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OBB ‘2091’ narrow gauge class


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Evening all,

 

Hopefully this is the right part of the forum to post.

 

I’ve recently purchased an LGB ‘G’ Scale OBB narrow gauge ‘2091’ Class diesel loco.

 

I can’t seem to find much on the prototype on the net so wondered if anyone had some basic info about them an the network they worked. I liked the fact they vaguely looked like a ‘Clayton’/early British diesel (albeit in narrow gauge).

 

I’m also intrigued as to what ‘narrow gauge’ gauge they actually are....

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Greg

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Congratulations!! You mean one of these things:

 

post-586-0-91042100-1540762326.jpg

 

I've got a couple of these locos which I think ran on most of the Austrian narrow gauge lines and even made it to one of the German narrow gauge near Dresden which I saw on one of my visits to Germany. 

 

Just bought a book "Austrian Narrow Gauge Twilight" (ISBN 9781911038306) which does have a picture of one operating on the Pinzgauer Lokalbahn operating out of Zell am See and another on the Mariazellerbahn out of Mariazell. 

 

If you want more detailed information have a look at the "G Scale Central" forum where there are a couple of guys who specialise in Austrian stuff both steam and diesel.

 

The only thing you've got to worry about is getting the bug leading to further purchases. There is a great looking "whizzy cranks" diesel loco you could buy:

 

post-586-0-27116300-1540762401.jpg

 

…... and then of course you might get hooked on steam as well:

 

post-586-0-81527400-1540762657.jpg

 

Enjoy!

 

Keith

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They're interesting locos, and there has been a lot written about them, but pretty much all in German.

 

Basic intro here https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBÖ_2041/sthe gist of which is that they are in fact half-loco, half-baggage-wagon, and surprisingly old, dating from before WW2.

 

This one is better on technical content http://www.schmalspur-europa.at/schmalsp_22.htm because it highlights that the diesel-electric system that they use is the Gebus type, which is distinct from the control arrangement used on US made or inspired DE locos. 

 

Gauge is standard Austrian narrow gauge (!) which is 760mm (2'6" less 1/16") and they were used on several different lines.

 

If you google "OBB 2091 lok" you will get oodles of pictures and info.

 

Kevin

Edited by Nearholmer
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Touring Austria in the early 1970s, I did not see class 2091 very often. Here is one I found at Gresten in June 1975. It was built in 1936 and you can clearly see the luggage compartment.

 

post-11270-0-25002100-1540766016_thumb.jpg

 

I also found one at Gmünd in 1976. However, at that time the class 2095 were much more common, being that much more modern.

 

The early 1970s were a great time to visit the narrow gauge lines in Austria with a wide choice of lines featuring steam, diesel and electric motive power.

 

Tony

 

 

 

 

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Twelve were built by Simmering in two batches (seven in 1936 and five 1940), by the 1980s they were still in use on the ÖBB Ybbstalbahn, Marianzell and Gmünd systems.

 

Here is the ill-fated 2091 001-4, set aside for preservation and stored at Payerbach in 2000.  Later plinthed at Lunz am See station, it was unfortunately scrapped.

post-10122-0-71220800-1540775989_thumb.jpg

 

Two from Gmünd in 1997.  2091 007-1 has the then standard red livery; 2091 002-2 uniquely in red, white and grey.

post-10122-0-45247600-1540775988_thumb.jpg

post-10122-0-06402000-1540775989_thumb.jpg

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Thanks all, sounds like an interesting prototype.

 

In terms of scale, how does it compare to other ‘narrow gauge’ G scale offerings?

 

As an example, would it look odd/out of scale hauling Accucaft L&B wagons or coaches (ignore the prototypical unlikelyness of it).

 

My dad, who’s had a garden Railway since I was little has always run a mixture of ‘standard and narrow gauge G scale perfectly happy to enjoy playing trains in the garden vice represent any real or particular prototype. I’m of a mind to do similar albeit I’d like to keep the stock looking relatively in proportion and prefer UK style wagons to continental with some exceptions. I’d like to create a fictional Narrow Gauge railway company that, due to financial restrictions has to find its stock from wherever it can hence mixing different stock from around Europe/the world.

