DB Class 218 - Background, History and Design - Technical Information - Liveries

Liveries

The first locomotives were delivered in the usual 'crimson' (RAL 3004) of that time. In 1974 218 217 and 218 218 were used as test vehicles for new colour schemes : 218 218 was the first locomotive in the new ocean blue-beige (turquoise/cream) finish (RAL 5020/RAL 1001). 218 217 received an experimental livery in the TEE red and beige (RAL 1001/RAL 3004).

The turquoise/cream colour became a new standard for the 218, whilst the 218 217 in the burgundy and beige remained a loner, for almost thirty years, until 753 001 (ex 217 001) became the second locomotive from the V160 family to receive this colour scheme.

By the late 2000s the turquoise/cream colour had virtually, the last representative being DB AutoZug 218 320.

In 1984 for the City-Bahn railway on the Cologne - Gummersbach ten locomotives were painted in pure orange (RAL 2004) with a grey stripe, after the project ended they retained the livery until the 1990s when they received the orientrot scheme of the 'oriental red' color (RAL 3031) with a white markings, the last 218 135 being repainted in 1996

The remaining Class 218 locomotives are almost entirely in the current traffic-red (RAL 3020) colour scheme.

As an oddity 218 473 was, for four years from April 2005 onwards, painted in a dark blue "King Ludwig" in model train manufacturer Märklin sponsored dark blue "King Ludwig" livery.