In addition to the S 2/5, the S 3/5 was procured as an express locomotive with a 4-6-0 wheel arrangement. Both were technically very closely related, but the S 3/5 with its three coupled axles was intended more for heavy express trains and lines with gradients of one percent. Both locomotives were almost identical in terms of boiler and engine, which resulted in roughly the same power output. In the first locomotives delivered, the boiler pressure was 14 bars, but it was increased to 16 bars from the following year and thus reached the same value as its sister, which was only manufactured from 1904.
Both locomotives are characterized by the use of a bar frame. On the S 3/5, the diameter of the driving wheels was 130 mm smaller, resulting in a slightly lower boiler. The result of this different design was that the locomotive developed a higher adhesive weight and greater tractive effort, but was somewhat less suitable for sustained running at the top speed range.
In 1906, a test locomotive was fitted with a superheater and the diameter of the cylinders was increased slightly. This measure enabled the power to be increased by around 170 hp, which meant that trains weighing up to 450 tonnes could be pulled at 100 km/h instead of just 300 tonnes at the same speed as before. Based on this experience, production was switched over in 1907 and only the superheated variant was built. The latter was designated the S 3/5 H, while the original variant later became the S 3/5 N. As a result, between 1903 and 1911, a total of 39 saturated locomotives and 30 superheated ones were manufactured.
After some locomotives had to be handed over after the First World War, the Reichsbahn took on 20 saturated ones as class 174 and 24 superheated ones as class 175. Since the newer S 3/6 was very expensive to purchase, the locomotives from the older series were also completely superheated in the years that followed. Despite these rebuilds, this variant began to be retired as early as 1932. After the war, all the remaining locomotives were on Bavarian territory, but they were all badly worn and were therefore completely retired by 1948.
