Key takeaways
- The 219 is DR Class 119: a six-axle, diesel-hydraulic main-line locomotive built in Romania between 1976 and 1985.
- The nickname U-boat comes from the strikingly long, flat body with rounded fronts.
- Two diesel engines instead of one – that's the structural reason for the vehicle's unusual length.
- The 1992 renumbering put a 2 in front of the DR classes in the unified railway: 119 became 219, 132 became 232.
- Remotorised locomotives later ran as Class 229 – the same basic shape, a different power plant.
Contents
Fact file
| Vehicle type | Main-line diesel locomotive for passenger and freight trains |
|---|---|
| Deutsche Reichsbahn designation | Class 119 |
| Manufacturer | 23 August Locomotive Works, Bucharest (Romania) |
| Years built | 1976 to 1985 |
| Wheel arrangement | C'C' (two three-axle bogies) |
| Transmission | diesel-hydraulic, two diesel engines |
| Maximum speed | 120 km/h |
| Status | withdrawn from regular service; a few locomotives preserved in museums |
Identifying features
Is this really the class in front of you?
- Six axles in two three-axle bogies
- A very long, flat body with rounded fronts – hence the nickname U-boat
- Two separate engine sets, visible from two exhaust and cooling areas on the roof
- Vehicle number begins with 219, older photos show 119
- A cab at both ends, with low-set front windows
Updated: August 2026 – An unusually long, flat locomotive body, six axles and two exhaust systems on the roof: the Class 219, run by the Deutsche Reichsbahn as Class 119 and nicknamed U-boat by railway staff, is one of the most striking German diesel classes of all. This page places it technically and historically and shows you how to tell it apart from its relatives.
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What is the Class 219?
The Class 219 is a six-axle main-line diesel locomotive with hydraulic transmission and two diesel engines, built between 1976 and 1985 at the 23 August Locomotive Works in Bucharest. On the Deutsche Reichsbahn it ran as Class 119; the maximum speed is 120 km/h, the wheel arrangement is C’C’.
Operationally it was intended as a general-purpose main-line locomotive: passenger, semi-fast and freight trains on non-electrified main lines in the east of Germany. That puts it in a line with the Class V 180, the older in-house development of the East German locomotive industry, and with the six-axle machines imported from the Soviet Union, the Class 232.
The 1992 renumbering, and what the 2 in front means
German class designations carry their history in their number range. Three systems need to be told apart:
- Bundesbahn until 1968: letters and a number, such as V 160 or V 200 for diesel locomotives.
- From 1968: three-digit class numbers; diesel locomotives sit in the range from 200 upward.
- From 1992: the vehicle fleets of the Bundesbahn and the Reichsbahn were merged. Because many DR classes carried two-digit numbers that were already taken, a digit was put in front of them.
That’s why the DR Class 119 became the 219, the 132 became the 232, and the 142 became the 242. For you, that means for your photo archive: older pictures show the same locomotive under a different number. Anyone wanting to label historical photos properly should know both designations. The guide to building a photo archive for spotters shows how to organise such holdings systematically.
How to identify a 219 in the field
Count the axles
Six axles in two three-axle bogies. That rules out every class of the V 160 family straight away – they have four.
Judge the length and front height
The body is strikingly long and flat, the ends are rounded, the front windows sit low. No other German diesel class has this silhouette.
Look at the roof
Two separate exhaust and cooling areas give away the two engine sets. Single-engined locomotives have only one.
Read the number
219, or – in historical photos – 119. If the number begins with 229, you're looking at a remotorised sister locomotive.
Hydraulic or electric? A feature for the ears
Diesel-hydraulic locomotives like the 219 rev audibly on starting off, while speed builds up slowly behind it. Diesel-electric machines like the 232 hold their revs in steps. Once you've heard both side by side, you can tell the two drive types apart even without seeing the vehicle.
Find rare classes on purpose
Community sightings tell you where museum vehicles were last seen running – before you plan a long trip.
Placing it within railway operations
The Reichsbahn’s large diesel classes followed a different logic from the West German ones. Where the Bundesbahn relied on four-axle hydraulic main-line locomotives, the DR imported six-axle machines with a high axle count and correspondingly low axle load. The table below places the main representatives.
| Class (from 1992) | Earlier DR designation | Wheel arrangement | Transmission | Placement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 219 | 119 | C’C’ | diesel-hydraulic, two engines | main-line locomotive of Romanian manufacture |
| 229 | – | C’C’ | diesel-hydraulic, remotorised | rebuild of the 219 |
| 231 | 131 | Co’Co’ | diesel-electric | freight locomotive without train heating |
| 232 | 132 | Co’Co’ | diesel-electric | general-purpose locomotive with electric train heating |
| V 180 | – | B’B’ or C’C’ | diesel-hydraulic | in-house development of the East German industry |
That also names the main risk of confusion: between the 219 and the six-axle Soviet types, it isn’t the axle count that differs, but the shape of the body and the type of drive. The Class 231 and its relatives look tall and angular, the 219 flat and elongated.
Spotting, photography and safety
In the regular service of Deutsche Bahn AG there are no more workings for the 219. Anyone wanting to see it plans around events: museum galas, special trains, anniversaries. That changes preparation fundamentally.
- Research dates rather than reading timetables. Announcements come from societies and special-train operators.
- Fix your spot early. For announced runs, good spots fill up fast; a second spot as a backup saves the day.
