Key takeaways
- The 610 was the tilting-technology pioneer in the German diesel network: 20 two-car units, built in 1992, rated for 160 km/h.
- Quickest way to identify it: two car sections, roof-mounted radiators instead of a pantograph, number starting with 610.
- The nickname Pendolino refers to the Italian origin of the tilting technology, not to an Italian train.
- The successors, the 611 and 612, took over the concept and replaced the 610 in everyday service.
- Today the class is a historical topic – there are no more scheduled workings.
Contents
Fact file
| Vehicle type | Two-car diesel railcar with tilting technology |
|---|---|
| Formation | two powered car sections, no intermediate car |
| Years built | 1992 |
| Units built | 20 units (610 001 to 610 020) |
| Maximum speed | 160 km/h |
| UIC type code | 95 – diesel railcars and diesel multiple units |
| Status | withdrawn from scheduled service |
Identifying features
Is this really the class in front of you?
- Exactly two car sections, both with a driving cab – no intermediate car
- Radiator and exhaust housings on the roof, no pantograph
- Boxy early-1990s front with large, high-set windscreens
- Tilting technology: on a curve the body visibly leans towards the inside of the bend
- Vehicle number starts with 610, running numbers 001 to 020
Updated: August 2026 – In 1992 Deutsche Bundesbahn put 20 units into service that could do something no German diesel railcar had done before: lean into the curve. The Class 610, known to spotters simply as the “Pendolino”, was a two-car unit, ran at 160 km/h, and marked the start of an entire vehicle family. This page shows you how to identify it and how to tell it apart from its successors.
Document historic railcars
Vehicles with no scheduled service are rarely seen – log the number, date and occasion straight away in Traintrack.
What is the Class 610?
The Class 610 is a two-car diesel railcar with tilting technology, built in 1992 in 20 examples numbered 610 001 to 610 020 and rated for 160 km/h. Both car sections are powered and carry a driving cab; there is no intermediate car.
Its purpose was clearly defined: to cut journey times on winding, non-electrified lines without expensive track rebuilding. Tilting technology allows higher speeds through curves without discomfort for passengers. The 610 was the vehicle with which the railway first tried this approach in series production in Germany – making it the forerunner of the much larger Class 611 and Class 612 series.
In the vehicle classification system, despite its long-distance-style ambitions, it sits firmly among the diesel railcars: UIC type code 95, just like any other diesel multiple unit.
How to identify the 610 in the field
The class has the advantage that its features work even from a distance. You don’t need to read the data panel or get up close.
Count the car sections
Exactly two, each with a driving cab, no intermediate car. That immediately rules out three-car diesel railcars such as the 614.
Look at the roof
Radiator grilles and exhaust equipment instead of a pantograph. That rules out every electric multiple unit.
Place the front end
The front styling dates from the early 1990s: boxier and higher than the later tilting-technology generations.
Check the number
The running number lies between 001 and 020. A higher number automatically means a different class.
If you want to practise the general identification logic, the guide to identifying classes is the right place to start – it explains the order in which to work through features so you don’t get stuck on details.
Tilting technology in regional service: what it means in practice
Tilting technology isn’t a comfort feature – it’s a journey-time tool. For observers, that makes a real difference to where you choose to stand.
| Type of route | Benefit of tilting technology | What it means for spotters |
|---|---|---|
| Winding low-mountain route | high – the actual reason for the technology | curves offer the characteristic shot |
| Flat main line with long straights | low | the vehicle looks like an ordinary railcar |
| Station approach, slow running | none | good for detail and number shots |
| Electrified high-speed line | not relevant | different vehicle types run there |
The counterpart without tilting technology is the older Class 614: three cars, heavier, without the curve trick – and noticeably slower on the same routes as a result.
See where historic railcars are running
Community reports show you short-notice workings and special trips before you set off.
Spotting and photography
Because the 610 has been withdrawn from scheduled service, the classic platform strategy no longer works. Access now runs through dates, not timetables.
The date beats the location
For vehicles with no regular diagram, the decisive piece of information is the date. Once you have that, you can plan the photo spot at leisure – it doesn't work the other way round.
Three things are worth thinking about for the shot itself:
- The curve is the subject. A tilting-technology vehicle leaning into a bend is far more distinctive than any head-on shot. Look for a location with a visible curve and a clear foreground.
- Two car sections fit into the frame. Unlike long multiple units, you can get the whole train sharp with a moderate focal length – a good chance for a clean side-on shot.
- Take the data panel with you. For a class with only 20 units built, the specific running number is the real information behind your sighting.
How to log sightings so you can still make use of them years later is covered in the guide to keeping a sightings log. Where to find dates for historic vehicles in the first place is covered in the piece on special trains and special workings.
Safety is still safety
Even a rare railcar doesn't justify a risk: keep your distance from the platform edge, stay behind the safety line, and don't step onto the track. Operational railway land and stabling sidings are off limits.
