DB Class 112.1

Updated: August 2026 – Four axles, boxy front, a double-deck push-pull train on a Regional-Express behind it: that narrows things down to an entire vehicle family – but not yet to the class. The Class 112.1 shares its shape and origin with two other classes, and that’s exactly where the challenge lies. This page shows you how to identify it reliably anyway.

What is the Class 112.1?

The Class 112.1 is a four-axle electric locomotive for fast regional services, developed at the Hennigsdorf locomotive works, later the plant of Bombardier Transportation. Technically it’s a further development of the successful Reichsbahn Class 243 – now Class 143 – rated for 160 km/h instead of the lower local-service speed of the original design. The production machines carry numbers from 112 101.

Operationally it occupies a clear niche: it’s the locomotive for Regional-Express duties with double-deck push-pull trains – faster than a pure local-service locomotive, but without the ambition to keep pace with long-distance traffic. In eastern and northern Germany, it thus takes on a role traditionally filled in the west by the Class 111.

The numbering history: 212, 112, 114

Hardly any German class shows so well why the numbering system sometimes seems confusing – and why it’s logical nonetheless.

Step	What happened	Why
Reichsbahn era	Design listed as Class 212	Deutsche Reichsbahn’s numbering plan
After 1992	Renumbered to Class 112	212 was already taken in the west by a diesel locomotive
Later	Part of the fleet listed as Class 114	Differences in equipment and deployment
Sub-variant	Designation 112.1 for the production machines	Distinguishing from the older sub-group

The key mechanism behind it: after reunification, two complete numbering plans had to be merged into one. Where a number occurred twice, one side gave way. The same pattern explains why the Reichsbahn 243 became the 143 and the 211 became the 109. The guide to identifying classes describes how to quickly find and interpret such numbers in operation.

The dot in “112.1” marks a sub-variant – a principle that applies throughout the German system, from the 110.3 to the 01.10.

Recognition in four steps

Where it fits into railway operations

Setting	Likelihood	Why
Regional-Express lines with double-deck trains	high	The class’s actual field of use
Major local-service hubs with turnaround times	high	Long dwell times at the platform
Networks running only S-Bahn services	low	Multiple units run there, not loco-hauled trains
Long-distance routes	low	Different vehicle types and higher speeds
Freight hubs	very low	Wrong vehicle type

The article on decoding train numbers explains how to infer expected stock from the train category and number.

Why 160 km/h makes a difference in regional service

At first glance, the maximum speed looks like just a figure on a data sheet. In fact it’s the reason this class exists at all.

Regional-Express lines connect larger cities with few intermediate stops, sharing tracks with long-distance traffic along the way. A locomotive limited to 120 km/h becomes an obstacle on such sections: it occupies paths for longer, has to be overtaken, and forces the timetable to build in buffers. At 160 km/h, on the other hand, a regional train fits much better into mixed traffic.

That’s exactly where the difference lies between the 112.1 and its slower sister class: the same design family, the same basic shape, but a different gear ratio and a different operational role. One serves local service with a dense stopping pattern, the other fast regional service over longer distances.

For you as an observer, that’s a useful clue: the train category often already reveals which class to expect. A Regional-Express on a long-distance route suggests the faster design, a Regionalbahn with many stops more likely the slower one. That’s not proof – but a good shortlist before you can read the number.

Spotting and photo tips

Regional-Express duties are pleasant for spotters: a fixed frequency, predictable stops, good platform conditions.

• Use stations with a stop. Unlike in long-distance service, here you have time for the number, composition and a second attempt. Suitable spots are listed in the overview of the best stations for trainspotting in Germany.
• Watch the front of the train. On push-pull trains, the driving trailer often leads. If you want the locomotive, plan for the return direction.
• Choose a three-quarter view. The flat front looks a little flat head-on. An angle of 30 to 45 degrees shows the front and side at once.
• Always get the number. With three similar classes, it’s the only proof.

Tracks, operational railway land and depots are off limits. They are private property, entry is prohibited and dangerous. Photograph only from the platform behind the safety line and from publicly accessible areas.

Common mix-ups

The most direct mix-up is with the Class 114: same origin, same basic shape, different number. Anyone wanting to tell them apart reliably can’t avoid the vehicle number.

Verdict

The Class 112.1 is a textbook example of how looks and class aren’t the same thing. It shares shape and origin with two sister classes; only the number tells it apart. Anyone who accepts that and consistently photographs the side panel gets clean sightings – and documents, along the way, a field of use that keeps changing with every timetable change.