Key takeaways
- The 772 is the Ferkeltaxe: a two-axle light railcar from Bautzen for the Deutsche Reichsbahn's branch lines.
- Fastest way to identify it: count the axles. A railcar with no bogies is a rarity in Germany.
- Number history: from VT 2.09 via classes 171 / 172 to 771 / 772 – the path reflects three railway eras.
- Historic today: there's no scheduled service any more; the vehicles are with societies and heritage railways.
- Research routes instead of location lists: dates, keeper enquiries and current sightings are more reliable than old overviews.
Contents
Fact file
| Vehicle type | Two-axle light diesel railcar for branch lines |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | VEB Waggonbau Bautzen |
| Build period | from the early 1960s |
| Original designation | VT 2.09 of the Deutsche Reichsbahn |
| Number history | VT 2.09 → Class 171 / 172 → Class 771 / 772 |
| UIC type code | 95 – diesel railcar |
| Current status | No longer in scheduled service; surviving vehicles with heritage and preservation railways |
Identifying features
Is this really the class in front of you?
- Only two axles – no bogie, the vehicle sits directly on two axle sets
- Short, low body with a straight, high-set row of windows
- Rounded fronts with small cab windows
- Buffers and screw coupling of standard design – unlike the early West German railbuses
- Often runs with a matching trailer car, less often alone
- Running number begins with 772 (older markings also show 172 or VT 2.09)
Updated: August 2026 – Two axles, a short body, a rounded front: the Class 772 is, as the Ferkeltaxe, one of the best-known vehicles in East German branch-line history. This page explains where it comes from, how its number has changed across three eras, how to identify it beyond doubt, and how you can still catch one of the few operational machines today.
Spotted a museum vehicle? Log it.
With historic railcars, every run is a one-off event – with date, place and number it stays verifiable.
What is the Class 772?
The Class 772 is a two-axle light diesel railcar, built from the early 1960s by VEB Waggonbau Bautzen. Its job was traffic on the Deutsche Reichsbahn’s numerous branch lines: short runs, thin demand, little staff – a vehicle that could work a whole line all day, alone or with a trailer car.
The approach was consistent: a two-axle vehicle is simpler, lighter and cheaper to maintain than a railcar on bogies. On short, slow branch lines the comfort penalty barely mattered, while operating costs fell noticeably. Exactly the same calculation lay behind the West German railbuses of the same years – two railway administrations, separate developments, the same economic logic.
The popular name Ferkeltaxe caught on so thoroughly that it has outlived the official designations. The vehicles shaped everyday life in entire regions and only vanished from regular service when lines were closed or converted. Today they stand where historic vehicles belong: with heritage and preservation railways.
The number history: VT 2.09, 172 and 772
Hardly any vehicle illustrates German numbering history so vividly. Three systems have pointed at the same design one after another:
- VT 2.09 was the Deutsche Reichsbahn’s original class designation. The abbreviation VT stood for Verbrennungstriebwagen (internal combustion railcar) – counterparts were VS for driving trailer and VB for trailer car. This system described the vehicle’s role in the formation, not its manufacturer.
- With the switch to EDP numbers, it became Class 171 or 172. Letters turned into digits, class abbreviations into number blocks.
- After 1990, the joint German system gave it the designation 771 / 772.
Above all this sits today’s twelve-digit UIC number, whose first two digits give the vehicle type: 95 stands for diesel railcar. How this number is built up in detail is explained in the guide to the UIC number.
Several numbers on one vehicle are normal
With museum vehicles you often find historic markings and modern numbers side by side – sometimes deliberately, as a restoration to a particular condition. Photograph both. For identification the current vehicle number counts, for the history the old one.
How to identify the Ferkeltaxe in the field
Count the axles
Exactly two axles, directly in the frame, with no bogie. That's so rare among German railcars that identification is almost done with this alone.
Judge height and length
The body is short and low. Next to a modern regional railcar, the vehicle looks almost small.
Look at the front
Rounded, with small cab windows and a plain, functional layout with no large cladding.
Check the formation
A matching trailer car often runs along. A two-car formation of two very similar, short vehicles is typical.
Anyone wanting to fix the general order of such checks will find it in the guide to identifying classes.