The 610, 611 and 612 family compared
Three classes, the same basic idea, three generations: to understand the 610, it helps to know its successors. All three are two-car diesel railcars with tilting technology, but they differ significantly in production numbers and importance.
The 610 is the pilot series. At 20 units it was small enough to stay a manageable risk, and large enough to deliver real operating experience. It answered the key question: does tilting technology work in the everyday life of a diesel network, with real timetables, real workshops and real weather?
The 611 was the second attempt, with 50 units and its own engineering solution for tilting the car body. It was meant to bring production maturity, but above all it revealed how sensitive the interplay of tilting technology, diesel propulsion and a dense timetable can be.
Only the 612 became a true large-scale series. With 192 units it shaped the winding regional routes of Deutsche Bahn AG for years and became the standard vehicle for the job. Anyone seeing a two-car tilting diesel railcar in scheduled service in Germany today is very likely looking at a 612 – and not the 610.
For identification, that means the running number is especially informative within this family. If it tops out at 020, only the 610 is possible. Higher numbers automatically point to one of the two successor classes. That small rule saves a surprising amount of time in the field, because it doesn’t require detailed knowledge of the front-end shapes.
A second point concerns the vehicle’s history: in a series of only 20 units, every surviving number is an individual with its own story. Anyone who sights one isn’t just documenting a class, but a specific vehicle – and that’s exactly where the appeal of small series lies.
Common look-alikes and how to rule them out
It points to the 610 if …
- the train consists of exactly two powered car sections
- radiators and exhaust sit on the roof
- the front looks boxy and typical of the early 1990s
- the number lies between 610 001 and 610 020
Look more closely if …
- you only see the front – two-car tilting-technology vehicles look similar head-on
- the vehicle is stabled and the data panel is hidden
- a special livery obscures the familiar colour scheme
It is not a 610 if …
- a pantograph sits on the roof
- a third car section hangs between the end cars
- the number starts with 611 or 612 – then you're looking at a successor
Verdict
The Class 610 is a small series with a big impact: it made tilting technology fit for everyday use in the German diesel network and paved the way for the 611 and 612. Identifying it takes seconds – two car sections, roof radiators, number up to 020. Actually catching one, on the other hand, now takes knowledge of dates and a bit of luck.
In short
Two car sections, radiators instead of a pantograph, number between 001 and 020: that's the 610. To see one today you need the right date more than a good platform.
Secure your Pendolino sighting
20 units built, few vehicles preserved: every documented number counts – with date, location and photo in one app.
Summary
- The Class 610 launched tilting-technology operation in 1992 on winding, non-electrified lines in northern Bavaria.
- Two car sections, 160 km/h and a distinctive roofline make it easy to identify.
- The Classes 611 and 612 carried the idea forward in far larger numbers.
- Anyone wanting to see a 610 today needs to look for heritage events rather than timetables.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Class 610?
The Class 610 is a two-car diesel railcar with tilting technology. 20 units numbered 610 001 to 610 020 were built in 1992, rated for 160 km/h. It was the first production vehicle to bring tilting technology into everyday German diesel services.
Why is the 610 called Pendolino?
The nickname comes from the Italian-origin tilting technology that gives the vehicle its cornering ability. Structurally, the class has only that one component in common with the actual Italian Pendolino trains – but the name stuck and is still in common use among spotters today.
How do I identify the Class 610 reliably?
By three things: exactly two car sections, each with a driving cab, radiators and exhaust on the roof instead of a pantograph, and the boxy front styling typical of the early 1990s. The number starts with 610 and goes no higher than 020.
What is the difference between the 610, 611 and 612?
All three are two-car diesel railcars with tilting technology, but they belong to different generations. The 610 is the oldest and, with 20 units, the smallest series; the 611 followed in the mid-1990s; the 612 became the large production class. The front and window layout differ noticeably.
How fast does the Class 610 run?
The maximum speed is 160 km/h. In practice the tilting technology mattered more: it allows higher curve speeds on winding lines, where top speed is never reached anyway.
Is the Class 610 still in service?
Not in scheduled service any more. After regular workings ended, only a handful of individual vehicles survived. Sightings are therefore tied to heritage activity and special events – check the current status before planning a trip.
Why does the 610 carry the type code 95?
Because the first two digits of the twelve-digit vehicle number describe the vehicle type: 95 stands for diesel railcars and diesel multiple units. Electric multiple units carry 94 there instead. Tilting technology or top speed play no part in this classification.
Where did the Class 610 mainly run?
Its main area of operation was winding, non-electrified lines in the northern Bavaria region – exactly where tilting technology brings the biggest time saving. The specific routes changed several times over the years, so older diagram information should be treated with caution.
Log your sighting of the DB Class 610
Date, location and vehicle number logged in seconds – and visible to the community.
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