- Check the light. The long, flat body needs flat side light so the shape doesn’t look flat. Midday light is the worst case.
- Report the sighting. Especially for rare vehicles, it helps the community if an observation is shared promptly – the guide to reporting sightings explains how to do that cleanly.
Operational land is off limits
Track areas, depots, stabling sidings and museum sheds are operational or private land. Photography happens from the platform, from public paths and bridges, or – at events – within the areas released for it. Barriers apply without exception, even if the rarer vehicle is standing just behind them.
For identifying individual locomotives, the full vehicle number remains decisive. Its system, including the country and keeper code, is explained in the piece on reading the UIC number and its check digit; the general approach to placing unfamiliar vehicles is in the guide to identifying classes.
Common mix-ups
It points to the 219, when …
- you count six axles in two three-axle bogies
- the body is very long and flat and the fronts look rounded
- two exhaust and cooling areas sit on the roof
- the number begins with 219 or, historically, with 119
Look more closely, when …
- the shape fits but the number begins with 229 – then it's the remotorised rebuild
- the locomotive is running in a historical Reichsbahn livery and the markings are hard to read
- you only see the vehicle at a sharp angle and can't judge its length
It's not a 219, when …
- you count four axles – then you're looking at the V 160 family or a modern four-axle locomotive
- the body looks tall and angular and only one exhaust area is visible
- the number begins with 231, 232 or 241
Conclusion
The Class 219 is a lesson in two directions: it shows how the Reichsbahn’s traction policy differed from the Bundesbahn’s, and it explains the 1992 renumbering logic, without which you’d label older photos wrongly. In the field it’s unmistakable thanks to its silhouette – six axles, long flat body, two engine sets. Today, though, you’ll only see it at events, and the preservation status of individual locomotives keeps changing.
Bottom line
Six axles, an extremely long flat body and two engines: the U-boat is instantly recognisable in the field. Whether it's a 219 or a remotorised 229 is decided by the number – and the current stock always needs checking afresh.
Document historical sightings for good
Number, date, location and keeper in one place – so even a rare encounter stays traceable.
Summary
- The Class 219 stands for the import of Soviet and Romanian traction technology into the Deutsche Reichsbahn's fleet.
- Six axles, two engines and an extremely long body make it unmistakable in the field.
- After the two German railways were united, the 119 became the 219; remotorised locomotives were given the number 229.
- Today the class is a museum subject – preservation status, keeper and operability keep changing.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the Class 219 called U-boat?
Because of its shape. The body is very long, comparatively flat and rounded at the ends – the silhouette reminded railway staff of a submarine hull. Because two separate engine sets had to be fitted, the vehicle came out significantly longer than comparable four-axle main-line diesel locomotives.
What is the difference between Class 119 and Class 219?
It's the same vehicle. On the Deutsche Reichsbahn it ran as Class 119. After the two vehicle fleets were merged, a 2 was put in front of many DR classes to avoid clashing with Bundesbahn classes: 119 became 219, 132 became 232, 142 became 242.
How do I recognise a 219 in the field?
By six axles in two three-axle bogies and by the strikingly long, flat body with rounded fronts. On the roof you'll see two areas with exhaust and cooling equipment, because two engines are fitted. The number begins with 219 or – historically – with 119.
Where does the Class 219 come from?
From Romania. It was built at the 23 August Locomotive Works in Bucharest between 1976 and 1985. The Deutsche Reichsbahn procured traction vehicles as part of the division of labour within the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance – which is why its large diesel classes came from Romanian and Soviet production.
What is the difference between the 219 and the 229?
The 229 is a rebuild of the 219 with a new power plant. The vehicle's basic shape stays recognisable, but the engines were replaced. If you see a locomotive in U-boat shape, the vehicle number decides whether you're looking at a 219 or a remotorised 229.
Does the Class 219 still run?
Not in regular service. Surviving locomotives are one-off museum pieces or stand with small private railways. Whether a particular locomotive is currently serviceable depends on deadlines, spare parts and the owner, and keeps changing – older stock figures are quickly out of date.
What does C'C' mean for the wheel arrangement?
The letter stands for the number of powered axles in a bogie: A is one, B is two, C is three. The apostrophe shows that the axles run in a bogie. C'C', then, means: two bogies with three powered axles each, six driving axles in total.
Why did the 219 have two engines?
Because each engine set drives one bogie through its own hydraulic gearbox. This design delivered the required power using existing engine sizes, but made the vehicle long, heavy and maintenance-intensive. That was also, later, the reason for rebuilds with modern engine technology.
Log your sighting of the DR Class 219
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Related classes
DR Class 229
The Class 229 is the remotorised rebuild of the six-axle Class 219. Same U-boat silhouette, different technology – here's how to recognise and tell them apart.
Diesel locoClass 232
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Diesel locoDR Class V 180
The V 180 was the Deutsche Reichsbahn's big diesel-hydraulic main-line locomotive – with two engines and, depending on the build series, four or six axles.
Diesel locoClass 273 (G 1206)
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Diesel locoClass 275
Class 275 covers four-axle diesel locomotives of the MaK/Vossloh G 1206 type. Here's how to read the vehicle number and recognise the bodyshell in freight traffic.
Diesel locoClass 280 (V 80)
The V 80, renumbered Class 280 from 1968, was the Bundesbahn's first four-axle diesel-hydraulic main-line locomotive – the model for the V 100 and V 160.
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