[2] The locomotive was designed by the 50- Hertz Group, which consisted of European manufacturers Alstom, Siemens, MTE, Brown, Boveri & Cie, ACEC, and AEG, and was led by Alstom.

The gear ratio is 15:96, and top speed 85 km/h (53 mph), optimized for mountain lines with steep grades and short radius curves.

On November 3, 1975, units 8056 and 8058 fell off the Seonam bridge, on the Taebaek Line.

The replacements came to be known as the Korail 8500 locomotives, and have been steadily entering service since 2012.

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