The ÖBB Classes 1044 and 1144 are four-axle electric universal locomotives developed by Simmering-Graz-Pauker and built in Graz.

At the time they were put into service, they were the most powerful electric locomotives in the world and were ÖBB's showpiece until the 1016 and 1116 series were purchased.

In the late 1960s, ASEA in Sweden pioneered advancements in electric locomotive design by introducing the control of traction motors through thyristor bridges.

The newly built locomotives from 1044.27 onwards were fitted with non-punctured wheel tires ex-works.

To prevent drifting snow from being sucked into the locomotives in winter, new, higher air intake grilles in various designs were installed from 1044.71 onward.

The spring drives were replaced by AEG Geaflex elements, new flush end plates made of armored glass and a pantograph for high-speed runs were installed.

[5] The 1044.40 was largely retained in its original condition in blood orange and with the old ÖBB logo (“Pflatsch”) as a “modern nostalgia locomotive” (but still in scheduled service).

The following points should be mentioned here: The last series (1044 255–290) was equipped with a line train control system from the factory, but this was not absolutely necessary at its maximum speed of 160 km/h.

Externally, these locomotives were recognizable by the lower paintwork on the roof in the area of the fans (LZB stripes); this is no longer used in current repaints.

From 1044.111 onwards, the locomotives were given an umbra gray frame and the computer number with self-check digit ex works.

From locomotive 1044.27 onwards, these plates were omitted and the numbers were written with 130 mm high digits.

Only the 1044 040 was excluded from this, it was chosen as the blood orange nostalgia locomotive and was even given a black frame again, and later the already removed factory sign in the form of a sticker.

In addition to the installation of remote control, the converted locomotives were fitted with a GSM-R radio system, PZB 90, and new LED headlights.

[5] However, even after the conversion to the 1144, some locomotives were still running with incandescent bulbs in the headlights until they were finally replaced with LED lamps.

The 1144.40 has been retained to this day as a “modern nostalgia locomotive” (but still in scheduled service) largely in its original condition in blood orange and with the old ÖBB logo (“Pflatsch”).

Since 2018, the oldest locomotives in the 1144.0 series (commissioned from 1978 as 1044.0) have been decommissioned and used as spare parts donors when they reach the mileage limit at which a partial repair would be due.

Together with most of the previously decommissioned locomotives, these (around 50 in total) were to be converted to a catenary voltage of 25 kV 50 Hz for use in Africa and then transferred to Turkey, where they were to be used by a construction company.

This was intended to enable push-pull operation at the Brenner Pass without a connection with a UIC cable between the locomotives at the start and end of the train.

On February 26, 1980, 1044.38 with train 416 collided with a truck on the EK[expand acronym] in Liechtenstein at km 11.305 between Feldkirch and Nendeln stations.

On August 30, 1989, the express train “Montfort” with ÖBB 1044 023 and the Eurocity Bavaria with SBB Re 4/4 II 11197 collided south of Bregenz on the Lindau-Bludenz line.

On February 13, 1993, a freight train, hauled by ÖBB 1010 008, passed a caution signal when entering Melk station.

As the train was traveling at 90 km/h as scheduled and the monitoring speed of the Indusi version at the time was also only 90 km/h, no emergency braking was applied.

However, the staff at the main workshop in Linz managed to build a second unit for the 1044 241 from the remaining accident body of the 1044 043, various spare parts and a huge amount of time.

On December 12, 1995, Regional Express 3612, hauled by locomotive 1044 235, was scheduled to cross paths with the Glass Train at Garmisch-Partenkirchen station.

However, at the end of the RE's scheduled stop of 10 minutes, the Transparent Train had not yet arrived at the station and the RE 3612 had not yet been given permission to leave in the direction of Munich.

However, as the driver was not paying attention to the exit signal and the slip path at this point was not long enough, the two trains collided head-on despite emergency braking.

[13] On September 25, 2015, REX 2150 Vienna-Gmünd collided with a semi-trailer carrying an 18-ton timber harvesting machine at a railroad crossing just before Allentsteig station on the Franz-Josefs-Bahn.

14 container wagons derailed, the locomotive and the track, overhead line and signaling systems in the tunnel suffered severe damage.

On October 30, 2017, an empty regional train set rolled out of Neumarkt-Kallham station on the Wels-Passau railroad line in the direction of Wels.

The runaway train was stopped after a 20-kilometer “ghost run” by a 5022 railcar, which had previously been cleared at Haiding station.