Accumulator railcar 515 537 with control cab coach Class 815 of the Deutsche Bundesbahn.

■ Control cab coach with correctly painted roof area
■ Unobstructed view through the delicately designed passenger saloon and driver’s cab
■ Separately applied plug-in parts, such as windscreen wipers, shunting handles mounted beneath the buffers, and heating cables
■ Rich detailing on the bogies with separately applied parts
■ Headlights and interior lighting switchable with a DIP switch
■ Z21-Driver's cab available

Accumulator railcars were introduced in Germany already before the First World War. The two-part "Wittfeld" Accumulator railcar, whose batteries were housed in the prominent front sections, remained in service until after the Second World War. After 1945, the Deutsche Bundesbahn began to look into this type of traction again. The ETA 176 made a name for itself as the "Limburger Zigarre" (Limburg cigar), but only eight were built. From 1953 onwards, the more cost-effective ETA 150, which had roughly the same performance characteristics, was put into service in large numbers. A total of 232 ETA 150 units (from 1968 onwards, Class 515) were built by 1965. In addition, 216 ESA 150 control cab coaches (later class 815) were put into service.