 

Greg

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The Llanfair & Welshpool could serve as an example for what you describe. It is 2' 6" gauge, same as the Austrian OBB and in the 1970's was running ex Zillertalbahn 4 wheel end balcony coaches and an Austrian steam loco. Now runs ex GWR locos and an assortment of locos from around the world although most were built in Britain.

 

Brian

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LGB uses the "plastic" ruler and a variety of body scales when designing the models they produce to run on 45mm track. 

 

Basically this means that a 750mm Austrian narrow gauge loco, a 1000mm German Harz or Swiss RhB loco and a German standard gauge loco all bulk out to look the same.

 

The majority of G-scale modellers aren't worried about the differences in scale, they buy what they want, build what they want and enjoy running their railways. I've got a mixture of stuff, narrow gauge and standard, and run what I want to when I want to although I do end not to mix things around - but that's my choice.

 

1:18 or thereabouts:

 

post-586-0-43732900-1540896570.jpg

 

1:22.5:

 

post-586-0-24699600-1540896644.jpg

 

1:29 or thereabouts

 

post-586-0-97281500-1540896742.jpg

 

Do what you want to...…. and enjoy!!

 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Here are some photos of OBB Class 2091 locos which may be of interest.

 

 

post-31664-0-05023600-1542233040_thumb.jpg

OBB 2091 007-1 waiting to leave Waidhofen a d Ybbs with Tr.6939 0942 to Lunz am See on 28/06/1990.

 

post-31664-0-14290200-1542233270_thumb.jpg

OBB 2091 008-9 waiting to depart from Gstadt with Tr.6972 1245 Ybbsitz to Waidhofen a d Ybbs on 28/06/1990.

 

post-31664-0-19221700-1542233412_thumb.jpg

OBB 2091 010-5 waiting to depart from Ybbsitz with Tr.6974 1420 to Gstadt on 28/06/1990.

 

post-31664-0-62784500-1542233512_thumb.jpg

OBB 2091 004-8 waiting to depart from Ober Grafendorf with Tr.6847 1153 to Ruprechtshofen on 15/09/1993.

Edited by SED Freightman
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  • 2 years later...
Quote

Pretty impressive that of the entire class only 2 have not been preserved.

I think since I compiled the article, 001 has succumbed to being scrapped for spares (not sure about that).

004 is a spares donor but it is still hanging on in there.

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On 29/10/2018 at 12:30, brigo said:

The Llanfair & Welshpool could serve as an example for what you describe. It is 2' 6" gauge, same as the Austrian OBB and in the 1970's was running ex Zillertalbahn 4 wheel end balcony coaches and an Austrian steam loco. Now runs ex GWR locos and an assortment of locos from around the world although most were built in Britain.

 

Just a minor point but the Welshpool has no ex GWR locos, The Earl and Countess were built by Beyer Peacock in 1902 for the independent line when it was first built and was initially operated by the Cambrian until the Grouping when the GWR took over and "westernised" the two locos (improving or ruining their looks dependant on your allegiance!).

 

 

 

Going back to the 2091s, the ones which were sold to Germany were both on shed when we visited in 2019, the passenger service using an ex Zittau railcar and the specials worked by a Meyer. They were painted in a pink and turquoise livery when the line first got them for the school trains, the livery was replicated by Lilliput in the H0e loco. They have since been repainted in the more traditional German NG livery. It's worth noting that the turquoise/pink livery was reversed so the two enignes were different!

 

This was from a visit in the early 2000s:

 

MPul2Y6.jpg

 

In 2019 on shed:

 

DMpzbGv.jpg

 

A visit to the preserved branch on the Walviertelbahn from Alt-Nagelberg to Heidenreichstein in 2016 lead us to the sheds at Heidenreichstein and we were lucky enough to get a guided tour including the inside of their imaculately preserved 2041.02 in green. Here's the cab interior:

 

9jJMyEH.jpg

pT4B3hQ.jpg

 

2091.09 was working a special:

 

fu1j5Zg.jpg

 

Here's the interior of the baggage compartment on 09:

 

ooJWj7Q.jpg

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