The steam locomotive class P 8 of the Prussian State Railway was designed since 1906 by the Berliner Maschienenbau AG (formerly Schwartzkopff) and Robert Garbe of the Linke-Hofmann Werke in Breslau. It was supposed to follow the P 6 which was considered unsatisfactory. The P 8 could transport 300 tons with 100 km/h in flat terrain and 400 tons with 90 km/h, and after the World Wars it could be found almost everywhere in Europe. The order to build the first ten units was given to the company Schwartzkopff (which later became the Berliner Maschinenbau AG) in January 1906. With up to 14 D-train wagons on the hook all the test trips turned out to be great. The first machine of this type that soon became famous internationally was put into service at the lower Rhein River under the name "Coeln 2401". The P 8 could be used in many different ways and it could be found in front of almost any train with the exception of the heavy express and goods trains.