The GtL 4/4 was a local railway locomotive for freight traffic with four coupled axles. Although the first were built as early as 1911, the majority of this class was procured during the period of the Deutsche Reichsbahn. In contrast to the previously procured BB II, the chassis no longer contained a bogie, but all axles were mounted in one frame. The Gölsdorf system was used to run through tight curves and the second and third axles were designed with lateral movement. This made maintenance easier and also made two of the four cylinders superfluous, which proved to be a great advantage, especially on local railways. The use of superheated steam, which was already state of the art at that time, also contributed to reducing operating costs.

After two pre-production locomotives in 1911, another batch was created in 1914, which also comprised only eleven locomotives. From 1921, more locomotives of this type were procured for the Bavarian group administration of the Reichsbahn, with the first 40 being improved in detail and somewhat heavier. Of these, the LAG procured two identical vehicles. Another 64 locomotives followed between 1923 and 1927, which had a further increased weight, which could be attributed to increased supplies. When they were put into service, they were given the new Reichsbahn numbers which had also been added later on the older locomotives. Overall, the locomotives which were procured for Bavaria and the Reichsbahn were assigned the numbers 98 801 to 98 917. Deviating from this, the LAG locomotives were renumbered 98 1601 and 98 1602 when they were taken over in 1938.

In the years between 1934 and 1941, 29 locomotives were rebuilt to a 2-8-0 wheel arrangement by equipping them with a front Bissel axle. The boiler and cab were moved forward to improve weight distribution. These were allowed to run at 55 km/h and were designated class 98¹¹. With the exception of eight that were lost in the war or remained in Poland, all of the unrebuilt locomotives came to the Bundesbahn. From the mid-1950s, withdrawals began, so that only two were given a computer number in 1968. The locomotives of the class 98¹¹ all survived the war and only one came to the Reichsbahn, all the others to the Bundesbahn. Their service life ended between 1960 and 1968.