The first two sections were delivered by Adtranz in August 2000, and was subjected to intensive tests before the manufacture of the rest of the series. Commissioning concluded in December 2000, the locomotive started regular service on 10 January 2001, and started operation with the new hopper cars and axle load on 7 March 2001. In May 2001, Bombardier Transportation took over Adtranz. Bombardier delivered the rest of the Iore series from 2002 to 2005. In March 2004, LKAB decided not to purchase additional hopper cars from Transnet, and instead purchased 750 heavier cars from K-Industrier. Since 1969, the ore trains have been using the Soviet SA3 coupler. However, LKAB wanted to also try Janney couplers (also known as AAR coupler, used in much heavier trains in USA and South Africa), as the SA3 couplers were not much tested with the new weights. While the first pair of locomotives had Janney couplers, the rest of the locomotives were equipped with SA3 couplers to handle the existing hopper cars, and the cars bought from K-Industrier. The locomotives and Transnet wagons with Janney couplers were retrofitted with SA3 couplers. In 2004, the El 15 locomotives were sold to Hector Rail.