Austrian rolling stock

GKB Class 29

GKB 29

The GKB Class 29 belongs to the historic steam fleet of the Graz-Köflacher Bahn. Here's how to read its vehicle number and plan a sighting.

ÖBB Class 298 (U)

ÖBB Reihe 298

Class 298 – the old type U – is a narrow-gauge steam locomotive for 760 mm gauge. Here's how to identify it and find it in heritage operation.

ÖBB Class 52

Reihe 52

The Class 52 is the Austrian version of the war locomotive: a freight steam engine with five coupled axles. Here's how to identify it reliably.

ÖBB Class 77

Reihe 77

The Class 77 is an Austrian passenger tank locomotive with three coupled axles between two leading/trailing axles. Here's how to identify and classify it.

ÖBB / SZ Class 541

SŽ 541

The Class 541 is the Taurus of the Slovenian Railways: a multi-system locomotive from the ES64U4 family. Here's how to identify it and tell it apart from the ÖBB variant.

ÖBB Class 1010

Reihe 1010

The Class 1010 was a six-axle general-purpose electric locomotive of the ÖBB and today only runs on heritage duty. Here's how to place it and tell it apart from the Class 1110.

ÖBB Class 1012

Reihe 1012

The Class 1012 remained a small production run of modern ÖBB electrics – overtaken by the mass procurement of the Taurus. Here's how to place it and recognise it in the field.

ÖBB Class 1014

Reihe 1014

The Class 1014 is a four-axle ÖBB electric that later produced dual-system machines for cross-border traffic. Here's how to recognise and understand it.

ÖBB Class 1016 (Taurus)

Reihe 1016

The Class 1016 is the single-system variant of the Taurus: four axles, 230 km/h, 6,400 kW. Here's how to tell it apart from the 1116 and 1216 and spot it instantly.

ÖBB Class 1042

Reihe 1042

The Class 1042 is the ÖBB's classic four-axle general-purpose electric. Here's how to identify it and place the 1042.5 sub-class.

ÖBB Class 1044

Reihe 1044

The Class 1044 was the ÖBB's standard electric for decades: four-axle, 160 km/h, thyristor technology. Many machines were converted into the Class 1144.

ÖBB Class 1110

Reihe 1110

The Class 1110 is the ÖBB's six-axle mountain-route locomotive and a close relative of the Class 1010. Here's how to identify and tell them apart.

ÖBB Class 1116 (Taurus)

Reihe 1116

The Class 1116 is the ÖBB's dual-system Taurus: 15 kV and 25 kV, 230 km/h, 6,400 kW. Here's how to tell it apart from the 1016 and 1216 for sure.

ÖBB Class 1141

ÖBB 1141

The Class 1141 grew out of the older Class 1041. Here's how to recognise the four-axle veteran and understand the logic behind the reclassification.

ÖBB Class 1142

Reihe 1142

The Class 1142 is the push-pull-capable development of the 1042.5 series. Here's how to recognise it and what push-pull operation means for spotters.

ÖBB Class 1144

Reihe 1144

The Class 1144 emerged from converted Class 1044 locomotives. What the second digit of the ÖBB class number reveals, and how to tell the two classes apart for sure.

ÖBB Class 1216 (Taurus III)

Reihe 1216

The Class 1216 is the multi-system Taurus III – and holder of the world speed record for locomotives at 357 km/h, set in 2006.

ÖBB Class 399 (Mh)

ÖBB Reihe 399

Class 399 – historically designated Mh – belongs to the 760 mm narrow-gauge world of the Mariazell Railway. Here's how to identify it correctly.

ÖBB Class 2016 (Hercules)

Reihe 2016

The Class 2016 "Hercules" is the ÖBB's modern diesel locomotive based on the Siemens ER 20. Here's how to recognise it and understand what it's used for.

ÖBB Class 2143

Reihe 2143

The Class 2143 was the ÖBB's standard mainline diesel for decades. Here's how to recognise it by its roof, its axle count and its four-digit class number.

ÖBB Class 2143

Reihe 2143

Why the ÖBB say "Reihe" instead of Baureihe, what 2143 reveals, and how to identify locomotives that moved to private keepers after the state-railway era.

ÖBB / Westbahn Class 4110 (Stadler KISS)

Reihe 4110

The Class 4110 denotes double-deck Stadler KISS multiple units in Austrian long-distance service. Here's how to identify it and read the class number correctly.

ÖBB ICE (Classes 401/402/403 in service)

ICE in Austria

ICE sets run in cross-border long-distance services in Austria. Here's how to tell ICE 1, ICE 2 and ICE 3 apart and read off which country the vehicle is from.

ÖBB Railjet (RJ / RJX)

Railjet

The Railjet isn't a multiple unit but a fixed coach set with a locomotive at one end and a control car at the other. Here's how to spot it and tell RJ from RJX.

ÖBB Class 4020

Reihe 4020

The Class 4020 is the classic three-part suburban EMU of the ÖBB. Here's how to recognise it, how to read its numbers – and how to tell it apart from newer classes.

ÖBB Class 4024 (Talent)

Reihe 4024

The Class 4024 is the ÖBB's low-floor Talent EMU. Here's how to recognise it by its bogies and boarding – and how to tell it apart from the Cityjet and the 4020.

ÖBB Class 4744 / 4746 (Cityjet / Desiro ML)

Cityjet

Cityjet is the product name, 4744 and 4746 are the classes: here's how to recognise the ÖBB's Desiro ML EMUs and tell them apart from older commuter classes.

GKB VT 10 / 5010

VT 10

The VT 10 of the Graz-Köflacher Bahn is a historic railbus of Class 5010. Here's how to read its vehicle number and plan an encounter.

ÖBB Class 5022 (Desiro Classic)

Reihe 5022

The Class 5022 is the ÖBB's two-part diesel railcar for non-electrified lines. Here's how to recognise it and tell it apart from the Class 5047.

ÖBB Class 5047

Reihe 5047

The Class 5047 is the ÖBB's single-section diesel railcar for branch lines. Here's how to recognise it and tell it apart from the two-part Class 5022.

ÖBB CityShuttle Control Car

CityShuttle

A control car has a driving cab but no motor. Here's how push-pull operation works on the ÖBB CityShuttle – and how to spot the control car for sure.

ÖBB Class 1063

Reihe 1063

The Class 1063 is an electric shunting locomotive of the ÖBB. Why a shunter with a pantograph is the exception, and how to recognise it.

ÖBB Class 2068

Reihe 2068

The Class 2068 is a diesel shunting locomotive of the ÖBB. Here's how to recognise it, how shunting duty fits into railway operations – and how to stay safe while watching it.

ÖBB Class 2070

Reihe 2070

The Class 2070 belongs to the modern generation of ÖBB diesel shunting locomotives. Here's how to recognise it and tell it apart from other shunting vehicles.

ÖBB X534 (Snowplough)

X534

The X534 is an ÖBB service vehicle for winter duty. This page explains the X system, its purpose, and how to reliably classify snowploughs.