Diesel locomotive Calabro Lucane in southern Italy in 1926, following trials in 1924-5. In 1924, two diesel–electric locomotives were taken in service by the Soviet railways, almost at one time: In 1935, Krauss-Maffei, MAN and Voith built the first diesel–hydraulic locomotive, called V 140, in Germany. The German railways (DRG) being very pleased with the performance of that engine, diesel–hydraulics became the mainstream in diesel locomotives in Germany. Serial production of diesel locomotives in Germany began after World War II. In many railway stations and industrial compounds, steam shunters had to be kept hot during lots of breaks between scattered short tasks.
New Zealand DA class locomotive New Zealand DA class locomotive The New Zealand D class diesel-electric mainline locomotives operated on the New Zealand railway system between 1955 and 1989. With 146 locomotives, it was the most numerous class to ever operate in New Zealand, with five more than the A class steam locomotive. The class were A1A-A1A versions of the Electro-Motive Diesel G12 model, with the design altered slightly to run on New Zealand's rail system, and fit the small loading gauge. They were introduced between 1955 and 1967, and were the first class of diesel locomotives to seriously displace steam traction. Between 1978 and