Reihe U

Prototype

This 760 mm narrow gauge steam locomotive was conceived in 1894 for the then new Murtalbahn. Starting with a humble order of four engines this class was to become one of the most numerous narrow steam locomotives in Europe. It was first designeated Class U in 1897. It was so succesful that it was put to work on practically all but the Hungarian narrow gauge lines of the Donau monarchy, the last one being built as late as 1922.

Builder's photo of Krauss Linz 1902 (Source Wikipedia, free of copyright)

Zillertal no 1, as plinthed in Jenbach

©Garrattfan, 2008

The characteristic front of this class makes it distinguishable from almost any other steam locomotive class on the planet.

Model

This is one of my surviving locos of my youthly period of railway modelling. Having switched from N-scale to H0 I became interested in narrow gauge. It originates from a Liliput starter set. I remember having bought it in Austria, probably Feldkirch, somewhere around 1975.