The first vehicle was completed in July 1987 and presented at an international press trip to Rosenburg am Kamp.

These two vehicle types replaced the old 5044, 5144, 5145, 5146 and 5081 series, some of which dated back to the interwar period, were technically obsolete and had reached the end of their economic service life.

In the 1990s, there were a number of head-on collisions on secondary lines, particularly in Lower Austria and Burgenland, in which some of the 5047 series railcars were involved.

For more details, see List of railroad accidents in Austria Section: 1990-1999 The vehicles 003-009, 011, 012, 014, 018 and 019 were modernized from 2004: they were repainted in the current ÖBB colors for local transport (diagonal design in red/grey, parts of the front in dark grey), the seats in the interior were also reupholstered (in blue) and the partition walls were removed.

The success of the railcars prompted the two Austrian private railroads Steiermärkische Landesbahnen (now Steiermarkbahn und Bus GmbH) and Raab-Ödenburg-Ebenfurter Eisenbahn (now GYSEV Raaberbahn AG) to also purchase two vehicles of this series each, which were accepted in accordance with ÖBB regulations.

In contrast to the ÖBB railcars, the private railway vehicles have roller conveyor displays on the fronts.

The 5047 017, which collided with an unrolled freight train on the Erlauftalbahn in October 2016 and was severely damaged, was the second vehicle in the series to be dismantled.

Due to the start of electric operation on the Marchegger Ostbahn and the Rosentalbahn between Klagenfurt and Weizelsdorf and the resulting surplus of diesel railcars, vehicles 5047 015, 026 and 049 were taken out of service at the turn of the year 2022/23.

The 5047 series diesel railcar generates its power from a 12-cylinder Mercedes-Benz OM444 or MTU 12V183TC12 V-engine with a displacement of 21.93 liters and an output of 419 kW (570 hp).