Key takeaways
- The 1116 is the dual-system Taurus: 15 kV / 16.7 Hz and 25 kV / 50 Hz, making it usable across borders.
- The Taurus family sorts itself by electrification system: 1016 single-system, 1116 dual-system, 1216 multi-system.
- The silhouette doesn't help – only the four-digit class marking reliably tells the variants apart.
- A true universal locomotive: equally at home ahead of long-distance trains and freight trains.
- Special liveries are everyday business – note the running number and livery, not just the class.
Contents
Fact file
| Vehicle type | Four-axle universal electric locomotive for passenger and freight trains |
|---|---|
| Nickname | Taurus |
| Manufacturer designation | Siemens ES 64 U2 (EuroSprinter, 6,400 kW, universal) |
| Wheel arrangement | Bo'Bo' (two two-axle bogies) |
| Electrification systems | 15 kV / 16.7 Hz and 25 kV / 50 Hz AC |
| Maximum speed | 230 km/h |
| Continuous power output | around 6,400 kW |
| Designation system | ÖBB Class 1116 – leading 1 means electric locomotive |
Identifying features
Is this really the class in front of you?
- Four axles in two bogies, compact locomotive body
- Wedge-shaped Taurus front with a steeply raked windscreen
- Class marking starts with 1116 – not 1016 or 1216
- The characteristic rising tone of the converter when pulling away
- Frequently seen ahead of international trains and often in special livery
Updated: August 2026 – The Class 1116 is the Taurus variant that connects Austria with its neighbours: two electrification systems, 230 km/h, around 6,400 kW and a deployment range from long-distance trains to heavy freight. This page shows you why the number 1116 tells you more about the locomotive than any shape feature.
Document Taurus locomotives in cross-border traffic
Vehicles change quickly, especially on international routes – log the number and location straight into Traintrack.
What is the ÖBB Class 1116?
The Class 1116 is a four-axle universal electric locomotive of the ÖBB from the Taurus family, designated by the manufacturer as Siemens ES 64 U2. It’s approved for 230 km/h, delivers around 6,400 kW and handles two electrification systems: 15 kV at 16.7 Hz as well as 25 kV at 50 Hz.
That dual-system capability is precisely its reason for existing. It allows through workings across system boundaries without another locomotive having to be attached at the border – a train from Vienna reaches Budapest Keleti with the same machine that took it over in Austria. For a transit country like Austria, that’s not a convenience feature but an operational necessity. Beyond the system boundary there, MÁV operates with its own fleet.
Electrification systems: the key to the whole Taurus family
Central Europe isn’t a single electrical zone. Keeping this map in mind explains almost every procurement decision the ÖBB has made.
| Traction current system | Where it applies | Which Taurus variant is enough |
|---|---|---|
| 15 kV / 16.7 Hz AC | Austria, Germany, Switzerland | 1016 is sufficient |
| 25 kV / 50 Hz AC | several neighbouring countries to the east and south | 1116 needed |
| 3 kV DC | including Italy and Slovenia | 1216 needed |
| 1.5 kV DC | parts of Western Europe | 1216 needed |
The simplest way to remember it
Read the second digit of the class number as the degree of system variety: 1016 single-system, 1116 dual-system, 1216 multi-system. That sorts the entire Taurus family in one sentence.
Just how far this principle carries is shown by the Class 541, a Taurus variant for the Slovenian market: the same platform, different requirements, a different number.
Identifying the Taurus variant quickly
Which Taurus is in front of you?
Class 1016 – single-system Taurus
Designed for 15 kV / 16.7 Hz. Fits workings within Austria and into networks with the same system.
Class 1116 – dual-system Taurus
Additionally handles 25 kV / 50 Hz. Typical for through workings across the corresponding system boundaries.
Class 1216 – Taurus III
Multi-system capable, including DC. The variant for wide-ranging international traffic.
Not a Taurus
Six axles rule out the entire Taurus family. Older Austrian legacy classes come into question here.
The single-system variant is covered on the page for the Class 1016, the multi-system development on the page for the Class 1216.
Which Taurus is running right now?
Live-reported sightings help you track down a specific machine or livery.
Placement in railway operations
As a universal locomotive, the 1116 isn’t tied to one type of train. That raises the chance of a sighting, but makes identifying the individual machine all the more important. At night, this includes the locomotive-hauled trains of Nightjet.
- Passenger service: premium long-distance workings of ÖBB-Personenverkehr AG as well as relief and replacement trains.
