Which locomotive became the first electric locomotive displayed publicly in 1879?

The Siemens electric railway locomotive became the first electric locomotive displayed publicly in 1879.

Werner von Siemens presented the small locomotive at the Berlin Industrial Exhibition in Germany. It hauled a short train around a demonstration track, showing that electric power could move railway vehicles without steam.

The locomotive drew electricity from an electrified rail between the running rails. A current collector transferred power to the motor, while the rails completed the electrical circuit. The demonstration was modest, but it helped establish electric traction as a practical possibility.

This was not the first electric railway to become a large-scale passenger system. It was an experimental exhibition railway, whereas later projects introduced electric trains for regular urban and main-line service. Siemens’s demonstration nevertheless marked a significant early step in railway electrification.