Key takeaways
- Class 515 is not a steam locomotive but a battery-electric railcar – a battery-powered local-service railcar of the Deutsche Bundesbahn.
- 232 vehicles were built between 1953 and 1964 and remained in service for around four decades.
- ETA 150 and Class 515 are the same vehicle: the three-digit number came with the computer-era renumbering of 1968.
- Its matching driving trailer, the ESA 150, became Class 815 – the two vehicles operationally belong together.
- Regular service ended in October 1995; surviving vehicles now run only in heritage operation.
Contents
Fact file
| Vehicle type | Battery-electric railcar for local services on main and branch lines |
|---|---|
| Propulsion | electric, powered by onboard batteries, without overhead line or combustion engine |
| Original designation | ETA 150, Class 515 from 1968 |
| Matching driving trailer | ESA 150, Class 815 from 1968 |
| Years built | 1953 to 1964 |
| Number built | 232 railcars |
| Manufacturer | including Rathgeber, Orenstein & Koppel, Waggon-Union, Wegmann, SSW and Schaltbau |
| End of service with DB | October 1995 |
| Current status | no regular service, individual vehicles preserved in heritage operation |
Identifying features
Is this really the class in front of you?
- Box-shaped railcar with driving cabs at both ends and a passenger saloon in between
- Neither a pantograph on the roof nor an exhaust – propulsion comes from batteries under the vehicle body
- Conspicuously large battery boxes underfloor, which make the body appear to sit high
- Running number starts with 515, older markings show ETA 150
- Often paired with a matching driving trailer of the ESA 150 series, later Class 815
- Today found only at heritage railways and on special workings
Updated: August 2026 – A railcar with no pantograph and no exhaust, but with conspicuously large boxes under the floor: that’s Class 515, designated ETA 150 until 1968. 232 vehicles ran on battery power through German local services for around four decades. This page shows you how to identify it, how to read its numbering system, and where the surviving vehicles stand today.
Historical railcars belong in the logbook
Heritage vehicles run rarely – every sighting with number and date is therefore doubly valuable.
What is Class 515?
Class 515 is a battery-electric railcar of the Deutsche Bundesbahn – in other words, a local-service vehicle that draws its power from onboard batteries. 232 railcars were built between 1953 and 1964, originally designated ETA 150. Matching driving trailers of the ESA 150 series came alongside, listed as Class 815 from 1968.
Important for classification: this is not a steam vehicle. Historical railcars often appear in vehicle databases alongside steam locomotives because they belong to the same era – technically, though, they belong in a family of their own. Scheduled service ended in October 1995. What runs today are individually preserved heritage examples.
From letter code to class number
Before 1968, the Deutsche Bundesbahn used descriptive letter codes for its traction vehicles. Once you can read them, the meaning is immediately clear.
First letter: the type of propulsion
E stands for elektrisch (electric), V for Verbrennungsmotor (combustion engine). A vehicle starting with E therefore draws its energy electrically – whether from an overhead line or a battery is revealed only by the rest of the code.
Second and third letters: the vehicle type
T stands for Triebwagen (railcar), S for Steuerwagen (driving trailer), A for Akkumulator (battery). ETA is therefore an electric railcar with a battery, ESA the matching driving trailer.
Number: the design number
The 150 is a running design number, not a power rating. It distinguishes this design from other railcar designs of the same propulsion type.
From 1968: three-digit classes
With the computer-era changeover, the letter codes became numbers. ETA 150 became Class 515, ESA 150 became Class 815 – with unchanged technology.
The same principle explains many other historical designations, for instance the railbuses that were listed as VT and later became Class 798. The guide to identifying classes explains how to work through vehicle designations in general.
Identify by what's missing
With railcars, the process of elimination is fastest: no pantograph on the roof rules out the classic electric railcar, no exhaust and no engine noise rules out the diesel railcar. If both are absent, a battery vehicle is likely.
