German Reichsbahn V 75

The V 75 was a locomotive imported from Czechoslovakia, 20 of which were only procured for the shunting service around Leipzig Central Station. The reason for their procurement was that at the end of the fifties the six-coupled shunting locomotives of the class 80 had to be replaced, but the GDR was not yet able to produce a shunting locomotive in the required power class themself. That is why the choice fell on the locomotives manufactured by CKD in Prague, which were used in Czechoslovakia as the T 435.0 and in the Soviet Union as the ЧМЭ2.

These engines were B-B diesel-electric locomotives with a cab at only one end. The power came from a slow-running in-line six-cylinder, which accordingly had a large displacement of 163 liters. The normal direction of travel, in the style of steam locomotives, was with the engine compartment ahead, severely reducing forward visibility. Since there was only one auxiliary driver's desk in the other direction of travel, it was not possible to take advantage of the better visibility in this direction. The technical deviations from the engines of the CSD were negligible and mainly affected the adapted braking system.

The locomotives, popularly known as “Hector”, were mostly used in shunting service due to their design, but were also used in line service in the vicinity of Leipzig. The engines, which could only travel 60 km/h, not only pulled freight trains, but also commuter trains. Due to the lack of train heating, however, its use in front of passenger trains was limited to the warm season. They were classified as class 107 from 1970 and were retired by 1984. Two pieces now reached the works railway of the Karsdorf cement works, which were later reinforced by four pieces from the former Czechoslovakia by the meanwhile privatized railway company. Today there is still one example that is operational again and bears the colors of the Reichsbahn.