Key takeaways
- The 1010 is a vintage ÖBB electric: six-axle, Co'Co', from the build-up phase of electric traction in Austria.
- Reading the class designation: for a four-digit ÖBB class, the first digit gives the vehicle type – 1 means electric locomotive.
- Fastest tell: count the axles. Six axles immediately rule out every four-axle ÖBB standard class.
- Close relative: the Class 1110, which is barely distinguishable from the outside – when in doubt, the data panel settles it.
- A heritage subject today: encounters can be planned around special workings, not the regular timetable.
Contents
Fact file
| Vehicle type | Six-axle electric locomotive for passenger and freight trains |
|---|---|
| Designation system | ÖBB Class 1010 – the leading 1 stands for electric locomotive |
| Wheel arrangement | Co'Co' (two three-axle bogies) |
| Electrification system | 15 kV / 16.7 Hz AC |
| Years built | 1950s |
| Status | Withdrawn from regular service, individual locomotives preserved as heritage vehicles |
| Related class | Class 1110 – nearly identical in build, different gearing |
Identifying features
Is this really the class in front of you?
- Six axles in two three-axle bogies – not four as on the more modern ÖBB classes
- Boxy 1950s bodywork with wraparound handrails and classic front windows
- Four-digit class designation beginning with 1010
- Today appears in practice almost only ahead of special and heritage trains, not in regular-interval service
- A noticeably older-looking design language than any Taurus variant
Updated: August 2026 – Six axles, boxy bodywork, a past in fir green or blood orange: the ÖBB Class 1010 dates from the era when Austria consistently electrified its main lines. This page shows you what the class designation reveals, how to tell the locomotive apart from its close relative, and how to realistically plan an encounter with one.
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What is the ÖBB Class 1010?
The Class 1010 is a six-axle electric locomotive of the Austrian Federal Railways from the build-up phase of electric traction in the 1950s. It has the wheel arrangement Co’Co’ – so it runs on two three-axle bogies with all axles powered – and works under the electrification system common in Austria of 15 kV at 16.7 Hz.
Operationally it was intended as a general-purpose locomotive: heavy passenger trains, freight trains, main-line service over Austria’s major mountain routes. The class has long since been withdrawn from regular service. Anyone who encounters one today is meeting a preserved individual example – usually as part of a special working or heritage event. The preserved vehicle is cared for in the orbit of the Austrian Federal Railways, which only move their historic locomotives for special occasions.
Reading the ÖBB class designation correctly
The most valuable part of this page isn’t a performance figure but a system. The ÖBB don’t label traction vehicles with “Baureihe” like the Deutsche Bahn, but with the word Reihe (class) and a four-digit number. That number isn’t a random code: its first digit reveals the vehicle type.
Read the first digit
1xxx means electric locomotive, 2xxx diesel locomotive, 4xxx electric railcar or multiple unit, 5xxx diesel railcar. The 1010 is thus classed as an electric locomotive before you've even looked at the vehicle.
Take the remaining digits as the class code
The following digits identify the specific design. Similar numbers often mean related technology – the 1010 and 1110 are closely related technically, as are the 1044 and 1144.
The UIC number as the final authority
The twelve-digit vehicle number contains the country code 81 for Austria, and ahead of it the type code – typically 91 for electric locomotives. Together, that identifies every vehicle unambiguously.
Once you’ve internalised this pattern, you can roughly place any Austrian class designation straight away – even on vehicles you’ve never seen before. How you systematically work in practice from the broad vehicle type to the specific class is described in the guide to identifying rolling-stock classes. The international system behind the twelve-digit number is explained in the article on reading the UIC number and its check digit.
How to recognise a 1010 in the field
Identification happens in two steps, and the first is the most important.
Step one: count the axles. Six axles in two three-axle bogies immediately rule out all four-axle ÖBB standard classes from the newer generations. A Class 1044 or a Taurus variant has four axles – that’s recognisable from 200 metres away, even in poor light.
Step two: place the body shape. The 1010 carries the angular, functional design language of the 1950s. Straight front ends, classic front windows, wraparound handrails, visible riveted structures and louvred vents. Nothing about it looks aerodynamically optimised – unlike any locomotive from the 1990s onwards.
Practical tip
Remember a rough timeline rather than individual class numbers: boxy and riveted equals 1950s/60s, smooth and slightly rounded equals 1970s/80s, wedge-shaped with large front windows equals from the 1990s onward. That will put you in the right decade for Austrian electrics almost every time.
Placement in railway operations
Six-axle general-purpose locomotives arose from a concrete operational need. Austria is a mountainous country, and its most important main lines cross passes with long, sustained gradients. More powered axles mean more adhesive mass and a more even axle-load distribution – exactly what counts on such gradients.
| Feature | Class 1010 (vintage, six-axle) | Modern ÖBB electric (four-axle) |
|---|---|---|
| Wheel arrangement | Co’Co’ | Bo’Bo’ |
| Years built | 1950s | from the 1970s to the present |
| Design language | boxy, riveted, functional | smooth, aerodynamically shaped |
| Typical use today | special and heritage workings | regular-interval service |
| Predictability of a sighting | via event dates | via the timetable |
Fleet and deployment change over time
Which historic vehicles are operational depends on overhaul deadlines, spare parts and the commitment of individual societies. That can change from year to year. Check the current status before planning a long trip.
