Key takeaways
- The G in DHG stands for cardan-shaft drive: power goes via shafts to axle gearboxes instead of a jackshaft and rods.
- Visually, that's the clearest difference from the DH design – the area between the wheels stays empty.
- B means two coupled axles in a rigid frame; bogies would give BB.
- Type code 98 marks the locomotive as a diesel shunting and small locomotive, as opposed to 92 for diesel mainline locomotives.
- Always check the type line, because DH and DHG differ in the name by just one letter.
Contents
Fact file
| Vehicle type | Diesel-hydraulic shunting and works locomotive |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Henschel & Sohn, Kassel |
| Type code | DHG = diesel-hydraulic with cardan-shaft drive, 240 = engine output in PS (metric horsepower), B = two coupled axles |
| Power transmission | Torque converter, cardan shafts and axle gearboxes instead of a jackshaft and coupling rods |
| UIC type code | 98 (diesel shunting and small locomotive) |
Identifying features
Is this really the class in front of you?
- Two axles in a rigid frame, no bogies
- No coupling rods between the axles – the area between the wheels stays clear
- Drive shafts and axle gearboxes sit protected underneath the vehicle, often only faintly visible from below or at a shallow side angle
- Compact body with a bonnet and an end or off-centre cab
- Type line on the builder's plate carries the G after the DH
- Engine speed follows the notch selected when starting off – a sign of hydraulic power transmission
Updated: August 2026 – Between the Henschel DH 240 B and the Henschel DHG 240 B lies exactly one letter – and a completely different drivetrain. This page explains what the G means, how you spot the difference at ten metres, and why it matters more for identification than any power figure.
One letter decides
DH or DHG? Keep the type line and a photo together, and the sighting stays unambiguous.
What is the Henschel DHG 240 B?
The Henschel DHG 240 B is a two-axle, diesel-hydraulic shunting and works locomotive with cardan-shaft drive from the type programme of Henschel & Sohn in Kassel. The code reads out in full: D for diesel drive, H for hydraulic power transmission, G for cardan-shaft drive, 240 for the engine output in metric horsepower, and B for two coupled driving axles in a rigid frame.
In the twelve-digit European vehicle number, it falls under vehicle type 98 – diesel shunting and small locomotives. The difference from 92 for diesel mainline locomotives is the quickest classification step there is: it tells you which operating world to search in. Anyone looking for a 98 doesn’t head for the main line, but for the transfer siding of an industrial site.
The power path: from crankshaft to wheelset
The real substance of the letter G sits in the route the power takes. In both hydraulic designs, a torque converter first converts the engine output, as manufactured by Voith Turbo and a handful of other suppliers to the locomotive industry. After that, the concepts diverge.
DH: jackshaft and coupling rods
The gearbox drives a jackshaft mounted in the frame. From there, exposed coupling rods run to the driving axles. All axles are mechanically coupled and forced to turn together.
DHG: shafts and axle gearboxes
The gearbox passes power to cardan shafts, which lead to axle gearboxes at the wheelsets. The shafts absorb movement between the frame and the wheelset.
What you actually see
With DH, a rod visibly turns between the wheels. With DHG, that area stays clear, because the entire power path runs underneath the vehicle.
The direct comparison is right next door in the database: the Henschel DH 240 B has the same axle count and power class but transmits power via rods. How to build up such chains of features systematically, instead of guessing at every vehicle, is described in the guide to identifying locomotive classes.
Why cardan-shaft drive won out
The rod locomotive was simple and robust, but had drawbacks that cost money in day-to-day service. The comparison makes clear what the manufacturers were reacting to.
| Criterion | Rod drive (DH) | Cardan-shaft drive (DHG) |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility of the running gear | exposed between the wheels | hidden underneath the vehicle |
| Lubrication points in the open | several, need regular servicing | markedly fewer |
| Freedom in choosing the wheelbase | fixed by design | more freely chosen |
| Moving masses in the running gear | high | low |
| Complexity of the drivetrain | low | higher |
| Adapting to customer requirements | limited | easier |
For vehicles with type code 98, top speed barely mattered – shunting locomotives run slowly anyway. Maintenance effort and design flexibility were more decisive. That’s why both designs existed side by side in the same programme for a long time, and that’s why you still see them next to each other on the same works site today.
Small locomotives, huge variety
See which works and shunting vehicles other spotters have reported most recently.
Small locomotive, shunting locomotive, works locomotive: separating the terms cleanly
Several terms circulate around this group of vehicles that are often used synonymously but mean different things. Anyone who separates them searches more precisely and describes sightings more accurately.
- Kleinlokomotive (small locomotive) is an operational term from the German scheme. It describes light traction vehicles in defined power groups that were allowed to be operated under simplified conditions.
- Shunting locomotive describes the intended use: breaking up, forming and moving trains and groups of wagons. It says nothing about size or manufacturer.
- Works locomotive means belonging to an industrial operation rather than a railway operator – so the keeper, not the design.
- Industrial locomotive is the umbrella term, from the manufacturer’s point of view, for anything built for works, port and connecting lines.
A single locomotive can carry all four labels at once. That’s why type code 98 in the vehicle number is so useful: it’s the only one of these classifications that’s formally fixed and readable on the vehicle. Everything else is description – helpful, but not verifiable. When you log a sighting, the combination of type code, type line and works number is therefore more meaningful than any choice of terms.