Classification within railway operations
The 772 today belongs entirely to the historic fleet. That changes the search: it’s not the timetable that decides, but the events calendar.
The design is kept alive by societies and small railways in eastern Germany. In southern Brandenburg, the Niederlausitzer Museumseisenbahn keeps vehicles and lines from the Reichsbahn era running. Over the ridge of the Thuringian Forest runs the Rennsteigbahn, behind which stands its own railway undertaking. And south of Dresden, the Sächsische Museumseisenbahn Windbergbahn looks after what remains of Germany’s oldest mountain railway.
| Search route | Success chance | What you get there |
|---|---|---|
| Event pages of heritage and preservation railways | high | Firm dates for operating days and special trains |
| Specialist forums with special-trains threads | high | Leads on transfer runs and short-notice workings |
| Community sightings with date and photo | medium | Current location, actual operational status |
| Direct enquiry with the society | high | Reliable information on condition and planning |
| Older location lists online | low | Often outdated – vehicles change owners and storage sites |
| Regular timetable | none | No scheduled service any more |
Don't travel on spec
Operational status isn't a permanent state for historic vehicles: certificates expire, spare parts are missing, vehicles stand idle for years. Check with the organiser before every trip whether the vehicle is actually in service.
Where was the 772 last seen?
Current community reports tell you more about a museum vehicle's condition than any inventory list.
Spotting and photo tips
A short, two-axle railcar needs a matching setting. In front of a large station hall it disappears; on a single-track branch line between fields, it tells its story straight away.
Proven in practice: choose a freely accessible spot at a public path or level crossing with a clear view of the line. A shallow three-quarter view shows front and side alike and doesn’t make the short body look stunted. Deliberately include both axles in the shot – they’re the feature that defines the class. Add a separate shot of the side with the full vehicle number and markings.
On museum grounds, the operator’s house rules apply without restriction. Keep to marked paths and barriers and don’t enter track areas – not even ones that look quiet. Shunting takes place on society grounds, often without the safety technology of major stations. If in doubt, ask the staff; most societies are happy to give information and will gladly show you where you can legally get a good view.
How to systematically find dates for such trips is described in the guide to special trains and special workings; the heritage railway guide opens up the world of the heritage railway scene.
Common mix-ups
It points to the 772 if …
- the vehicle has only two axles
- the body is short and low
- the fronts are rounded with small windows
- the number begins with 772 or historic markings show VT 2.09
Look more closely if …
- the vehicle has been restored to a historic colour scheme
- you only have a front shot and can't see the axles
- a trailer car blocks the view of the railcar
It isn't a 772 if …
- the vehicle runs on bogies
- it consists of several car bodies with a gangway
- the number begins with 672, 795, 796 or 798
The next vehicle generation with the same idea is the LVT/S of Class 672.9 – boxier, more modern, but with the same purpose. The West German counterpart of the same era is the Uerdingen railbus VT 98, which after the EDP conversion was also run as Class 798 among others.
Conclusion
The Class 772 is one of the few vehicles where a single glance is enough: two axles on a railcar is something Germany has hardly seen a second time. Its number history from VT 2.09 via 172 to 772 also makes it a lesson in German designation systematics. Anyone wanting to see it running works with dates, society information and current sightings – online location lists are, for historic vehicles, the weakest of all sources.
In brief
Two axles, short body, rounded front: that's the Ferkeltaxe. It only runs in a museum setting now, so the route goes via operating days, special trains and current reports – never via the regular timetable.
Archive historic sightings properly
Number, occasion, place and date in one app – so it stays clear which museum vehicles you've really seen.
Summary
- The Ferkeltaxe was the backbone of branch-line services for the Deutsche Reichsbahn and is today a museum vehicle with a high recognition value.
- Two axles, short body, rounded front: identifying it is one of the easiest tasks around.
- The number history from VT 2.09 via 172 to 772 explains why a single vehicle can carry several designations.
- Workings happen almost only at special events and gatherings – dates should be checked directly with the organiser.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Class 772?
The Class 772 is a two-axle light diesel railcar, built from the early 1960s by VEB Waggonbau Bautzen for the Deutsche Reichsbahn's branch lines. It originally ran as the VT 2.09, later as Class 172 and finally as 772. It's popularly known as the Ferkeltaxe.
