Test program ended in April 2003 and 189 001-003 were handed over to the German operator. Serie delivered started one month later. The DB career of the original 189 001-003 soon proved to be a short one, as they were already withdrawn again in October-November 2003. The DB demanded 100 identical machines and the prototypes slightly differed form the series batch. In stead of retrofitting them, Siemens decided to replace them by three new machines, again numbered 189 001-003, and integrate the old ones in their own Dispolok fleet.

Next to technical differences, the prototypes looked slightly different from the series batch. They had nice integrated steel rain gutters above the cabin side, no rubber strips. The grey paint on the frame section was just going a little further around the corner on both front sections and initially the design of their entrance doors was different.

The remaining 97 locomotives were delivered between May 2003 and December 2005.

brand new prototype locomotive 189 003

In September 2003 however, Railion became the news standard, including new Railion logos with the small blue square on the right. 189 010, at that moment still waiting in Munchen-Allach for official delivery, was the first to get the 'Railion 2' look ('2', as there was already a first Railion look the end of the 90s. A first attempt to introduce the Railion identity, using a similar logo, but with a blue square on the left..).

From the 189 012 on, Siemens delivered all new 189 series locomotives without logos, as Railion would apply them when they would be handed over to the operator in Nurnberg. This however only happened to 189 013, 022-025, 030-031, 038-042, 046-049 and 052 (detail: 189 030 and 048 only got them on both cab fronts). Others, including the three prototype replacement locomotives, went into service being ‘naked’. 189 054-099 were delivered with Railion2 logos by Siemens. At the end of 2005, Railion DB Logistics was the new official name of the operator, only promoted by the very last machine of its batch, 189 100, because it was handed over to the DB with a small ceremony.

One of four 189s that got Railion DB Logistics logos, in Berlin hauling a passenger train.

livery changes after delivery
Between 2003 and 2007 the design of very few locomotives changed. 189 001II, 002II, and 004 got Railion 2 logos in 2003 and 2004. 189 027 was the first to get DB Logistics logos, in November 2005, 189 010 and 013 followed soon. At the end of 2007, the latest name was introduced; DB Schenker. All machines get small DB logos again, but this has not affected the look of any 189 series machine up til now.

'Holland-Latz'
With the introduction of the 189 in the Netherlands in December 2007, one could say a new standard was created. Dutch rail safety authorities demand that all vehicles on their territory have a bright yellow or white front to increase visibility. 189 065-080, 082-089 and 100, those were selected for services to Holland, got a bright white front, without logos.

Banks, governmental bodies and other financial companies have always been involved in financing rolling stock, often requiring a considerable investment for an operator. But since the late 90s there is a new phenomenon in the railway market; leasing companies that explicitly profile themselves as top providers of rolling stock for railway operation. Like for airplanes, see-ships, automobiles, one can now lease or hire a locomotive for a certain period of time. In Europe, Angel Trains Europe (ATE), Mitsui Rail Capital Europe (MRCE), CBRail and Allco are examples of companies investing large sums of money into the rail way market, slowly replacing the good old state operators as leading customers for the industry.

The DB decided to close a deal with MRCE back in 2006. The leasing company would buy 10 of their 189 series locomotives, designated 189 090-099, to be leased back to the DB again; a construction called sale-lease-back. The DB earns some money; Mitsui invests in relatively new locomotives, ready for service. All machines got a little shield in every cabin, saying that they were now official property of MRCE. In May 2007, 189 095 was even painted all black, the corporate colour of MRCE.

But then the story took a strange turn. In the summer of 2007 MRCE made clear that they now had other plans with the batch of then, involving true international services, serving other customers of the leasing company. From 07.2007 to 01.2008, the contracts with the DB for all 10 machines were ended; their logos removed so they could be rented out to other operators.

In July 2007, 189 090 and 095 were the first ones returned by the DB. They were sent to Berlin for a true metamorphose at the paint shops of Dangelmayer. After that, they were transported to Siemens in Munchen for retrofitting additional train detection equipment, upgrade their software and to mount two extra pantographs.

In January 2008, 189 090 was the very first to leave Munchen, all black and shiny, with new MRCE-Dispolok logos, the MRCE subsidiary that manages all locomotives for customers in the South and Central Europe. 189 092-095 got the same treatment in the months that followed. The machines got new service numbers, but it took quite some time to find a satisfying solution. The problem was that MRCE-Dispolok already operated a considerable fleet of ES64F4 locomotives (the former Siemens Dispolok machines) including machines numberes as ES64F4 090-099. MRCE-Dispolok planned on renumbering the former DB machines as ES64F4 series, but simply taking over the DB numbers was therefore not possible. Only the repainted 189 094 carried service number ES64F4 094 for a short while. Also former Dispolok machine ES64F4 094 was already repainted in black at that time, so for a short time two identical machines were running around. Luckely, 189 093-05 are now on hire to Veolia Cargo, which changed their appearance again, now carrying red and grey vinyls. At this moment, the five former DB-locomotives that are repainted in MRCE-Dispolok colors, only carry designation 'ES64F4' up front. You can only identify them now by there RFI service number, E189 090/092-095.

And 189 091/096-099? Curiously, after being returned by DB Schenker, they were transported to Siemens test center in Wegberg-Wildenrath and retrofitted with all equipment needed for running in Holland. They got a white nose, but kept their red DB livery. Per April 2008 these machines are being used for long-haul services from Germany to Holland and vice versa by...... DB Schenker!

189 065 got a special livery to clebrate DBs expansion to the west. 189 023 kept on performing trails. In the summer of 2008 it was hired to ProRail for example for testing on the HSL-Zuid.

Blumen-lok 189 065 attended the opening of a new exhibition about freight transport in the National Railway Museum in Utrecht, the Netherlands, back in November 2007.

During the second round, a machine has re-appeared we haven't seen for a long time: 189 081. Due to damage this machine has been out of service for a long time and did not make it to the first round. After its refit it was spotted a lot in service of DB Autozug, which, since the summer, hired 189s for EC services to Amsterdam.

For the Dutch trial, locomotive 189 072 was selected, therefore it got the GZ1000 markings.

Siemens started the refit-program in February 2010, the first four units were outshopped in Munich on 06.03.2010. These units are easily recognized by the yellow painted couplers and yellow warning vinyls are their frame ends.

The 189 030-032 and 036 left Munich in 06.03.2010, heading for Gremberg.