Classification in railway service: why battery railcars existed
Battery operation was not an end in itself, but an answer to a specific gap in the network. The overview below shows where it had its place.
| Propulsion type | Requirement | Strength | Limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery (ETA 150 / 515) | charging infrastructure at end points | no exhaust, quiet, no overhead line needed | limited range, long charging times |
| Electric from overhead line | continuous electrification | high power, unlimited range | expensive infrastructure |
| Diesel railcar | fuelling point in the network | long range, flexible | exhaust and noise |
| Steam traction | water and coal supply | high tractive effort | high staffing and time requirements |
The 515’s strength lay exactly in this gap: branch lines without overhead wiring, where a diesel railcar was unwelcome for noise or exhaust reasons. The same reasoning led, for shunting duties, to the battery-powered Class 381 light locomotive. Operationally inseparable from the 515 is the driving trailer of Class 815, which made running round at terminal stations unnecessary.
Collect heritage vehicles systematically
Railcars, light locomotives, steam locomotives – in Traintrack it all lands in one searchable logbook.
Spotting: how to find a surviving 515
Since 1995 there have been no more scheduled workings. The search therefore runs through operators and their events:
- Vehicle lists from railway museums and heritage railways. Large collections such as the DB Museum Koblenz publish which vehicle is based where and whether it is kept operational.
- Running days and museum festivals. Historical railcars are well suited to shuttle services on short lines and are therefore often used on event days by heritage operators such as the DGEG Railway Museum Bochum-Dahlhausen. The overview on researching heritage railways shows where such dates appear first.
- Special workings on the general network. These are rarer, but possible. The guide on special trains and special workings describes the sources.
- Community sightings. These provide the up-to-date picture – and for such rare vehicles they are often the only reliable information. How to document your own observations usefully is covered in the article on keeping a sightings logbook.
Photographically, the 515 is a rewarding subject because it is compact and fits into a normal composition. A slight three-quarter angle showing both the front and side, along with a viewpoint that keeps the characteristic battery boxes visible, works well. The basics are covered in the guide taking good photos of trains.
Museum premises are private property
House rules and barriers apply at heritage railway stations and society premises. Tracks, sheds and workshop areas must not be entered, and staff instructions are binding. Photograph from designated viewpoints or from publicly accessible areas; the basic rules are set out in the article on keeping a safe distance from the track.
Class 515 is also interesting because its basic idea is back in fashion today. Battery-electric multiple units are meant to replace diesel operation on non-electrified lines – exactly the task the ETA 150 was procured for in the first place. Technically, though, worlds separate the two generations: lead-acid batteries and simple traction motors on one side, modern lithium-ion storage, power electronics and regeneration on the other. Anyone wanting to place the 515 in context should keep this difference in mind and not lump the two together.
For documentation purposes, it’s worth recording not just the railcar but also the accompanying driving trailer when you log a sighting. Both vehicles carry their own numbers and belong together operationally. Anyone who only notes the railcar number loses half the information – especially with heritage vehicles, whose pairing can change over the years.
Common mix-ups
It points to the 515 if …
- neither a pantograph nor an exhaust is visible
- large battery boxes sit under the vehicle body
- the vehicle has a driving cab at both ends
- the number starts with 515 or the markings show ETA 150
Look more closely if …
- an attached vehicle looks similar – that would then be the Class 815 driving trailer
- a modern battery multiple unit is in the picture; the concept is topical again today, but the vehicles are completely different
- the markings have been restored to an earlier condition
It is not a 515 if …
- a pantograph sits on the roof
- an exhaust is visible or a diesel engine can be heard
- the vehicle is being hauled by a locomotive and has no propulsion of its own
Conclusion
Class 515 is a vehicle you identify by elimination: no pantograph, no exhaust, large battery boxes. Its propulsion concept was a practical solution for non-electrified branch lines for decades – and is highly topical again today under the heading of battery multiple units, only with completely different technology. In regular service, it has been history since 1995.
In short
No wire, no exhaust, battery boxes underfloor, number starting with 515: that is the battery railcar ETA 150. You can find surviving vehicles at heritage railways – there have been no scheduled workings since October 1995.
Collect the vehicles beyond the classics too
Battery railcars, light locomotives, driving trailers – with Traintrack you document every sighting for good.
