At the end of the 1920s, the BBÖ tried to increase the average speeds of the ever-increasing train weights of 550 to 600 tonnes. Instead of further increasing the maximum speed in the lowlands, the aim was to significantly increase the speeds in the mountains. However, since the electrification of the Austrian routes did not progress as quickly as hoped, there was a need for powerful express steam locomotives. In order to be able to achieve a power similar to that of the electric locomotives of the time, exceptionally large locomotives were required.

Since Austria already had good experience with express locomotives with trailing bogies and a 2-6-4 wheel arrangement, locomotives with a 2-8-4 wheel arrangement were designed. Thanks to four driven axles, this allowed a high adhesive weight, but at the same time, thanks to the bogie, a long and wide firebox. Due to the 1,940 mm wheels and the drive on the third coupled axle, the longest connecting rods ever installed on a steam locomotive were required. This record was not surpassed by any other locomotive later. The 114.01 with three cylinders and the 214.01 with two cylinders were built as prototypes.

Since the smooth running of the three-cylinder locomotive was offset by noticeably higher consumption, the 214 was selected as the series model. In 1931 and 1936 six were built at the Lokomotivfabrik Floridsdorf. They were the most powerful express locomotives in Europe and were used on the Westbahn as far as Passau. In trial runs, speeds of up to 155 km/h were reached. From 1938 they became the class 12 on the Deutsche Reichsbahn and kept this number later on at the ÖBB. After the western railway was electrified, they were used in the south of Austria, where there was greater wear and tear due to the tighter curve radii. As a result, the locomotives were no longer used for express trains after 1956 and were retired by 1962.

12.10 in 1972 at the ÖBB open day

TARS631

The Romanian State Railways CFR acquired the license to build these machines and produced 79, which were designated as series 142 there. Today only the Austrian 12.10 and the Romanian 142.063 exist, neither of which have been preserved in working order. The latter was bought by the Austrian Society for Railway History (ÖGEG) in the 1980s and given the originally unassigned number 12.14.