- Freight traffic: heavy trains over the main routes, including cross-border. On the northern ramp to the Brenner they regularly run in double-heading – how to stand there is described in the spot Brenner railway near Gries am Brenner.
- International workings: here the dual-system capability shows its real strength.
Border stations such as Hegyeshalom at the system boundary to Hungary are especially rewarding for spotters, because vehicles of several railways meet there and standing times allow for longer observation. How to choose such locations and what happens operationally there is described in the guide to spotting at border stations.
Diagrams are subject to change
Which routes are worked with which classes changes with contract awards and timetable years. Don't rely on older diagram overviews – check the current situation.
What actually happens at a system boundary
The term “system boundary” sounds abstract, but in operation it’s very concrete – and for spotters one of the most interesting places of all.
Two adjacent networks run different traction current systems. On the Austrian side, ÖBB-Infrastruktur is responsible for this network boundary. For a train to pass through, either the vehicle must handle both systems, or the locomotive must be changed. Both variants occur, and both are well worth observing.
Variant one: system changeover with a multi-system vehicle. The locomotive lowers its pantograph, passes through a short dead section and switches to the new system. As a rule the train doesn’t stop specially for this. For onlookers on the platform this is only recognisable from details – for instance, the interior lighting in the carriages briefly switching to emergency power.
Variant two: locomotive change at a border station. The train stops, one locomotive is uncoupled, another is attached in front. This is exactly what makes border stations so rewarding for spotters: within a few minutes you see vehicles of two railways directly next to each other, plus shunting movements and enough standing time to read numbers properly.
For spotters that means, in concrete terms: anyone wanting to observe a system changeover on the move needs patience and local knowledge, because the event itself looks undramatic. Anyone after variety of vehicles, on the other hand, is clearly better off at a border station with a locomotive change. Both variants are interesting but call for different locations and different timing.
The Class 1116 is built precisely for variant one. It makes locomotive changes unnecessary at certain borders and thereby shortens journey times. Where in the network this is handled which way today is, however, subject to change: it depends on approvals, staff availability and timetable planning, and can shift with every timetable year.
Spotting and photography
- Get the marking into the shot. Because the 1016, 1116 and 1216 look identical in shape, the number decides. A three-quarter view at around 30 to 45 degrees shows the front and side wall together.
- Listen for the tone. The rising tone sequence when pulling away announces a starting machine – good seconds for a last check of your settings.
- Document the livery. Special liveries often only exist within a limited window. How to search for them specifically is shown in the article on advertising locomotives and special liveries.
- Read numbers correctly. The structure of the twelve-digit UIC number, including the country code, is explained in the guide to the UIC number on the vehicle.
- Stand safely. Only on publicly accessible areas. Tracks, operational railway land and stabling sidings are closed off and life-threatening.
Common mix-ups
It points to the Class 1116 if …
- the marking clearly begins with 1116
- four axles and the wedge-shaped Taurus front are visible
- the train is worked through across a system boundary with 25 kV
Look more closely if …
- an advertising livery obscures the markings
- you can't read the number – all Taurus variants look alike from a distance
- a country code other than A appears next to the number
It's not a 1116 if …
- the marking begins with 1016 or 1216
- you count six axles
- the first digit of the class is a 2 – then you're looking at a diesel locomotive
Conclusion
The Class 1116 shows that modern locomotive classes are defined less by shape than by capability. Externally, nothing distinguishes it from its sister classes – operationally, the ability to work under two electrification systems sets it apart. Anyone who knows the electrification map of Central Europe has understood the entire Taurus family.
In short
Four axles, Taurus wedge, marking 1116: the dual-system Taurus for traffic across system boundaries. You recognise the class by the number, the specific machine by the full running number.
Keep track of every Taurus number
Collect sightings with number, livery and location – and see which machines you're still missing.
Summary
- The Class 1116 is the workhorse of modern ÖBB main-line services and is specifically designed for traffic across electrification-system boundaries.
- Anyone who knows the electrification map of Central Europe instantly understands why there are three Taurus variants.
- For identification, the class marking decides, not the shape.
- Deployment areas and diagrams change with each timetable year – check the current situation before a targeted trip.
Frequently asked questions
What is the ÖBB Class 1116?
The Class 1116 is a four-axle universal electric locomotive of the ÖBB from the Taurus family, designated by the manufacturer as Siemens ES 64 U2. It's rated for 230 km/h, delivers around 6,400 kW, and handles two electrification systems: 15 kV at 16.7 Hz and 25 kV at 50 Hz. That makes it the standard vehicle for cross-border workings.
What sets the 1116 apart from the 1016?
