For the rising demands in the passenger and express train traffic the Prussian State Railways developped the passenger tain locomotive of the series P8. Up until 1924 a total of 3561 units were built for German railways. The machines were "girl Friday" and drove besides passenger trains also express trains and freight trains. The prototype locomotive was built in 1918 with the serial number 15695 by the company Henschel in Kassel. It was put into service as "2553 Erfurt" and operated in the vicinity of Erfurt in passenger traffic. Model of the steam locomotive P8 "Erfurt 2553" of the Royal Prussian Railway Administration.