An attempt was made to fill the shortage by buying Swiss locomotives (BBÖ classes 130, 279 and 379).

In addition to the changes to the frame that resulted from this, the 478 class received slightly larger diameter cylinders, otherwise the two series were practically the same.

After the Second World War, the ÖBB retained 43 locomotives, to which they assigned a "3" prefix to the DR number, (392.2501...392.2550).

The 392.2510 and 392.2530 were preserved; both are owned by the Austrian Society for Railway History (Österreichische Gesellschaft für Eisenbahngeschichte, ÖGEG).

Wolfsegg-Traunthaler Kohlenwerke AG purchased a similar machine in 1941, which in 1959 received a Giesl ejector, front end throttle, and micro-spark arrester.