Only the electrification system, not the design. The 1016 is single-system and limited to networks with 15 kV / 16.7 Hz, while the 1116 additionally handles 25 kV / 50 Hz. Externally, both classes are practically identical, which is why the class marking on the vehicle is the only reliable feature.
So what is the Class 1216, then?
The 1216 is the multi-system development, designated ES 64 U4 by the manufacturer and known in the community as the Taurus III. Besides AC systems it also handles DC systems, letting it cover a considerably larger part of Europe without a locomotive change.
Why does Austria need dual-system locomotives?
Because Austria borders networks with other traction current systems. Within the country, 15 kV at 16.7 Hz applies, as in Germany and Switzerland. Other neighbours run at 25 kV and 50 Hz, and others again on DC. Without multi-system vehicles, a locomotive change would be needed at every system boundary – costing time and staff.
Where does the Taurus's characteristic starting tone come from?
From the drive electronics. When pulling away, the converter runs through frequency steps that are audible as a rising tone sequence. For spotters this is a useful extra feature, because a Taurus pulling away can often be heard before it comes into view.
What does the 81 in the vehicle number mean?
In the twelve-digit UIC number, 81 stands for Austria. Before it comes the type code, typically 91 for electric locomotives. A number beginning 91 81 therefore belongs to an Austrian electric locomotive – wherever in the world you happen to see it.
Where are the chances of finding a 1116 best?
At stations along the international main routes and at hubs with heavy traffic. Because the locomotive runs as a universal machine, it appears ahead of both passenger and freight trains. Which routes are currently worked by which class, however, shifts with every timetable change.
Why is it worth noting individual locomotives?
Because the Taurus family is a popular advertising carrier and many locomotives carry, or have carried, special liveries. A sighting without number and livery loses exactly the information that makes it interesting. Date, location, number and livery therefore belong in every note.
Log your sighting of the ÖBB Class 1116 (Taurus)
Date, location and vehicle number logged in seconds – and visible to the community.
Related classes
ÖBB Class 1016 (Taurus)
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.
Electric locoÖBB Class 1216 (Taurus III)
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.
Electric locoÖBB / SZ Class 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.
Electric locoÖBB Class 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.
Electric locoÖBB Class 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.
Electric locoÖBB Class 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.
Who is behind it
Groups, brands, manufacturers and operators – who owns whom and how to recognise them out in the field.
MÁV Magyar Államvasutak
MÁV is both infrastructure manager and group holding company in Hungary – passenger trains run under the name MÁV-START, and freight has long belonged to an Austrian group. And almost every vehicle carries two designations side by side.
BrandNightjet
Nightjet is ÖBB's night train brand – and therefore a product name, not a company. The set of coaches usually belongs to ÖBB, but the locomotive in front changes owner at every system boundary. Anyone logging a Nightjet sighting is therefore logging two different things.
InfrastructureÖBB-Infrastruktur
ÖBB-Infrastruktur owns the tracks, points, signals and most stations in Austria – but not a single train in the timetable. That's exactly why locomotives from companies with no connection to ÖBB roll over the Brenner, Semmering and Tauern lines.
State railwayÖsterreichische Bundesbahnen (ÖBB)
ÖBB isn't a single company but a group made up of passenger transport, the Rail Cargo Group and infrastructure. If you're spotting in Austria, you can't avoid the four-digit class scheme – it tells you the traction and design before you've even properly identified the vehicle.
Where to see the ÖBB Class 1116 (Taurus)
Specific viewpoints with lighting times, coordinates and an honest verdict on whether the trip is worth it.
Brennerbahn near Gries am Brenner
Between Innsbruck and the summit the Brennerbahn climbs a good 800 metres – in loops, over viaducts and through spiral tunnels. Near Gries am Brenner you can watch this from public footpaths, with heavy freight trains running in double-heading and with banking locomotives.
Junction stationBudapest Keleti
Keleti is Hungary's most important international station and one of the last great terminus stations in Europe where older rolling stock isn't kept in a museum but still earns its keep in service. Read the hall correctly and you'll come away with vehicles that vanished west of the border long ago.
Border stationFortezza / Franzensfeste
At Franzensfeste the Brenner axis splits: north to the Brenner Pass, east into the Puster valley. Between them lies a wedge station with a fortress behind it, few crowds, and a freight traffic share no major Italian station can offer.
Border stationHegyeshalom
Hegyeshalom is the point where the Austrian and Hungarian railway systems meet. Two electrification systems, changing traction and a high freight share turn this flat border station into one of the most instructive spots in Central Europe – if you bring time with you.
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