Key takeaways
- G 1202 BB means: diesel-hydraulic, 1200 power class, second production stage, four axles in bogies.
- The coupling assembly is a use indicator: a screw coupling with side buffers points to working with standard wagons.
- Shunting steps and grab rails tell shunting locomotives apart from main-line locomotives at a glance.
- Type code 98 at the start of the twelve-digit number confirms the classification as a shunting and light locomotive.
- Keeper and livery change constantly on privately owned locomotives – only numbers are reliable.
Contents
Fact file
| Vehicle type | Diesel locomotive for shunting and transfer service |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Maschinenbau Kiel (MaK), Kiel |
| Power transmission | diesel-hydraulic – "G" for the gearbox design |
| Wheel arrangement per type suffix | BB – two two-axle bogies |
| UIC type code | 98 – diesel shunting and light locomotive |
Identifying features
Is this really the class in front of you?
- Four axles in two bogies, type suffix BB
- Shunting steps at all four corners, continuous grab rails
- Side buffers and a drawhook for the European screw coupling
- Builder's plate with the manufacturer's name MaK and builder's number
- Vehicle number begins with type code 98
Updated: August 2026 – Anyone wanting to identify a four-axle shunting locomotive usually looks at the front and the colour – and rarely gets far that way. With the MaK G 1202 BB, the most informative part of the vehicle is the part most people overlook: the section at the vehicle end with coupling, buffers, steps and grab rails. This page shows what you can read there, and how to then place the locomotive properly via its type designation and number.
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What is the MaK G 1202 BB?
The MaK G 1202 BB is a four-axle diesel-hydraulic locomotive from Maschinenbau Kiel’s type programme, built for shunting and transfer duties. The designation is fully readable: “G” for the version with a hydraulic torque converter, the number for the 1200 power class with the production stage in the final digit, “BB” for two two-axle bogies. Kiel’s type programme was later carried on by Vossloh, which is why closely related machines carry different builder’s plates depending on their year of construction.
The name is a manufacturer type designation, not a Deutsche Bahn class number. Within the family, the MaK G 1203 BB, the MaK G 1205 BB and finally the MaK G 1206 follow above it – the same power class, later stages.
The coupling assembly as a source of information
Everything sitting at one end of a vehicle has an operational reason. Anyone who reads these elements individually learns more about the intended use than from any column of figures.
Drawhook and coupling link
The central drawhook with the link hooked on by hand identifies the European screw coupling – the locomotive can work with standard wagons.
Side buffers
Two buffers, left and right, absorb compressive forces. They're a mandatory part of the screw coupling and are often built differently with other coupling types.
Brake hoses
The hoses next to the drawhook connect the continuous brake pipe. If they're fitted, the locomotive can haul wagon trains with a through brake.
Steps and grab rails
Shunting steps at the corners and continuous grab rails are the clearest distinguishing feature from a pure main-line locomotive.
Looking at the end pays off twice over
On works and steelworks railways, different coupling types and adapters occur because their own wagon fleets run there. A locomotive with an unusual coupling assembly therefore tells you it's used in a closed working – and so where you're likely to find it again.
Where it fits into railway operations
The type code at the start of the twelve-digit vehicle number sorts the roles. 98 marks diesel shunting and light locomotives, 92 diesel main-line locomotives. The following overview shows how that’s reflected in the equipment.
| Feature | Typical shunting locomotive (code 98) | Typical main-line locomotive (code 92) |
|---|---|---|
| Shunting steps at the corners | Yes | Rare |
| Visibility to both sides | Important, often bonnet layout | Secondary |
| Changes of direction | Constant | Rare |
| Top speed | Set low | Set for main-line running |
| Typical location | Siding, port, marshalling yard | Main line network, freight yards |
How the twelve-digit number is structured in detail – type code, country code, type block, running number, check digit and keeper marking – is explained in the guide to reading the UIC number and its check digit.
Record the details, not just the locomotive
Coupling type, markings, keeper marking: in Traintrack it all lands in one entry instead of scattered notes.
Why the published figures for this type are so sparse
For well-known main-line classes you’ll find quantities built, years and power figures in every overview. For shunting locomotives from manufacturer programmes, the state of the sources is fundamentally different – and there are reasons worth knowing before you take figures from the internet at face value.
These machines were delivered in small batches, often fitted out to customer requirements and converted over the decades. Engines were swapped, cabs altered, radio equipment retrofitted, couplings adapted to the particular wagon fleet. Two locomotives with the same type designation can therefore differ significantly in detail. On top of that, works and private-siding railways keep no public operating records: what runs there doesn’t appear in any timetable.
For practical purposes a simple rule follows: note what’s on the vehicle, and claim nothing beyond that. Axle count, the shape of the coupling assembly, markings, builder’s number and vehicle number are verifiable. Guessed years of construction, estimated power figures or secondhand quantities don’t belong in a sighting note – they otherwise get copied into further sources and become supposed fact there.
