These 80 locomotives were built by CSR Ziyang and the Gia Lam Workshops of DSVN and are used for both freight and passenger services. They are members of CSR's model CKD7F.

There are two versions which I'll call type 1 and type 2. The last 40 were delivered with a different more rounded body style. According to an article in Wikipedia, the first type (901-940) were built in four batches, the first 10 being delivered to Lao Cai (one of the border crossings between China and Vietnam) on January 20, 2002. The second batch of 10 were delivered on December 28 of that year , with the the third batch of 20 units being delivered March 18, 2004. The locomotives were painted in a new red, white and blue colour scheme presumambly to match the new airconditioned cars coming into service.

A fourth batch of 20 units (941-960) as far as I can ascertain was either built or at least assembled in DSVN's Gia Lam Workshops and delivered during 2007 and 2008. These units have a different more rounded body design and a rather garish (in my opinion) pink/white/blue colour scheme. I am not aware of any mechanical differences between the type 1 and type 2 versions. The roof line appears to be identical. They seem to be quite a successful class and can be seen everywhere on the metre gauge network. The type 1 have ""Đổi Mới" (renovation) on the nose under the cab windows, but this does not appear on the type 2, though there is one photo of the body of 945 on a flat wagon presumbably being delivered from China with Đổi Mới on the nose (see below). None of the machines in service seem to have this.


The first 40 units (type 1) initially had what I presume is the builders number  (e.g. CKD7F0038 for D19E-938) painted on the side under the cab door but these seem to have disappeared after re-paints. The photo above shows 945 also with a builders number but like the "Doi Moi" this never seemed to make it to the actual locomotives in the batch. Some of the early machines also had plates on the side "VRA D19E-010" but these seem to have disappeared pretty quickly as well.

From 2011 an additional 20 locomotives were constructed. All have been delivered. These additional machines all carry the Gia Lam/CSR builders plates. Changes seem to include a Type 1  headlight and no chromed 'radiator'  on the nose (presumably this was cosmetic). This brings the class up to 80, a significant number on any rail system. It's not known if there are any mechanical changes from the earlier units. Once again the locomotives are part constructed by CSR and part constructed and assembled at Gia Lam. It would seem that significantly more actual construction was carried out by Gia Lam than with the earlier members of the class.

It's interesting that when the DSVN wanted more locomotives they went for the Chinese product rather than the German one. Probably a combination of cost and CSR being prepared to share construction.

Above: 'Type 2' D19E - D19E-945 on shed in Hanoi