Delivered in 1981, the class is used to haul passenger trains on the Nordland Line and are since 2001 the only revenue diesel locomotives used by NSB.

The locomotives had electric components from Brown, Boveri & Cie and a General Motors Electro-Motive Division 16-645E prime mover.

This gives a power output of 2,450 kilowatts (3,290 hp) and a starting tractive effort of 360 kilonewtons (81,000 lbf).

[5] Henschel was also building the NSB El 17; the two types were planned to use the same traction motors and rectifiers to increase commonality.

[7] The proposed order would have consisted of six to ten units, which would have received a modified ventilation system and a more powerful engine.

[11][12] The locomotives are equipped with a V16 General Motors Electro-Motive Division 16-645E3B prime mover and an EMD AR7-D14B generator which offers a power output of 2,450 kilowatts (3,290 hp) at 900 revolutions per minute.

The locomotives have a Co′Co′ wheel arrangement, with six Norsk Elektrisk & Brown Boveri QD 335N4A traction motors.