Since the 2-8-0 locomotives of the class 170 were no longer powerful enough in express service on the Arlberg, Gölsdorf had the 2-10-0 class 280 built in the StEG locomotive factory from 1906 onwards. Initially there were only three machines with four-cylinder compound engines and Clench steam dryers. The Südbahn had five more built in Floridsdorf and used them on the Brenner.

The many driving axles ensured that the axle load remained below 14 tonnes. The smoke problem in tunnels was defused with an additional oil firing. The locomotives were able to pull trains of 280 tonnes at 32 km/h at 2.6 percent the Arlberg. On a test run with thicker tires, speeds of up to 92 km/h were reached on the flat and approval was given for 70 km/h.

Since the Clench steam dryer required extensive maintenance, no further class 280 locomotives were built and the steam dryers were removed again in 1918. Instead, the class 380 was built with a Schmidt superheater from 1909 onwards. Two of the three kkStB locomotives were later superheated by the BBÖ. The Südbahn locomotives came to the FS after the First World War and partly to the JDŽ after the Second World War.