DB Class VT 24

Class 624 and class 634 are types of diesel multiple unit, originally operated by Deutsche Bahn. Whereas during the first years after World War II the focus of the Deutsche Bundesbahn was on repairs of rolling stock, lines and buildings, with the beginning of the 1950s attention shifted to renewal of the trains. For passenger services on not electrified lines, the first prototypes of main line diesel locomotives such as the class 220 were commissioned in 1953. Subsequently, DB ordered the rail industry to develop new DMUs in order to replace pre-war classes and steam traction. In 1961 MAN and Waggonfabrik Uerdingen both delivered two prototypes each. Even though they were quite similar, they can be distinguished easily by the different front design. DB put the prototypes into service as class VT 23.5 (MAN) and class VT 24.5 (Uerdingen). After the new numbering scheme the prototypes were listed as class 624 together with the regular units. The prototypes underwent intensive tests, including comparison to conventional push/pull trains with DB Class V 100. The regular trainsets were delivered from 1964 to 1968 and were produced jointly by both manufacturers.