The 12.10 is a superlative steam locomotive! It is the largest, heaviest, fastest and most powerful locomotive ever built in the Republic of Austria. The Technisches Museum Wien (Vienna Museum of Science and Technology) is rightfully proud to harbour this gem of industrial history from now on.
The 12.10 is a superlative steam locomotive! It is the largest, heaviest, fastest and most powerful locomotive ever built in the Republic of Austria. The Technisches Museum Wien is rightfully proud to harbour this gem of industrial history in new splendour from now on.
To be able to restore the steel giant and take it into the museum, a lot of organisational and logistic challenges had to be overcome. The combined weight of 138 tonnes of the locomotive and its tender makes it the heaviest object in the museum’s collection. The handling was entrusted to a specialised company that is experienced in moving such heavy loads and specialises in handling rail vehicles.
Alongside many small components, the axles, weighing several tonnes, had to be removed for the professional restoration of the locomotive. The tender and the axles were the first parts to be brought into the museum, where they waited for the locomotive on the display track. The rest, weighing “only” eighty tonnes, was unloaded using a mobile crane and manoeuvred with millimetre precision through the entrance on heavy-duty castors. The locomotive and the axles were then re-joined, or married, as it is called, in the museum hall.
After completion of the extensive restoration work, the superlative steam locomotive has been on display in the museum’s west hall since September 2020. As a special highlight, an interactive video installation makes it possible to take a look at the workings inside the locomotive.
To be able to restore the steel giant and take it into the museum, a lot of organisational and logistic challenges had to be overcome. The combined weight of 138 tonnes of the locomotive and its tender makes it the heaviest object in the museum’s collection. The handling was entrusted to a specialised company that is experienced in moving such heavy loads and specialises in handling rail vehicles.
Alongside many small components, the axles, weighing several tonnes, had to be removed for the professional restoration of the locomotive. The tender and the axles were the first parts to be brought into the museum, where they waited for the locomotive on the display track. The rest, weighing “only” eighty tonnes, was unloaded using a mobile crane and manoeuvred with millimetre precision through the entrance on heavy-duty castors. The locomotive and the axles were then re-joined, or married, as it is called, in the museum hall.
After completion of the extensive restoration work, the superlative steam locomotive has been on display in the museum’s west hall since September 2020. As a special highlight, an interactive video installation makes it possible to take a look at the workings inside the locomotive.
© Technisches Museum Wien
© Technisches Museum Wien
© Technisches Museum Wien
The 12.10 locomotive in front of the entrance to the TMW’s metalworking shop
© Technisches Museum Wien
© Technisches Museum Wien
© Technisches Museum Wien
