After the Second World War, West Germany lacked efficient passenger locomotives. For this reason, new steam locomotives were developed even after the Second World War, using the most advanced design principles. From 1950 onwards, 105 examples were built for medium-heavy passenger train and light express train service.

Our locomotive 23 042 was put into operation at the Mönchengladbach depot on December 21, 1954 and was used there in heavy passenger and express train service until 1965. From 1965 to 1971 the 23 042 was based in the Bestwig depot. It was then used in the passenger train service in Crailsheim until 1975. On October 25th, 1975 it was brought to the museum in Darmstadt-Kranichstein under its own power after having covered 1,580,000 km for the Deutsche Bundesbahn. After a long period of inactivity, it was restored in 2005 with financial support from the “Joachim Schmidt Railway Foundation” and was then used until 2012 in front of historical trains. After new general inspection, it is expected to be operational again in 2022.