In 1974 three prototypes were built by LEW Hennigsdorf, the leading builder of railway locomotives in the GDR.

They were mainly used for heavy cargo trains as well as the fast Städteexpress-train services of DR (comparable with InterCity).

Today the 155s remain indispensable for DB Schenker, Deutsche Bahn's railway cargo carrier.

The torque is transferred by a double-sided spur gear to a hollow shaft, and by an elastic rubber cone flange to the wheels.

Recently, these are used to haul heavy and fast container trains on the German high-speed network.