Vossloh G 12

Updated: August 2026 – If you take an interest in private operators’ diesel locos, sooner or later you’ll stumble across a series of short type designations from Kiel: G 6, G 12, G 18, DE 12, DE 18. The Vossloh G 12 sits right in the middle of this modern family. This page explains what the letter and number stand for, how to recognise the loco in the field, and why the system changed compared with the older Kiel types.

What is the Vossloh G 12?

The Vossloh G 12 is a modern four-axle diesel-hydraulic locomotive from Vossloh’s locomotive works in Kiel. It belongs to the younger locomotive family that replaced the classic BB types with designations such as G 1000 BB or G 1206, and it’s designed for a mix of heavy shunting, trip workings and lighter main-line duties.

Important for understanding it: with this family, Kiel also changed its naming system. On the old types, the number denoted the engine output in kilowatts – so G 1000 BB gave a rough indication of power. In the new family, the number stands for the power class in hundreds of kilowatts. A G 12 therefore sits between the smaller Vossloh G 6 and the more powerful Vossloh G 18.

G or DE – the crucial letter question

The second piece of information in the designation is at least as important as the number: it tells you how the engine’s power gets to the wheels.

The direct counterpart of the G 12 is the Vossloh DE 12 – same power class, different transmission.

Place in railway operations

Task	Suitability of the G 12	Note
Heavy shunting	very good	Centre cab, visibility in both directions
Trip workings	very good	Fit for main-line running with usual train lengths
Light main-line freight trains	good	Power class covers shorter trains
Engineering and diversion traffic	good	Can be used independently of the overhead wire
Heavy long-distance freight trains	limited	Larger types are intended for that

The row “visibility in both directions” is the real reason for the design. A loco with a cab at one end forces constant running round or the use of a shunter to guide it when shunting; a loco with a centre cab doesn’t. That’s exactly why this design has persisted for decades on industrial and trip-working locos.

Where to find numbers and designations

On private railway locos, markings are less uniform than on state railway vehicles. Still, there are fixed points you can look for specifically.

• Data panel below the cab window. This is where the full twelve-digit number appears, with country code and vehicle keeper marking.
• Large running number on the side wall. It’s the short form of the same number and can be read from further away.
• Type marking. Many operators additionally paint the manufacturer’s type – such as G 12 – on the cab or bonnet.
• Builder’s plate. Small, usually on the frame, with manufacturer details and works number. Rarely practical for sightings, but valuable for research.

How to quickly find train and vehicle numbers in service and tell them apart correctly is described in the guide to finding the train number. Systematic identification of unknown vehicles is covered in the guide to identifying classes.

Photo tips for centre-cab locos

Locos with a cab in the middle are a little peculiar to photograph: the silhouette is more symmetrical and less dynamic than on a main-line loco with a long front.

A side view shows the design most honestly and gives you the complete number at the same time. For a picture with more impact, a slight three-quarter view from around 30 degrees works well, with the long bonnet pointing towards the camera – that gives the subject depth. A low viewpoint makes the loco look bigger; a high one shows the working situation with groups of wagons better. The technical basics are covered in the guide to good train photos.

Why the centre cab stubbornly persists

One question almost forces itself on you when looking at these locos: why are vehicles still being built with a cab in the middle in the 2020s, when modern main-line locos have long had box bodies with two cabs?

The answer lies in day-to-day work. When shunting, the driver has to see the wagons being approached, the points ahead and ideally also the shunting staff. A cab in the middle gives visibility in both directions without the loco having to be turned or run round. With a loco that has a cab at one end, running in reverse would be a permanent handicap.

Then there’s accessibility. Running boards, handrails and steps at both ends are part of the shunting design, because staff work on the vehicle: coupling, brake tests, visual inspections. A smooth box body simply offers no room for that.

And finally maintenance. Bonnets can be opened with hatches and doors, so the engine, cooling system and auxiliaries can be reached from outside – a tangible advantage for operators with their own workshop.

What has changed is the execution, not the principle. Modern types like the G 12 have much larger window areas, more ergonomic cabs and more elaborate exhaust after-treatment. The basic layout, however – cab in the centre, long bonnet with the engine, short bonnet with the auxiliaries – dates from a time when nobody was thinking about emission stages yet. It has simply proved its worth.

Common mix-ups

Conclusion

The Vossloh G 12 is a vehicle you mainly understand through its designation. The letter and number tell you the transmission and power class, the design reveals the task, and the vehicle number provides the unambiguous identification. If you keep these three levels cleanly apart, you’ll quickly get where you need to be with the entire modern Kiel family.