Key takeaways
- DH 240 B is a Henschel type designation: diesel-hydraulic, 240 PS power class, two coupled axles.
- The letter B is the quickest tell: two axles in a rigid frame, no bogies.
- Rod drive is visible: power runs via a jackshaft and coupling rod to both axles.
- Type code 98 marks the vehicle as a shunting and small locomotive – not a mainline locomotive (92).
- Location and keeper are fleeting: small works locos often change owner, so check the current situation.
Contents
Fact file
| Vehicle type | Diesel-hydraulic shunting and works locomotive |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Henschel & Sohn, Kassel |
| Type code | DH = diesel-hydraulic, 240 = engine output in PS (metric horsepower), B = two coupled axles |
| Wheel arrangement | B – two powered axles in a rigid frame |
| UIC type code | 98 (diesel shunting and small locomotive) |
Identifying features
Is this really the class in front of you?
- Only two axles – the shortest wheelbase in this Henschel shunting family
- Coupling rod between the two axles, usually open and clearly visible
- Short bonnet with the engine, cab usually at one end or slightly off-centre
- Compact overall length, so it can take tight curve radii on works track
- Builder's plate on the frame with manufacturer, type, works number and year of build
- Typical setting: connecting lines, small works railways, heritage and society operations
Updated: August 2026 – Two axles, a short wheelbase, an exposed coupling rod between them: the Henschel DH 240 B stands for the small, tough works loco that spent decades doing the real work on connecting lines. This page shows you what the type name tells you and how to place the class in the field.
Small locos, rare finds
Works locos turn up unannounced and vanish again – log your sighting while it's still in front of you.
What is the Henschel DH 240 B?
The Henschel DH 240 B is a two-axle, diesel-hydraulic shunting and works locomotive from the type programme of Henschel & Sohn in Kassel. The designation is a manufacturer’s code, not a class number: DH denotes diesel-hydraulic power transmission, 240 the engine output in metric horsepower, B the two coupled driving axles. The torque converters needed for this traditionally came, in German shunting-locomotive building, from suppliers such as Voith Turbo.
In European vehicle numbering, machines like this fall under type code 98 – diesel shunting and small locomotive. That’s more than a formality: the code cleanly separates vehicles built for short distances, low speeds and frequent changes of direction from mainline diesel locomotives under 92. Anyone who knows the code immediately knows where to look.
Rod drive: the feature you can actually see
The most interesting part of this locomotive sits below the buffer beam. In the classic DH design, a torque converter passes engine power to a jackshaft, and from there via coupling rods to the driving axles. All powered axles are thereby forced to turn in sync.
1. Look between the wheels
Is there a horizontal rod there that turns as the vehicle moves? Then you're looking at a rod-drive locomotive. The area is usually open and recognisable from some distance.
2. Count the axles
Two axles mean the letter B, three mean C. If the axles sit in pivoting frames, they're bogies – and the designation no longer fits.
3. Check the drive type at the gearbox
A torque converter gives itself away when starting off: engine speed rises with the notch selected. On diesel-electric locomotives, by contrast, engine speed stays largely constant.
The direct counter-check is the Henschel DHG 240 B: same power class, same axle count – but cardan-shaft drive instead of rods. How to work through such chains of features systematically instead of guessing is described in the guide to identifying locomotive classes.
What two-axle works locomotives were built for
The power class determines the duty profile. Small two-axle locomotives are short-range vehicles: they spot single wagons at loading ramps, sort short groups, and bridge the last hundred metres between the transfer siding and the shed.
| Duty | Suits a small B-class loco | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Spotting wagons at loading points | very well | short wheelbase, can take tight radii |
| Shunting within a works | very well | frequent changes of direction, low speed |
| Transfer to the public network | limited | depends on registration and train load |
| Heavy block trains within the works | no | multi-axle types and bogie locomotives handle that |
| Mainline duty at speed | no | the design and type code 98 rule it out |
Anyone wanting to see the next step up will find it in vehicles like the MaK 240 B / MaK 240 C, which covers the same power class in a different manufacturing tradition. Smaller still are types like the Gmeinder D 25 B.
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See which shunting vehicles were reported most recently – and pass on your own finds.
What rod drive means in service
Rod drive looks old-fashioned today, but for small shunting locomotives it was for decades the obvious solution. It couples both axles mechanically and inseparably – with consequences you can see and hear in service.
In favour
- Simple design with few parts, easy to maintain in a workshop without specialist equipment
- All driving axles run forcibly in sync – tractive effort is distributed evenly
- Robust against dust, damp and the harsh conditions on works track
- Instantly recognisable from the outside, which makes field identification easier
Against
- Exposed moving parts need regular lubrication and inspection
- Moving masses in the running gear limit the sensible top speed
- The wheelbase is fixed by design and can hardly be varied
- With more than three coupled axles, the layout becomes unwieldy
For vehicles with type code 98, the main drawback barely matters: shunting locomotives run slowly anyway. That’s exactly why the design survived far longer in this group of vehicles than in mainline locomotives, where higher speeds led early on to cardan shafts and axle gearboxes. Anyone wanting to see both principles side by side will find them in the same manufacturer’s programme – the DH and DHG families differ in almost this one point alone.
Watching without putting yourself at risk
Works locos work in areas that aren’t meant for onlookers. That’s not a formality – it’s the heart of the problem.
Shunting areas are not a platform
In shunting service, vehicles are moved without warning, often pushed and without a signal. Stationary groups of wagons can start moving at any time, and sightlines are broken up by buildings and wagons. Works, port and connecting lines are private land – entering them isn't permitted without express consent. Watch only from publicly accessible locations.
