ÖBB 399.04 by Bensch55

About ÖBB 399.04 by Bensch55

About the real locomotive:
The ÖBB 399.04 is one of 6 narrow gauge engines that were originally ordered from "Lokomotivfabrik Krauss & Comp. Linz" for the mountainous lines leading to Mariazell (Austria). They were delivered in 1906 but the rising amount of passengers led to a soon electrification of the line, which caused a relocation of the steam engines to different lines in 1911.

The 399.04 engine was relocated to the narrow gauge lines in the Waldviertel-Area (Waldviertler Schmalspurbahn, Gmünd) and continued its service until the late 1970s. In 2015 the whole machine was refurbished at the maintenance depot Meiningen.

About my model:
It was built as a christmas gift for my father, who has a LGB garden railway and collects mainly locomotives and wagons used on the narrow gauge lines in the Waldviertel-Area. Sadly, the ÖBB 399 was never made by LGB, the only alternative a very expensive real steam model by Regner, so this inspired me to make my own.

The model was built to negotiate the tight LGB R1 curves and switches, while the chassis is as close as possible to the real thing. This means Axle #1 is fixed, #2 has some side to side play, #3 has no flanges. While the axle #4 has side to side play in the original, I had to fix it on the model because there was no space for the spring mechanism of the Krauss' support tender. The valve gear even allows to be set to three different positions.

Scale: 1:22,5
Gauge: IIm (45mm, LGB Track)
Build time: August 2022 - December 2022
Propulsion: LEGO Battery Box, 2x L-Motor;
Custom parts: Wheels and valvegear/rods (designed, 3D-printed and hand painted by me), all stickers, LGB couplings, PF extension cable modified to disconnect tender/loco;
Weight: 1,6 kg

See more here:
https://youtu.be/y62PmE0YtFA
https://www.flickr.com/photos/bensch55/