In the early 1990s, ÖBB identified a shortage of medium-power diesel traction for freight traffic, but as it could not justify the procurement of new locomotives, it looked for second-hand machines. Their ideal solution was found in the form of German centre-cab class 211 diesel-hydraulics which were in the process of being withdrawn just over the border.
34 locos were obtained by the Austrians in two batches between 1991 and 1994, and were thoroughly overhauled at St Pölten works, including replacement of their Maybach/MTU power unit with a Caterpillar 3512 series. No longer needed, they also lost their steam heat boilers, which were replaced by ballast weights.
Two machines – 2048 015 and 2048 001 – were written off by accident damage, in 1993 and 1997 respectively. Both were replaced by further 211s which took the same numbers, meaning that there were a total of 36 different 2048s over the years.
The 2048s had a relatively short career with ÖBB, the arrival of the class 2016s and shifting traffic requirements seeing them off by 2003.
The 2048s Today
To date, the only 2048s known to have been scrapped are the two accident-damaged ones that were replaced. All of the rest survive in private ownership elsewhere – 19 in France, 7 in Italy, 6 in Austria and 2 in Germany.
The details are as follows:-
| ÖBB No. | DB No. | Current Operator |
| 2048 001 | 211 297 | scrapped |
| 2048 001” | 211 263 | Salzburger Lokalbahn, Austria |
| 2048 002 | 211 084 | Salzburger Lokalbahn, Austria |
| 2048 003 | 211 099 | Salzburger Lokalbahn, Austria |
| 2048 004 | 211 100 | Salzburger Lokalbahn, Austria |
| 2048 005 | 211 096 | Travaux du Sud Ouest, France |
| 2048 006 | 211 226 | Eurovia Travaux Ferroviaires, France |
| 2048 007 | 211 122 | Eurovia Travaux Ferroviaires, France |
| 2048 008 | 211 274 | Captrain Deutschland CargoWest, Germany |
| 2048 009 | 211 359 | Offroy, France |
| 2048 010 | 211 331 | Genifer SARL, France |
| 2048 011 | 211 350 | Olichon, France |
| 2048 012 | 211 211 | Costruzioni Linee Ferroviarie, Italy |
| 2048 013 | 211 327 | Eurovia Travaux Ferroviaires, France |
| 2048 014 | 211 365 | BayernBahn, Germany |
| 2048 015 | 211 106 | scrapped |
| 2048 015” | 211 075 | Eurovia Travaux Ferroviaires, France |
| 2048 016 | 211 272 | Railmat, France |
| 2048 017 | 211 117 | Vecchietti, France |
| 2048 018 | 211 119 | Salzburger Lokalbahn, Austria |
| 2048 019 | 211 230 | Travaux du Sud Ouest, France |
| 2048 020 | 211 270 | Ferrovie del Gargano, Italy |
| 2048 021 | 211 174 | Frasca, France |
| 2048 022 | 211 318 | Eurovia Travaux Ferroviaires, France |
| 2048 023 | 211 109 | SerFer (Servizi Ferroviari), Italy |
| 2048 024 | 211 146 | Steiermärkische Landesbahnen, Austria |
| 2048 025 | 211 264 | Travaux du Sud Ouest, France |
| 2048 026 | 211 120 | Vallourec Tubes France, France |
| 2048 027 | 211 265 | Ge.Fer., Italy |
| 2048 028 | 211 188 | Olichon, France |
| 2048 029 | 211 108 | SILF, Italy |
| 2048 030 | 211 168 | Travaux du Sud Ouest, France |
| 2048 031 | 211 229 | Fersalento, Italy |
| 2048 032 | 211 121 | HUPAC, Italy |
| 2048 033 | 211 132 | Offroy, France |
| 2048 034 | 211 191 | Travaux du Sud Ouest, France |
Forthcoming Workings
There are no currently foreseen passenger workings for the former 2048s, but details will be added to this site if any become known. The best candidate is 2048 014 with BayernBahn which makes semi-regular railtour appearances – albeit generally unadvertised ones on steam trips in southern Germany – the most recent known instance being in May 2018.
European Traction 