Locomotives in India

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Two steam engines, a WG (left) and WP (right) at water refilling station at Agra station

Locomotives in India consist of electric and diesel locomotives. Steam locomotives are no longer used, except in heritage trains. Locomotives are also called locos or engines. The Bengal Sappers of the Indian Army were the first to run a steam locomotive in India. The steam locomotive named Thomason ran with two wagons for carrying earth from Roorkee to Piran Kaliyar in 1851, two years before the first passenger train ran from Bombay toThane in 1853. The steam engine is presently exhibited at Roorkee Railway Station.
Contents
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1 Classification of Locomotives 2 The classification syntaxes 3 Broad gauge (5 ft 6 in) locomotives used in India

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3.1 Steam traction 3.2 Diesel traction 3.3 DC electric traction 3.4 AC electric traction

3.4.1 Mixed type locomotives 3.4.2 Passenger locomotives 3.4.3 Goods locomotives 3.4.4 Electric multiple units

3.5 Dual (both AC and DC) traction

4 Metre Gauge (3 ft 3 in) locomotives used in India

4.1 Steam traction

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4.2 Diesel traction (mixed type only) 4.3 Electric traction

5 Narrow Gauge (2 ft 6 in and 2 ft) locomotives used in India

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5.1 Steam traction 5.2 Diesel traction (mixed type only) 5.3 Battery traction

6 Special names 7 See also 8 References 9 External links

[edit]Classification

of Locomotives

In India, locomotives are classified according to their track gauge, motive power, the work they are suited for and their power or model number. The class name includes this information about the locomotive. It comprises 4 or 5 letters. The first letter denotes the track gauge. The second letter denotes their motive power (Diesel or Electric) and the third letter denotes the kind of traffic for which they are suited (goods, passenger, mixed or shunting).

One of the earliest pictures of railways in India

The fourth letter used to denote locomotives' chronological model number. However, from 2002 a new classification scheme has been adopted. Under this system, for newer diesel locomotives, the fourth letter will denote their horsepower range. Electric locomotives don't come under this scheme and even all diesel locos are not covered. For them this letter denotes their model number as usual. A locomotive may sometimes have a fifth letter in its name which generally denotes a technical variant or subclass or subtype. This fifth letter indicates some smaller variation in the basic model or series, perhaps different motors, or a different manufacturer. With the new scheme for classifying diesel locomotives (as mentioned above) the fifth item is a letter that further refines the horsepower indication in 100 hp increments: 'A' for 100 hp, 'B' for 200 hp, 'C' for 300 hp, etc. So in this scheme, a WDM-3A refers to a 3100 hp loco, while a WDM-3F would be a 3600 hp loco.

Note: This classification system does not apply to steam locomotives in India as they have become nonfunctional now. They retained their original class names such as M class or WP class.

[edit]The

classification syntaxes

Model of a (decommissioned) WP Steam Locomotive (1:3 size) at Guntur Division.

The first letter (gauge)

W-Indian broad gauge (The "W" Stands for Wide Gauge - 5 Feet 6 inches) Y-metre gauge (The "Y" stands for Yard Gauge - 3 Feet or 1000mm) Z-narrow gauge(2 ft 6 in) N-narrow gauge (2 ft)

The second letter (motive power)

D-Diesel C-DC electric (can run under DC traction only) A-AC electric (can run under AC traction only) CA-Both DC and AC (can run under both AC and DC tractions), 'CA' is considered a single letter B-Battery electric locomotive (rare)

The third letter (job type)

G-goods P-passenger M-mixed; both goods and passenger S-Used for shunting (Also known as switching engines or switchers in United states and some other countries)

U-Electric multiple units (used as commuters in city suburbs) R-Railcars

For example, in "WDM 3A":

"W" means broad gauge "D" means diesel motive power "M" means suitable for mixed(for both goods and passenger)service "3A" means the locomotive's power is 3,100 hp ('3' stands for 3000 hp, 'A' denotes 100 hp more)

Or, in "WAP 5":

"W" means broad gauge "A" mean AC electric traction motive power "P" means suitable for Passenger service "5" denotes that this locomotive is chronologically the fifth electric locomotive model used by the railways for passenger service.

