Kind of both, a result of railway privatization.
This one and a DR 01 express locomotive build 1934 belong to the historic railway association in Frankfurt.
Back in the 1980s they only used the harbor railway in Frankfurt, because in those times steam engines were banned from DB owned tracks.
Now the Deutsche Bahn AG outsourced much of its track maintenance, but they have to rent locomotives from the DB AG.
Problem is, there are no suitable locomotives based in Frankfurt, and having one sent over from somewhere else would've cost the contractor too much.
So with agreement from DB AG, they hired the 52 and paid almost the usual rent for a cargo locomotive. Apparently they were satisfied and plan to use the 52 again.
Wo would've thought that privatization of the railway throws us back into the steam age?
__________________
|