After passenger work for many of the
DB Class 215 disappeared,
DB Regio transferred 68 locomotives to
DB Cargo (later
Railion) for freight work. From 2001 onwards the units underwent conversion to
Class 225. Later, between 2003 and 2005, another six engines, prototypes of the
DB Class 218, were transferred and converted to
Class 225.8. The steam heating was removed since it was no longer needed; instead, a heater for pre-heating the engine machinery was installed. A large part of them went into service still unmodified, the removal of the steam boiler taking place later concurrently with scheduled overhauls. All of the class have multiple working control, allowing pairings to be formed with both
DB Class 217 and
DB Class 218 (for example, a pair consisting of a 217 and 225 class were often in use around
Mühldorf). There are differences between the individual class members; locomotives
225 001-004 and
225 802-811 lack a hydrodynamic brake. The locomotives
215 030 to
215 032 also were transferred to this class. The auxiliary generator in these special examples was not removed. The top speed for this class is limited to 130 km/h. Their central depot is in
Leipzig, locomotives in use work from the depots of
Giessen,
Gremberg,
Kornwestheim,
Mainz-Bischofsheim,
Mühldorf and
Oberhausen-
Osterfeld. As of June 2008 the locomotives have been partially phased out, but there are still about 50 machines operating in active service. A complete phasing out of the locomotives is not currently (2015) planned since the remainders are still in use. ==References==