved machines are kept in museums or held for special trains and internal operational purposes. Whether a particular locomotive is operational changes with deadlines and overhauls.
How fast did the Class 103 run?
Its rated maximum speed was 200 km/h. That made it the backbone of fast long-distance travel in Germany during the 1970s, long before high-speed lines and multiple units defined the picture.
What's the difference to the Class 101?
The 101 is its successor: four axles, built from the mid-1990s, with a flat, boxy front. The 103 has six axles, is considerably older and looks entirely different thanks to its rounded front. Axle count and front shape settle the question beyond doubt.
Where can I still see a 103 today?
Most likely at special trains, museum events and anniversaries. Check event calendars from heritage railways and railway societies, as well as the relevant forums – that's where dates and diversions become known first. There are no fixed timetables.
How many Class 103 locomotives were built?
145 production locomotives numbered 103 101 to 103 245, plus four pre-production machines of the E 03 series. How many of those still exist today and in what condition is a separate question – museum inventories change through restorations and scrapping.
Log your sighting of the DB Class 103
Date, location and vehicle number logged in seconds – and visible to the community.
Related classes
DB Class 101
The Class 101 is Deutsche Bahn's classic long-distance locomotive: 145 engines, 220 km/h, in front of IC and EC trains since the late 1990s. Here's how to reliably recognise it.
Electric locoClass 120
The Class 120 was the world's first series-built three-phase locomotive: 200 km/h, 5,600 kW and the technical basis for almost all modern German electric locomotives.
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The E 10 was Deutsche Bundesbahn's standard passenger locomotive for decades. Here's how to recognise the Class 110, its sub-variants and its sister locomotives.
Electric locoClass E 04
Class E 04 is a 1930s standard electric locomotive with the distinctive 1'Co1' wheel arrangement. Here's how to place it and tell it apart from sister classes.
Electric locoClass E 16
Class E 16 wears its most important feature openly: the Buchli drive with large discs on just one side. Here's how to recognise and photograph it.
Electric locoClass E 17
Class E 17 belongs to the standard electrics of the interwar years. Here's how to read its design, its designation and its place in electric-locomotive history.
Who is behind it
Groups, brands, manufacturers and operators – who owns whom and how to recognise them out in the field.
Bahnpark Augsburg
Bahnpark Augsburg isn't a heritage railway with its own line, but a preserved motive power depot: a roundhouse, turntable and workshop buildings in their original layout. The vehicles stand exactly where they belong – in the shed, not in an exhibition hall.
Heritage railwayDB Museum Koblenz
The DB Museum Koblenz isn't a heritage railway, but a vehicle depot in a former locomotive depot. The site in Koblenz-Lützel belongs to the DB Museum as a branch location and shows above all what it was built for: machines from the era of the great electrification.
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