Summary
- Class 515 was the Bundesbahn's answer to branch lines without overhead wiring, where a diesel railcar was not wanted.
- Its propulsion concept anticipated what is discussed again today under the heading of battery trains.
- In the field you recognise it by the absence of a pantograph, the absence of an exhaust, and the large battery boxes under the body.
- You can find surviving vehicles through heritage railways, societies and event calendars.
Frequently asked questions
Is Class 515 a steam locomotive?
No. Class 515 is a battery-electric railcar, in other words a battery-powered local-service vehicle. It often appears in vehicle databases alongside other historical vehicles because it belongs to the same era, but technically it belongs to its own family: no boiler, no chimney, no tender.
What does the designation ETA 150 mean?
ETA stands for elektrischer Triebwagen mit Akkumulator (electric railcar with battery), and 150 is the Deutsche Bundesbahn's design number. In the computer-era renumbering of 1968, these letter codes became three-digit class numbers – ETA 150 became Class 515, and its matching driving trailer ESA 150 became Class 815.
How many Class 515 vehicles were built?
A total of 232 railcars were built between 1953 and 1964, made among others by Rathgeber, Orenstein & Koppel, Waggon-Union and Wegmann, with electrical equipment from SSW and Schaltbau. Their matching ESA 150 driving trailers came in addition.
How do I recognise a battery railcar in the field?
By what's missing: no pantograph on the roof and no exhaust. Instead, conspicuously large battery boxes sit under the vehicle body, making it look tall and bulky. The running number starts with 515, and older markings show ETA 150.
What was Class 515 used for?
For local services on main and branch lines without overhead wiring. Battery operation had the advantage wherever electrification was uneconomical but diesel exhaust was unwelcome – for example in station halls and urban areas. The vehicles stayed in service for around four decades.
When did Class 515 service end?
Scheduled service with the Deutsche Bundesbahn ended in October 1995. The vehicles were then withdrawn; individual examples went to heritage railways and societies. There have been no scheduled workings since.
What is Class 815?
This is the matching driving trailer, originally designated ESA 150. It has no propulsion of its own but does have a driving cab, so the railcar could run in both directions without running round. Railcar and driving trailer together formed an operating unit.
Where can I still see a Class 515 today?
At railway museums and heritage railways, occasionally on special workings. Which vehicles are operational changes as restorations and certificate deadlines progress – so check the current status directly with the operator or through community sightings, rather than relying on older lists.
Log your sighting of the Class 515 (ETA 150)
Date, location and vehicle number logged in seconds – and visible to the community.
Related classes
Class 815
Class 815 is the non-powered driving trailer for the Class 515 battery railcar. Now a historic vehicle – here's how to recognise and find it.
DMUClass 798
Class 798 is the best-known Uerdinger railbus: two axles, short, often running as a formation with trailer car 996 and driving trailer 998.
Steam/specialClass 381 (Ks)
Class 381 isn't a steam locomotive but a battery-powered small locomotive for light shunting duty. 46 built from 1930 – only museum survivors remain today.
Steam/specialClass 01.10
The Class 01.10 was the three-cylinder development of the 01: 55 engines, streamlined from the factory, rated for 150 km/h. Today only seen as a heritage vehicle.
Steam/specialDR Class 01.5
The Class 01.5 was created by rebuilding the old standard Class 01 at the Meiningen works: new boiler, modernised cab, some engines converted to oil firing – today they are museum vehicles only.
Steam/specialDRG Class 03
The Class 03 was the lighter sister of the 01: same wheel arrangement 2'C1', same top speed, but a lower axle load – so it could run on far more lines.
Who is behind it
Groups, brands, manufacturers and operators – who owns whom and how to recognise them out in the field.
DB 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.
Heritage railwayDGEG Eisenbahnmuseum Bochum-Dahlhausen
The Eisenbahnmuseum Bochum-Dahlhausen is housed in a fully preserved steam locomotive depot. Alongside one of Germany's largest vehicle collections, you get to see something rarer here: the operational facilities that made a steam locomotive fit for service in the first place.
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