The contrast with today’s regular service becomes clear when you put the 1010 alongside a Class 1042, which represents the next generation of Austrian main-line locomotives. Anyone who wants to see what’s actually running on a line right now, rather than guess, will find the right tools in the guide to live train tracking for Austria.
Never miss a special working
Community sightings show you which historic vehicles are currently out and about – often faster than any official announcement.
Spotting and photography: what’s different with historic locomotives
Photographing a 1010 isn’t a question of patience on the platform but of preparation. Special trains run just once. If the location or the light isn’t right, there’s no second chance in the same week.
Date before location
Settle the running day first, then the spot. With heritage vehicles, the date determines everything else – including the time of day, and with it the light direction.
Think about the side of the vehicle
With historic locomotives, the livery is a key subject. A three-quarter view of around 30 to 45 degrees shows front and side at once and looks more three-dimensional than a pure head-on shot.
Publicly accessible locations only
Platforms, paths and public areas. Tracks, operational railway land and stabling sidings are off limits – they are life-threatening and legally closed, without exception.
Settle on a fallback subject
A change in the weather, a delay, unexpected opposing trains: a second location within walking distance rescues the day far more often than a better camera.
Common mix-ups
With Austrian vintage electrics, misidentification almost never comes from exotic vehicles but from close relatives within the same construction phase. By far the most likely candidate is the Class 1110, which comes from the same six-axle construction phase and is barely distinguishable from the outside.
It points to the Class 1010 if …
- you count six axles in two three-axle bogies
- the locomotive body is angular and visibly from the 1950s
- the class marking begins with 1010
- the vehicle is running ahead of a special or heritage train
Look more closely if …
- the locomotive is six-axle but you can't read the marking – then the Class 1110 is also a possibility
- the vehicle is running in a historic livery you can't place
- you only see it against the light or from behind
It's not a 1010 if …
- you only count four axles – then you're looking at one of the more modern ÖBB classes
- the front is wedge-shaped with large, continuous windows
- the class marking begins with 2 – that would be a diesel locomotive
Cross-border traffic is worth a special mention: on Austrian lines you’ll regularly also see German, Hungarian or Slovenian vehicles. A six-axle vintage locomotive with a different marking doesn’t have to be an ÖBB machine – the country code in the number field tells you.
Conclusion
The Class 1010 is a vehicle better understood through structure than through technical figures: six axles for mountain lines, a design language that instantly reveals its decade of construction, and a class designation that already tells you what you’re looking at in its very first digit. In regular service it’s history; on heritage duty it’s a worthwhile target – but only with preparation.
In short
Six axles, boxy 1950s bodywork, a class marking starting with 1010: that's the generation of electrics that put Austria's main lines under the wire. Sightings today are a matter of dates – document them, because they don't repeat.
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Summary
- The Class 1010 belongs to the generation of six-axle Austrian general-purpose locomotives that carried post-war electric main-line operation.
- Axle count, body shape and the four-digit class marking are enough to identify it.
- It's no longer to be expected in regular service; anyone wanting to see it should follow heritage and special-train dates.
- Sightings of historic vehicles are especially valuable because they don't repeat – date, number and occasion belong in the logbook.
Frequently asked questions
What does the class designation 1010 mean at the ÖBB?
The ÖBB label traction vehicles with the word Reihe (class) and a four-digit number. The leading digit reveals the vehicle type: 1 stands for electric locomotive, 2 for diesel locomotive, 4 for electric multiple units and 5 for diesel railcars. The 1010 is therefore already identifiable as an electric locomotive from its number alone.
How do I recognise a Class 1010 in the field?
First count the axles: the 1010 has six axles in two three-axle bogies. Add to that the boxy design language of the 1950s. That rules out all four-axle ÖBB classes such as the 1044, 1116 or 1216. Final confirmation comes from the class marking on the vehicle.
What is the difference between Class 1010 and Class 1110?
Both classes are six-axle electrics from the same construction phase and look very similar from the outside. They differ mainly in their gearing: one variant was geared more towards fast main-line service, the other towards heavy haulage duty. For identification in the field, the marking on the locomotive body is the most reliable feature.
Does the Class 1010 still run to a schedule today?
No. The class has been withdrawn from regular service. Encounters are limited to preserved individual examples at special workings, anniversaries and heritage events. Anyone wanting to see one should plan around event dates rather than the timetable.
How do I identify the exact locomotive?
By its full vehicle number. Austrian vehicles carry the country code 81 within the twelve-digit UIC numbering scheme; ahead of it sits the type code, typically 91 for electric locomotives. Together with the ÖBB class marking, that gives an unambiguous identification.
Where is it most worthwhile searching for historic ÖBB electrics?
At major hub stations along the classic main lines, whenever an announced special train is running there. Regular service won't help. Timetables from heritage societies and community sightings are useful, as they reflect short-notice changes faster than any printed overview.
Why do older ÖBB locomotives so often have six axles?
Six powered axles distribute weight better and put more adhesive mass onto the rail. That was a real advantage for operating over Austrian mountain lines with long gradients. Only later, more powerful drive technology made four-axle general-purpose locomotives the standard.
Does photographing historic locomotives need different planning from regular services?
Yes, considerably. Special trains run only once, often at unusual times and without reliable delay information. You should decide on your location, light direction and a fallback subject beforehand, because there's no second chance in the same week.
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Related classes
ÖBB Class 1110
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Electric locoÖBB Class 1116 (Taurus)
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.
Electric locoÖBB Class 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.
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