Since 1980 the locomotive has mainly been employed to haul heritage and special trains, often with a second tender, in order to be able to complete long-distance runs without the need to replenish its water.

At its birthplace in Meiningen Steam Locomotive Works the engine was handed over to the firm of Dampf-Plus on 4 April 2002 having been completely overhauled.

Up to January 2006, the locomotive was the subject of a dispute between its owners and the Deutsche Bahn AG, and a sale abroad was contemplated (even the US and Canada were discussed).

On 31 January 2006 the newspaper, Sächsische Zeitung, reported that the guardians of this historic Halle monument were permitting the engine to be stationed elsewhere for a length period; but this did not mean that its export was planned.

At the celebration of the Schiefe Ebene's 160 years in September 2008 organised by the German Steam Locomotive Museum at Neuenmarkt, 18 201 was finally back in action.

In September 2020 it returned from the AW Neustrelitz to its home BW Nossen, where the further work of the main inspection to obtain the new approval in the route service is being carried out.