050 in red; Borderless - Powerful - Fast
The colours of the 1216 050 have been supporting the promotional character of this locomotive. By its delivery in September 2005, the engine got large TAURUS and Siemens logos and the slogan 'Borderless-Powerful-Fast The first European High-Speed locomotive'. This engine carried at that time no sub type indication. Fronts of the machine were like the other prototypes, with an OBB logo and the service number without control digit. By its first visit to Italy, around May 2006, the engine got the additional front number E190 050.

At the HSL-Zuid
It started with the 050 running on the new high speed line Amsterdam-Antwerp (HSL-ZUID), of which it would become frequent visitor from 2006 to 2008. Siemens built the signalling systems on this track section and therefore could use its own machine for testing them on higher speeds. The first visit of the 050 to the Netherlands lasted from January to February 2006. The machine set the high speed record on Dutch territory immediately on 250 kph. Remarkable is also that the 050 ran on 1500V DC catenary, something of which it initially was said that was not capable of doing that. It proved however that the 1216 series is a genuine quadric-tension locomotive, but that only official approval of, and software for, running on this catenary were the only things that were missing. Some specific information; the 050 ran on 1500V DC on 23.01.2006. During its first visit, the 050 only ran on the southern part of section, between the Dutch-Belgian border and Rotterdam. During its second visit it ran on the northern section, from Rotterdam to Amsterdam. The most recent visit dates from January-March 2008.

050 in grey; Vmax = ?
At the end of August 2006, when it became clear that Siemens wanted to beat the high speed record for locomotives with the 050, the complete machine was repainted grey. Silver reflecting circles were added with logos of all participants of this record. Both sides show different logos. In yellow, Vmax was added. The final top speed and the date of the attempt were put on right after the successful run on 02.09.2006. On every corner, one finds the weapon of arms of the German village Kinding, were the event was held. Ever since, then locomotive runs around in this livery. It was only slightly changed in November 2006, during a visit in Italy, where again Italian numbers and a red surface were added at one side.

357 kph
On 02.09.2006 it finally happened, Siemens decided to attack the world high speed record for electric locomotives, up till then owned by the French, who set the record to beat in 1955 (!) with the CC 7107 and BB 9004 (!), on a for that time dazling 331 kph. The small station of Kinding was center of attention that day, along the new high speed track Nurnberg-Ingolstadt. Technically, nothing fundamental was changed on the 050. Only different pantographs were used, the snow-ploughs were removed, and the software was reset. For the occasion, the former world record holders came over from the Mulhouse railway museum, home of the 7107 and 9004. They were exposed at Kinding, together with Siemens ES64P 001, Slovenian Railways 541 004 and the historical Deutsche Bahn locomotive E03 001. The locomotive did two runs, and the second run, pushing (!) the testing coach, the record was set on 357 kph! After completion of the runs Siemens personnel hurried to the machine to complete its inscriptions, adding the speed numbers on both fronts.

1216 050 after its world speed record attempt, next to SNCF BB 9004

10.2006: Velim
After all that attention, normal testing life of the 050 went on. New front numbers were applied and the machine was used at the test centre of Velim with new 200 kph coaches for the Czech railways.

10.2006: Cisalpino
Also the machine went to Italy to experiment with passenger coaches of Cisalpino, that moment planning to rent several 1216 machines for their international passenger services between Germany and Italy until the new ETR610 train sets are delivered. One one front the frame of the 050 was painted red.

11.2007: staff training for the Alex express
Just before Arriva/Landerbahn started its new Alex-services in Southern Germany, the 1216 050 had to help out with staff training. Per december then the newly built E183 001-004 could take over without any problem.

2007 and 2008: test train at the HSL in the Netherlands
In 2007 the new Dutch High Speed Line (HSL), from Antwerp to Amsterdam via Rotterdam was completed. Siemens equipped the line with its detection and signalling systems. 1216 050, was in 2007 and 2008 a very frequent visitor of the line, used as test train.

04.2008-05.2008: final destination
Finally, in April 2008, the 050 left the Netherlands heading for its final destination, becoming a 'normal' 1216 locomotive in the fleet of the federal Austrian Railways. In April and May 2008 the machines was retrofitted, cleaned and repainted in the OBB workshops of Linz, to be handed over officially to the OBB on 21.05.2008, with a considerable ceremony. Not only the worlds fastest electric is now property of the OBB, it is also the very last (and 382nd!) Taurus locomotive to be delivered to this operator. Since then the machine, renumbered as 1216 025, presents itself in a distinctive livery on black with silver body panels.