The locomotives are of a similar design to the MaK G 1204 BB locomotives, with hydraulic transmission, B'B' wheel arrangement, and off-centre cab.
The first twelve locomotives were built for the Eisenbahn und Hafen in Duisburg, Germany, and were powered by a V 12 Caterpillar engine, the remainder were powered by a similarly powered V 12 MTU engine also used on the MaK G 1204 BB. The Voith hydraulic converter is the same as that used on the MaK G 1204 BB and MaK G 1202 BB.
Of the 19 MTU engined versions 6 were built for NISCO (National Iranian Steel Company), 10 have worked for a variety of German private railway companies, 1 for Graz-Köflacher Eisenbahn- und Bergbaugesellschaft mbH in Austria,[1] and 2 for Banverket in Sweden.[2]
Locomotive types in italics are in production. G-type locomotives have diesel-hydraulic transmissions, DE-type locomotives have diesel-electric transmissions.