Class 151 electric locomotive equipped with AK69 automatic couplers

In Germany, the AK69 automatic coupler is installed on locomotives and freight wagons used for iron ore transports between Hamburg and Salzgitter. 20x Class 151 electric locomotives and around 400x freight wagons owned today by DB Cargo are converted from 1976. The conversion is required as the total mass of the ore trains (up to 6000 t) is too heavy for standard screw couplings (designed for trains around 3000 t).