The Chemins de fer de l'Est needed more powerful locomotives to haul heavier suburban trains, and the introduction of heavier, safer, steel passenger cars meant the railway needed a locomotive capable of pulling 500 tonnes (490 long tons; 550 short tons) at 95 km/h (59 mph).

The locomotives were used to pull suburban trains from Gare de l"Est until 1955, when electrification made them redundant.

They were then used on the same duties as the nearly identical 3-141.TD class locomotives, of which the État had bought forty as 42-101 to 42-140.

Since February 1982, it has been in the custody of the Chemin de Fer Touristique Limousin Périgord, where it is used to pull special trains.

[2] In October 1987, it was designated a Monument historique[3] The 141.700 have been reproduced in HO scale as an etched brass kit by LocoSet Loisir (Artmétal-LSL), and by Fulgurex in 2005.