[edit]Broad [edit]Steam

gauge (5 ft 6 in) locomotives used in India

traction

Preserved HPS

In the nineteenth century, the various railway concessions ordered locomotives to their own specification, usually from British manufacturers. This multiplicity of similar, but different designs, increased manufacturers' costs and slowed production. During the 1890s, British manufacturers had full order books, so Indian railway companies looked to Germany and the United States for locomotives.[1] After acrimonious words in The Times and Parliament, the British Engineering Standards Committee (later British Engineering Standards Association or BESA) began to design a series of locomotives for use by all railways in India. The first two designs emerged in 1903: a 4-4-0passenger, and 0-6-0 goods. The designs were revised in 1905 and 1906 with additional types added due to requests for heavier and more powerful locomotives:[2]

Standard Passenger 4-4-0; Standard Goods 0-6-0;

Passenger Tank 2-6-4T; Heavy Passenger 4-6-0; Atlantic Passenger 4-4-2; Heavy Goods 2-8-0; Heavy Tank 2-8-2T.

These BESA designs however were advisory, not mandatory, and were customised by the railway companies to their own taste. The railway companies could not even agree to use the same classification system: only the state operated railways used the class designations SP, SG, PT, HP, AP, HG and HT. Once superheating became accepted, superheated versions were classified SPS, SGS, etc. if built with superheaters, and SPC, SGC, etc. if converted from saturated to superheated.

XB class

After World War I, new, larger, more powerful locomotives were designed by the British consulting engineers to the Indian Government. These started to appear from 1927 onwards:

Class XA branch passenger 4-6-2 design; Class XB light passenger 4-6-2 design; Class XC heavy passenger 4-6-2 design; Class XD light goods 2-8-2 design; Class XE heavy goods 2-8-2 design; Class XF light shunting 0-8-0 design; Class XG heavy shunting 0-8-0 design; Class XH 4-cylindrer 2-8-2 (not built) Class XP experimental passenger 4-6-2; Class XT light tank 0-4-2T; Class XS experimental 4-cylinder 4-6-2.

During World war two, large numbers of 2-8-2 locomotives were acquired from the United States and Canada, and were designated as classes AWD and CWD respectively. SeveralUSATC S160 class locomotives were adapted for broad gauge and became class AWC.

Shortly before World War II, new classes were designed; but it would post-war before many of them came into service. These new designs were signalled by the change of broad gauge prefix from 'X' to 'W'. In addition, plans were put into place to start manufacturing locomotives in India. The new classes were:

Class WP passenger 4-6-2; Class WG goods 2-8-2; Class WL (1st) light 4-6-2 (four for North Western Railway in 1939; all to Pakistan at Partition); Class WL (2nd) light 4-6-2; Class WM 2-6-4T; Class WT 2-8-4T; Class WU 2-4-2T; Class WV 2-6-2T; Class WW 0-6-2T.

All broad gauge steam locomotives have in India have been withdrawn from normal service, with only occasional steam specials remaining.

[edit]Diesel

traction

WDM - Wide Diesel Mixed WDP - Wide Diesel Passenger WDG - Wide Diesel Goods WDS - Wide Diesel Shunter

Mixed type locomotives:

WDM-2 No. 18040 at National Rail Museum, Delhi

WDM3A of Pune shed

WDM 1 (First mainline diesel electric locomotives used in India. Introduced in 1957. Imported from ALCO. Out of service now. 1950 hp)

WDM 2 (Most widely used and first homemade mainline diesel-electric locomotives in India. Original prototypes were made byALCO. Introduced in 1962. More than 2700 have been made. Rated at 2600 hp)

WDM 2A,WDM 2B (Technical variants of WDM 2) WDM 3 (Only 8 were imported. They used hydraulic transmission and are currently non-functional) WDM 3A (Formerly WDM 2C. Another WDM 2 variant. It is not related to WDM 3. 3100 hp) WDM 3A R (Formerly WDM 2. It is a rebuilt with DBR fitted on Short Hood. It is not related to WDM 3. 3100 hp)

WDM 3C, WDM 3D (higher powered versions of WDM 3A) WDM 4 (Entered service along with WDM 2. Prototypes designed by General Motors. Though considered superior to WDM 2 in many ways, these locomotives weren't chosen as General Motors did not agree to a technology transfer agreement. 2600 hp)

WDM 6 (Very rare class; only two were made; one is being used by Puttalam Cement Factory in Sri Lanka. Rated at 1200 HP)

WDM 7 (Fifteen of these locos were built from June 1987 through 1989, they were designed for branchline duties, but they are now used mostly for shunting. Rated at 2000 hp)

Note: No locomotive class was designated as WDM 5 in India. Passenger locomotives:

WDP4 Diesel Locomotive Baaz which is now at New Jalpaiguri

WDP 1 WDP 2 (New class name WDP 3A. Dedicated passenger diesel locomotive. Entered service in 1998. Powerful locomotive. 3100 hp)

WDP 3 (This locomotives are actually prototypes of the class WDP 1 and never entered serial production.) WDP 4 (EMD (former GM-EMD) GT46PAC, fundamentally a passenger version of the WDG 4 (GT46MAC). 4000 hp)