Watching: where and how
Small works locomotives follow no timetable, only the works’ operating schedule. They work at loading points, in sheds and on short connecting lines – and become visible to outsiders mostly at just one point: where the connecting line meets the public network.
Shunting areas are especially dangerous
In shunting service, vehicles are moved without warning and without a signal, often pushed and with broken sightlines. Standing wagons can start moving at any time. Works, port and connecting lines are private land under the operator's house rules. Watch only from publicly accessible ground and never enter track areas.
The specific rules on distances and choosing a spot are covered in the article on keeping a safe distance and the rules at the track.
Photo tips for two-axle works locomotives
Small locomotives set different tasks than mainline machines. They’re short, tall, and often stand between wagons, fences and buildings. Three points make the difference:
- A low vantage point. Shot at roughly buffer height, the short frame looks more proportionate and less squat.
- Three-quarter view. An angle of 30 to 45 degrees shows the front and side wall at once – and with them the area between the wheels that decides between DH and DHG.
- A second shot for the plate. A separate close-up of the builder’s plate and lettering secures identity when the overview shot doesn’t give it away.
The underlying technique – depth of field, exposure, composition – is covered in the guide to taking good photos of trains. It’s also worth looking at related types from other works, such as the MaK G 320 B, or at the larger Henschel DHG 500 C with three axles.
Common mix-ups
It points to a DHG 240 B if …
- you count two axles in a rigid frame
- no coupling rod runs between the wheels
- engine speed rises with the notch selected when starting off
- the type line on the builder's plate states DHG
Look more closely if …
- the area between the wheels is covered by skirts or a load
- the locomotive has been rebuilt and the bodywork doesn't match the type picture
- only an operator's lettering, but no readable builder's plate, is visible
It isn't a DHG 240 B if …
- a coupling rod visibly turns between the axles
- you count three or more axles
- the locomotive stands on bogies or the type line reads DE
Verdict
The Henschel DHG 240 B is a lesson in type codes: a single letter completely changes the drivetrain, and that exact difference is visible in the field. Once you’ve learned to look between the wheels, you’ll tell DH and DHG apart within seconds afterwards – with any manufacturer, not just Henschel.
Quick verdict
Two axles, no coupling rod, a hydraulic sound signature: that's the DHG design. The type line on the builder's plate confirms it – keeper and livery, by contrast, are only snapshots.
Small finds, clean documentation
Type, works number, location and date in one app – turning scattered random shots into a collection.
Summary
- Cardan-shaft drive gradually replaced the classic rod drive on smaller shunting locomotives.
- It allows an enclosed design without exposed running-gear parts and simplifies vehicle upkeep.
- For field identification, a glance between the wheels is enough: a visible rod means DH, a clear area more likely means DHG.
- Keeper, livery and location for works locomotives change constantly – the works number and vehicle number remain reliable.
Frequently asked questions
What does Henschel DHG 240 B mean?
DHG stands, in Henschel's type code, for diesel-hydraulic power transmission with cardan-shaft drive, 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 path, power class and undercarriage in one line.
What is cardan-shaft drive?
The torque converter passes power to cardan shafts, which lead it to axle gearboxes at the wheelsets. The shafts can absorb movement between the frame and the wheelset. A jackshaft and exposed coupling rods are thereby dispensed with – the running gear sits protected underneath the vehicle.
How do I tell DH and DHG apart from the outside?
Look between the wheels. With the DH design, a coupling rod runs there, visibly turning as it moves. With DHG, the area stays clear because the power runs via shafts underneath the vehicle. This is recognisable even from some distance and in moderate light.
What advantages does cardan-shaft drive have?
It manages without exposed running-gear parts, so lubrication points and wear points out in the open disappear. The wheelbase is more freely chosen by design, and the body shape adapts more easily to different customer requirements. In exchange, the drivetrain is more complex than a simple rod solution.
Why do such locomotives carry type code 98?
The twelve-digit European vehicle number begins, for traction vehicles, with the vehicle type. 98 marks diesel shunting and small locomotives, 92 diesel mainline locomotives. The code follows intended use and registration. For a search, 98 means: connecting line, works railway, port – not mainline route.
Can you also hear the drive type?
Partly. With hydraulic power transmission, engine speed rises with the notch selected, so the sound follows the acceleration. With diesel-electric locomotives, speed stays largely constant while the vehicle gets faster. Between DH and DHG, though, hearing doesn't help – here, the eye counts.
Where do you encounter a DHG 240 B?
On connecting and works lines, at track-building and transhipment firms, and at societies and heritage railways. Fleet and locations change continuously, because used works locomotives are frequently sold, hired out or laid up. Rely on current sightings rather than older fleet overviews.
How do I photograph a small works locomotive well?
Go with a lower vantage point than usual, roughly at buffer height: the compact frame looks less squat as a result. A three-quarter view from 30 to 45 degrees shows the front and side wall at once. Stay on publicly accessible ground and use a telephoto lens rather than approaching.
Log your sighting of the Henschel DHG 240 B
Date, location and vehicle number logged in seconds – and visible to the community.
Related classes
Henschel DH 240 B
The Henschel DH 240 B is a two-axle diesel-hydraulic works locomotive with rod drive. Here's how to read the type code and identify the class in the field.
ShunterHenschel DHG 500 C
The Henschel DHG 500 C is a three-axle shunting locomotive with cardan-shaft drive. Its type name follows a pattern you'll find at other manufacturers too.
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ShunterO&K MV 6 b
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ShunterO&K MV 9
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ShunterSchöma CFL-200 DR
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