Where does the nickname Ferkeltaxe come from?
The name arose in everyday branch-line use and alludes to the fact that the small railcars literally carried everything that belonged to rural life – from churn traffic to small livestock. It was never an official designation, but it caught on so thoroughly that everyone knows it today.
How do I recognise a Ferkeltaxe with certainty?
Count the axles. The 772 has only two axles and no bogies – extremely rare among German railcars. Add to that the short, low body and the rounded fronts with small cab windows.
What does the number sequence VT 2.09, 172 and 772 mean?
It shows three systems one after another. VT 2.09 was the old class designation of the Deutsche Reichsbahn, where VT stood for Verbrennungstriebwagen (internal combustion railcar). With the switch to EDP numbers it became Class 171 or 172, and after 1990 finally 771 / 772 under the joint numbering system.
Does the Class 772 still run on a scheduled basis?
No. The vehicles are no longer in regular service. Surviving railcars are with heritage and preservation railways as well as private owners. Workings happen at special trains, society events and anniversaries – check dates directly with the organiser.
What's the difference between 771 and 772?
Both numbers belong to the same vehicle family and separate sub-groups that differ in design and equipment. The full vehicle number on the side gives away which variant is actually in front of you – and, in case of doubt, so does the vehicle documentation of the heritage railway looking after the railcar.
How does the Ferkeltaxe differ from the Uerdingen railbus?
Both are branch-line light railcars of the same era, but come from separate railway systems. The Deutsche Bundesbahn's Uerdingen railbus looks more bus-like, with large front windows and a typical red livery. The Ferkeltaxe is shorter, lower and plainer in styling. The vehicle number settles it for good.
Where do I find dates for trips with the 772?
Via the event pages of heritage and preservation railways, specialist forums with special-trains threads, and community sightings from other spotters. Older location lists should be treated with caution: vehicles change owners, storage sites and operational status.
Log your sighting of the Class 772
Date, location and vehicle number logged in seconds – and visible to the community.
Related classes
Class 672.9 (Bombardier LVT/S)
The Class 672.9 is a light single railcar from Bautzen that continues the branch-line tradition of the East German lightweight railcars.
DMUDWA LVT/S
The LVT/S is a two-axle light railcar from Bautzen and runs at DB as Class 672. Short, narrow, economical – and very easy to identify in the field.
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.
DMUClass 605 (ICE TD)
The ICE TD was the only ICE with a diesel engine: four-part tilting trains that looked like an ICE T but carried radiators instead of a pantograph on the roof.
DMUDB Class 610
The Class 610 brought tilting technology to German diesel services in 1992. Two car sections, 160 km/h and a nickname that has stuck ever since.
DMUDB Class 611
The Class 611 was DB's second attempt at tilting-technology diesel railcars: 50 two-car units, technically demanding and a long-standing problem child.
Who is behind it
Groups, brands, manufacturers and operators – who owns whom and how to recognise them out in the field.
Dessau-Wörlitzer Eisenbahn
The Dessau-Wörlitzer Eisenbahn links Dessau with the Garden Realm of Wörlitz – standard gauge, diesel-operated, and only in season. It's run not by a club, but by a municipal transport company. That makes it a special case between heritage railway and local transport.
Heritage railwayNiederlausitzer Museumseisenbahn
The Niederlausitzer Museumseisenbahn keeps vehicles and lines from the era of the Deutsche Reichsbahn running in southern Brandenburg. The region is coal country – heavy diesel traction and industrial railways still shape it today, and it's in exactly this setting that the heritage services take place.
Heritage railwayRennsteigbahn
The Rennsteigbahn runs over the ridge of the Thuringian Forest – a standard-gauge line with steep-gradient sections and one of Germany's highest stations. Unlike a park railway, a proper railway operator stands behind it, with everything that entails.
Heritage railwaySächsische Museumseisenbahn Windbergbahn
The Windbergbahn south of Dresden is considered Germany's oldest mountain railway. It wasn't built for day-trippers but for hard coal from the Döhlen Basin – laid out on principles modelled on the Semmering. Today a heritage society preserves what remains of the line.
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