Around 1960, as electrification progressed, the ÖBB required sufficiently powerful electric locomotives, especially for the southern railway. An hourly output of 3,500 kW at a top speed of 130 km/h were specified. Since there were bad experiences with the running characteristics of six-axle locomotives on winding mountain routes such as the Semmeringbahn, these requirements had to be met by a four-axle locomotive.
The electrics of the locomotives were produced by ELIN, BBC and Siemens, while the mechanical part came from Lokomotivfabrik Floridsdorf. The latter later merged into SGP Graz. The running gear, the frame and the roof structures were taken over from the class 1046. The power was transmitted via a modified Siemens rubber ring spring drive. The dynamic brake was designed as a new type of combined regenerative and resistance brake.
The traction motors used in the 1042.0 initially caused problems, so new ones with an hourly output of 1,000 kW each were developed. These allowed 150 km/h and were used from the 61st locomotive built. The dynamic brake, which was now controlled by a thyristor, also had to be strengthened. This new variant was designated as class 1042.5 and was built until 1977.
1142.621 in July 2014 in Gmunden
Simon Legner 
From the mid-1990s, the fronts were redesigned as part of a repair, which was particularly evident in the lamps. 174 of the 177 newer units received push-pull train controls by 2001 and thus became the class 1142.
The 1142 was not only used in push-pull operation with CityShuttle and double-decker cars, but also in front of freight trains. Freight trains were also pulled double-headed and the 1142 was also used as pilot on the Semmering Railway. With increasing use of the Taurus, the 1142 were rarely needed in front of freight trains and some were retired. The unconverted 1042s were already retired in large numbers from 2002.
While the last 1042s were sold to Widmer Rail Services in Switzerland by 2012, the 1142 was increasingly needed again from 2013 because the class 1116 Taurus were used on new connections to Eastern Europe. Even after 2020, the 1142 is still being used in push-pull traffic, but will increasingly be replaced by CityJet sets. Their use is planned until 2028.