WDP 4B (EMD (former GM-EMD) GT46PAC, An improved version of the WDP 4, this is a more powerful version and has 6 traction motors, just like the WDG 4. Also comes with wider cabin to aid visibility and minor exterior design changes. 4500 hp)

WDP 4D (EMD (former GM-EMD) GT46PAC, This is basically a WDP 4B with twin cabs. Minor changes were made to the locomotive to facilitate the addition of a second cabin. This locomotive comes with LCD instrument display and toilet for the drivers. As of now, two units have been made and are expected to enter full-time service soon. 4500 hp)

Goods locomotives:

WDG-4 numbered 12049 at Hi-Tec station, Hyderabad

WDG 2 (New class name WDG 3A. These class is actually a technically upgraded form of WDM 2) WDG 3B, WDG 3C, WDG 3D (Technical upgraded forms of WDG 2 or WDG 3A) WDG 4 (New dedicated goods locomotives. These are General motors' GT46MAC models. First units were imported in 1999. They are numbered from #12000 upward. Local production started on 2002. 4000 hp)

WDG 5 (Another Freight dedicated Locomotive developed by Diesel Locomotive Works and Supported by Electro Motive Diesels. First unit was rolled out from DLW on 25 February 2012. They are numbered from #50001 upward. Rated at 5500 hp. Equipped with Fire Control System, TFT Display and Driver's

Toilet.)Loco is still under trials in DLW, Varanasi. The locomotive/series is named 'BHEEM', after the strong Pandav brother from epic of Mahabharat. Shunting locomotives (Also known as switching engines):

WDS-4 Shunting locomotive at Delhi Station

WDS 1 (First widely deployed and successful diesel locomotives used in India. Imported in 1944-45. currently out of service. 386 hp)

WDS 2 (currently out of service.) WDS 3 (All locomotives of this class were rebuilt and reclassified as WDS 4C in 1976-78. 618 hp) WDS 4,WDS 4A,WDS 4B,WDS 4D (Designed by Chittaranjan Locomotive Works. 600-700 hp) WDS 4C (Rebuilt WDS 3 locos as mentioned above) WDS 5 (Some of these locomotives are used for industrial shunting. A few are used on Indian Railways. Rated at 1065 hp)

WDS 6 (Heavy-haul shunters made in large numbers for industrial concerns as well as for Indian Railways Rated at 1200/1350 hp)

WDS 8 (Only five of these were made, and all were transferred to steel works 800 hp)

Note: There is no electric shunting engine in India. Classes from WDS 1 to WDS 4D have hydraulic transmission. The WDS 4, 4A, 4B, 4C and 4D are the only still existing broad gauge locomotives with dieselhydraulic transmission. Diesel multiple units:

A DMU Train in Srinagar

A few routes in India currently have Diesel multiple unit service. Depending on the transmission system they are classified as DEMU (diesel-electric transmission) or DHMU (diesel-hydraulic transmission). There are diesel railcar service in a few places known as 'railbus'.

[edit]DC

electric traction

Note: These locomotives are, or were used only in sections around Mumbai which is the only location in India still using DC traction.The power operated is 1500V DC. Mixed type locomotives:

WCM 1 (First electric locomotives with the now familiar Co-Co wheel arrangement to be used in India. Seven built by English Electric atVulcan Foundry in 195455. 3700 hp)

WCM 2 (520 hp) WCM 3 (600 hp Co-Co Used in Kolkata, then transferred to Mumbai; three built by Hitachi in 1958) WCM 4 (675 hp Co-Co seven built by Hitachi in 1960) WCM 5 (Built by Chittaranjan locomotive works to RDSO's design specifications. Auxiliaries by Westinghouse and North Boyce. Built in 1962, these are India's first indigenously designed DC electric locomotives. The first was named Lokamanya after the Congress leaderBal Gangadhar Tilak. 3700 hp CoCo.)

WCM 6 (A rare and highly powerful class. 5000 hp, only two were built. Now converted to run on AC power)

Passenger locomotives:

Preserved WCP1

WCP 1, WCP 2 (GIPR EA/1 and EA/2. Historically very important locomotives as these are the very first electric loco to be used in India. The first locomotive was named as Sir Roger Lumley and is

currently preserved in the National Rail Museum, New Delhi. Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works (SLM) built one in 1928 and 21 in 1930 (WCP1), and one in 1938 (WCP2). 1Co2 wheel arrangement; 2160 hp)

WCP 3, WCP 4 (GIPR EB/1 and EC/1, these are also among the earliest electric locos used in India. One of each class built byHawthorn Leslie and Company in 1928; 2Co2 wheel arrangement.)