That’s exactly why the specification panel on this page is also deliberately short. It contains what can be reliably derived from the type designation and the vehicle system. Everything else is, when in doubt, clarified by the builder’s plate on the vehicle – and that’s worth a photo.
Spotting and photography in the shunting area
Shunting locomotives move slowly, irregularly and often only over a few hundred metres. That makes them easier to photograph than passing trains on the one hand – but on the other hand, the places where they work are especially tricky.
Never enter the coupling area
The space between two vehicles is the most dangerous place in the whole of railway operations. In shunting service, vehicles are moved without warning and without a signal, and propelled wagons run on with no locomotive attached. Industrial, port and private-siding railways are also private property. Observe only from publicly accessible paths, bridges or platforms.
Practical tips for photographing such scenes:
- Head-on makes a shunting locomotive look flat. An angle of 30 to 45 degrees shows the bonnet, cab and end equipment together.
- Plan for detail shots. Builder’s plate, data panel and coupling assembly as separate shots – they carry the identification later.
- Watch for backlighting. In shed and terminal environments the light is rarely even; meter exposure on the side of the locomotive.
- Keep enough distance. What the focal length can achieve, your position doesn’t need to.
Which distances apply and why they’re non-negotiable is covered in the article on safe distances at the track. Location criteria for sites with shunting operations are provided by the guide to spotting at marshalling yards.
Common mix-ups
It fits the G 1202 BB if …
- four axles run in two bogies
- shunting steps and grab rails are present
- the builder's plate names MaK as the manufacturer
- the vehicle number begins with 98 80
Look more closely if …
- you recognise the locomotive only as a member of the 1200 family but can't place the stage
- conversions have altered the bonnet or cab
- only an internal fleet number is shown
It isn't a G 1202 BB if …
- three axles run in a rigid frame – that indicates a C type
- the type designation begins with "DE", meaning diesel-electric
- the vehicle number starts with 92, marking it as a main-line machine
Conclusion
One last practical note: the keeper, livery and location of these locomotives are always just a snapshot. Vehicles get sold, hired out and completely repainted during overhauls. So check the current situation against fresh sightings before any planned trip, rather than relying on older lists.
The MaK G 1202 BB is a typical vehicle of this class: hardly any public detail data, but a type designation that can be fully decoded, and equipment that reveals its use. Anyone who reads the coupling assembly, wheel arrangement and vehicle number together arrives at a solid identification – with no guessed figures at all.
In short
Four axles in bogies, steps at the corners, screw coupling with side buffers: that's what a shunting locomotive built for working with standard wagons looks like. The number starting with 98 confirms it.
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Summary
- The MaK G 1202 BB belongs to the 1200 family within Kiel's type programme, whose final digits denote successive production stages.
- The equipment at the vehicle end – coupling, buffers, steps, grab rails – says a lot about its intended use.
- The builder's plate and the twelve-digit vehicle number remain decisive for a firm identification.
- The area around couplings is especially dangerous in service and off limits to bystanders.
Frequently asked questions
What does the designation MaK G 1202 BB mean?
It splits into three parts: G stands for the diesel-hydraulic version with a torque converter, the number places the locomotive in the 1200 power class of Kiel's programme, and BB denotes two two-axle bogies. The last digit of the number marks the production stage within that class.
What coupling do such shunting locomotives have?
In standard German service, the screw coupling with side buffers: a central drawhook, with the coupling link hooked on by hand and tightened via a screw. On individual works and steelworks railways, different coupling types or adapters occur because their own wagon fleets run there.
How can I recognise a shunting locomotive by its equipment?
By its shunting steps at the corners, the continuous grab rails, and the handrail running all the way round. Main-line locomotives usually don't have this equipment in this form. Add to that good visibility to both sides, often a bonnet instead of an enclosed body, and equipment for shunting radio.
Why is the final digit of the type number interesting?
Because it distinguishes successive production stages within the same power class. So 1202, 1203, 1204, 1205 and 1206 form a development series. Which technical differences actually lie behind them can't be read off the vehicle – for that you need documents or the builder's plate.
Is the MaK G 1202 BB a DB class?
No. It is a manufacturer type designation. Locomotives of this kind run mostly with private keepers and industrial railways. Their official identifier is the twelve-digit vehicle number, which begins with 98 80 on German shunting locomotives.
Am I allowed to photograph on the platform while a shunting locomotive is coupling?
Yes, from publicly accessible locations, but without approaching the track. The space between two vehicles is especially dangerous in service, because vehicles are moved without warning and without a signal. Use focal length rather than proximity, and stay behind the safety line.
How do I tell whether a locomotive is equipped for standard wagons?
By the drawhook, side buffers and the continuous brake pipe. If these elements are missing, or a different coupling type sits in the middle, the locomotive probably works in a closed works service with its own wagon fleet. That's a good clue as to where you might find it again.
What should I note during a sighting?
Date, time, location, the full twelve-digit vehicle number including keeper marking and – if legible – the builder's number from the plate. Also note what the locomotive was doing. For vehicles with no published diagram, that's exactly the information nobody else will be able to reconstruct later.
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