What this means in practice for distances and choosing a spot is covered in the article on keeping a safe distance and the rules at the track. For composition, small locomotives call for one thing: go lower than usual. A vantage point at buffer height rather than eye level keeps the compact frame from looking squat, while also showing the running gear with the coupling rod – exactly the feature that defines the class.
What you should record
For works locos, the livery is the weakest piece of information. Vehicles change keeper, get hired out, relettered and repainted. Two pieces of data are reliable: the works number from the builder’s plate and – if the vehicle is registered for the public network – the vehicle number on the frame.
Also note the date, location and keeper marking. This combination makes a sighting usable later and sets it apart from a bare “saw a small red loco somewhere”. How to set up something like this cleanly and so it stays findable is shown in the guide to keeping a sightings log.
Common mix-ups
It points to a DH 240 B if …
- you count exactly two axles in a rigid frame
- a coupling rod is visible between the axles
- the builder's plate names Henschel & Sohn
- the type designation starts with DH and carries no additional G
Look more closely if …
- the running gear is covered and you can't confirm the rod
- the locomotive has been rebuilt and the bodywork doesn't match the type drawing
- only an operator's lettering, but no readable builder's plate, is visible
It isn't a DH 240 B if …
- you count three or more axles
- the locomotive runs on bogies
- no coupling rod is present and the type designation reads DHG or DE
Verdict
The Henschel DH 240 B is a locomotive you can pin down with two observations: two axles, one coupling rod. Everything else – keeper, colour, location – is changeable and belongs in the documentation. Once you’ve read the type code once, you’ll also understand the bigger siblings in the same programme.
Quick verdict
Two-axle, diesel-hydraulic, rod drive: that's the DH 240 B. Identify it by the builder's plate, log the number and date – and watch shunting areas only from outside.
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Summary
- Two-axle works locos like the DH 240 B cover the lower end of shunting duty: short distances, small wagon numbers, tight curve radii.
- Rod drive is the most striking visual feature of this class and sets it apart immediately from types with cardan-shaft drive.
- The builder's plate settles identification, not the livery.
- Many surviving vehicles of this size class now belong to societies and heritage railways – don't assume regular service.
Frequently asked questions
What does Henschel DH 240 B mean?
The designation comes from the type programme of Henschel & Sohn. DH stands for diesel-hydraulic power transmission, 240 for the engine output in metric horsepower, and B for two coupled driving axles in a rigid frame. The name describes drive type, power class and running gear in one go.
What is a jackshaft and what does it do?
A jackshaft is an additional shaft mounted in the frame that takes the power from the gearbox and passes it on to the driving axles via coupling rods. It lets a single gearbox output drive several axles – for small shunting locomotives long the simplest and most robust solution.
How do I tell rod drive from cardan-shaft drive?
By the exposed running gear. With rod drive you see a coupling rod between the axles that turns as the vehicle moves. With cardan-shaft drive, the area between the wheels stays visually empty; the shafts run protected underneath the vehicle to axle gearboxes.
Why do shunting locomotives carry type code 98?
The first two digits of the twelve-digit vehicle number denote the vehicle type. 98 stands for diesel shunting and small locomotives, 92 for diesel mainline locomotives. The classification follows the intended use and registration, making it a very quick clue to what kind of vehicle is in front of you.
How many wagons can a two-axle works loco move?
There's no blanket answer. What matters is adhesive weight, track gradient, weather and wagon condition – not engine output alone. Two-axle locomotives of this power class are built for manageable groups of wagons over short distances, not heavy transfer trains.
Where can you still find locomotives like this today?
On connecting and works lines, at track-building firms, and increasingly at societies and heritage railways. Fleet, keeper and location change constantly, because vehicles of this size are frequently sold or put into storage. Rely on current sightings rather than older fleet lists.
Am I allowed to photograph a works loco on company premises?
Works and connecting lines sit on private land, where the operator's house rules apply. Entering and photographing are only permitted with consent, and track areas are off limits altogether. Photographs taken from publicly accessible land are a different legal matter, but it still depends on the individual case.
How do I record a sighting properly?
Note the works number or vehicle number, the date, the location, the keeper marking and the livery. For industrial locomotives especially, this combination is the only way to recognise a vehicle again later – livery and lettering alone are too short-lived.
Log your sighting of the Henschel DH 240 B
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Related classes
Henschel DHG 240 B
The Henschel DHG 240 B is a two-axle works locomotive with cardan-shaft drive. A single letter sets it apart from the DH design – here's which one and why.
ShunterMaK 240 B / MaK 240 C
MaK 240 B and 240 C share the same power class but differ in their running gear. The letter in the type name tells you how many axles are at work.
ShunterGmeinder D 25 B
The Gmeinder D 25 B is a two-axle small locomotive from Mosbach. Its type code reveals the drive and wheel arrangement – the rest is on the builder's plate.
ShunterO&K MBB 1200 N
The O&K MBB 1200 N is a heavy shunting locomotive with two bogies. The BB in its type designation is the most important clue to its design.
ShunterO&K MC 14 C
The O&K MC 14 C is a diesel shunting locomotive from Orenstein & Koppel. Its coupling, buffers and shunting steps often say more about its use than the type designation.
ShunterO&K MC 700
The O&K MC 700 is a diesel shunting locomotive from Orenstein & Koppel. Aerials and receiver boxes reveal whether a machine like this is moved by remote control.
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