4-4-0 Steam Locomotives in Austria

Class 17c / 403 & 503 (Locobase 4673)

Data from []. Wiener LW Floridsdorf works numbers were 844-845 in 1892; 859-860, 392-393 in 1893; 905-906 in 1894; 936-938, 985-987 in 1895; 997-999, 1003-1009 in 1896; 1086-1090, 1105-1112 in 1897. Wiener LW Neustadt works numbers were 3899-3901, 3920-3922 in1896. MAVAG (Budapest) works numbers were 1200-1202, 1222-1224 in 1898; 1349-1350 in 1899, 1430-1431 in 1900, and 1557-1558 in 1901.

The 17c variant was preceded by the 17a (10 locomotives) and 17b (19 locomotives). The Sudbahn's 17c class (62 locomotives) settled the design by sustaining the allowed maximum speed of 90 kph (56 mph), fitting slightly taller drivers, increasing boiler pressure by 2 kg/cm2, grate area by 15%, adhesion weight by 1 1/2 metric tons (3,300 lb), and engine weight by 4 1/2 metric tons (9,921 lb).

Following the Austro-Hungarian Empire's demise after World War One, the new BBO took 23 17c in class 503, Italy was granted 14 17b, the new JDZ (Yugoslav State Railways), and Hungary's MAV.placed 21 in Class 226.

Class unknown (Locobase 20862)

Data from "Four-Coupled Express Passenger Locomotives", Engineering, Volume 33 (24 February 1882), pp. 177-178. Works numbers were 357-368 in 1882.

Although Engineering reported the railway as the Kaiser Ferdinan Nordbahn, the editors added a footnote noting that while Emil Tilp was at time of writing the KFNB's locomotive superintendent, these engines were not produced for the KFNB. The only Wiener Neustadt four-coupled with bogie express locomotives in that period went to the Sudbahn.

Even so, this class appears to be the predecessor to the IIc class described in Locobase 4691. Compared to the later engine, however, the design had taller drivers.

Tilp's requirements were for a locomotive that could haul 125-140 trailing tons on a line 20% of which presented adverse gradients of 1 in 70 (1.4%) at 60 kph (38 mph). In the summer, the same locomotive would haul an additional coach at 55 kph (35 mph). In trials one of the locomotives hauled 16 coaches over a 350 km (218 mile) distance in six hours including several stoppages (an average of 58 kph/36 mph).

Engineering explained that the engine needed a relatively large grate because KFNB burned poor hard coal that evaporated a meager 3.5 lb of water per pound (1.59 kg per 0.454 kg) of coal.

Great attention was paid to smooth running at express speeds. The bogie was connected to the buffer beam under the smokebox by short links on each side. Each link was fitted with universal joint. Further links under the center of the truck also used universal joints. "This construction has been adopted, " reported Engineering, to ensure "the greatest possible steadiness of the engine in rounding curves ...we are informed that in consequence of this complete system of flexible connection the engine runs with great smoothness even at speeds of 62 miles [100 kph]."