Whereas during the first years after World War II the focus of the Deutsche Bundesbahn was on repairs of rolling stock, lines and buildings, with the beginning of the 1950s attention shifted to renewal of the trains.

The prototypes underwent intensive tests, including comparison to conventional push/pull trains with DB Class V 100.

Starting in 1968, a number of units were equipped with pneumatic shock absorption and passive tilting systems.

Upon entering service the new class 624 units were often used for fast regional and express trains in various parts of Germany.

Retirement of class 624/634 trainsets started in 2003, when DB lost a couple of tender procedures to private companies and modern light-weight DMUs came into service in large numbers.

Each front car was equipped with a 331 kW MAN diesel engine, the power being transferred hydro-dynamically to the front-end bogie.