Goods locomotives:

Preserved WCG1

WCG 1 (GIPR EF/1. These are Swiss crocodile locomotives imported in 1928 from Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works (ten) andVulcan Foundry (30). These are among the earliest electric locos used in India. The first locomotive was named as Sir Leslie Wilson and is currently preserved in the National Rail Museum, New Delhi. 26002950 hp)

WCG 2 (Designed by Chittaranjan locomotive works in 1970. 57 built until 1977.)

Electric multiple units:

WCU 1 to WCU 15 (Used in Mumbai region only)

[edit]AC

electric traction

The 25 kV AC system with overhead lines is used throughout the rest of the country.

[edit]Mixed type locomotives

WAM 1 (Among the first AC electric locomotives used in India. Introduced in 1959. Now out of service. 3010 hp)

WAM 2 WAM 3 WAM 4 (Indigenously designed by Chittaranjan Locomotive Works in 1970. Highly powerful class. One of the most successful locomotives in India. 3850 hp)

[edit]Passenger locomotives

A WAP5 locomotive

A WAP 7 Locomotive

WAP 1 (Designed by Chittaranjan locomotive works in 1980 for the Kolkata-Delhi Rajdhani Express. A very successful class. 3900 hp)

WAP 2 (Not in use) WAP 3 (Not in use) WAP 4 (Upgraded from WAP 1 for higher loads by Chittaranjan locomotive works in 1994. One of the most successful locomotives in India. Very powerful class. 5350 hp)

WAP 5 (Imported in 1995 from Switzerland and used on premier express trains. 5450 hp) WAP 6 Only found near Asansol WAP 7 (Same design as WAG 9 with modified gear ratio. Highly powerful class. 6250 hp)

[edit]Goods locomotives

WAG-5A at Bhusawal

Indian Railways class WAG-7 (old Version)

Main article: Indian Railways WAG class

WAG 1 WAG 2 WAG 3 WAG 4 WAG 5 (The most successful electric locomotives in India. Designed by chittaranjan locomotive works in 1984. More than 1100 were made. 3850 hp)

WAG 5A,WAG 5B (Technical variants of WAG 5) WAG 6A (Imported from ASEA and Hitachi. 6110 hp) WAG 6B,WAG 6c (Variants of WAG 3A. All rated at 6110 hp) WAG 7 (Very successful class. Designed by chittaranjan locomotive works. 5000 hp) WAG 9 (Currently the most powerful class in India, rated at 6350 hp. Same design as WAP 7 with modified gear ratio. Designed byAdtranz, Switzerland.)

[edit]Electric multiple units

Main article: Electric multiple units

WAU 1 to WAU 4

Chennai EMU

[edit]Dual

(both AC and DC) traction

Main article: Indian Railways WCAM class Note: These locomotives are, or were used only in sections around Mumbai which is the only location in India still using DC traction. They can run under AC traction too. The main purpose behind the manufacture of these type of locomotives was to provide transportation in and out Mumbai area without changing the engine. Mixed type locomotives:

WCAM2P Locomotive is used to haul trains like Mumbai Rajdhnai, August Kranti, Jaipur Super between BCT and Vadodara

WCAM3 at Kurla

WCAM 1 (Designed by Chittaranjan Locomotive works, total 53 were built and supplied between 1975-79.) WCAM 2/2P (Designed by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, total 20 were built and supplied between 1995-96.)

WCAM 3[1][dead link](Designed by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited. 4600 hp under DC traction and 5000 hp under AC traction)

Goods locomotives:

WCAG 1 (Designed by Bharat heavy electricals limited. 2930 hp under DC traction and 4720 hp under AC traction)

Note:There is no dedicated dual current passenger locomotive in India, but in Mumbai area, there are some EMUs which can run under dual traction.

[edit]Metre [edit]Steam

Gauge (3 ft 3 in) locomotives used in India

traction

Company types

Nilgiri Mountain Railway X class

BESA designs

Passenger 4-6-0 Mixed-traffic 4-6-0 Goods 4-8-0 Tank 2-6-2T

Wartime designs

Indian locomotive class MAWD USATC S118 2-8-2 Indian locomotive class MWGX 4-6-2+2-6-4 Garratt

Indian Railway Standards

Indian locomotive class YA - 4-6-2 with 9-ton axleload (none built); Indian locomotive class YB - 4-6-2 with 10-ton axleload Indian locomotive class YC - 4-6-2 with 12-ton axleload Indian locomotive class YD - 2-8-2 with 10-ton axleload Indian locomotive class YE - 2-8-2 with 12-ton axleload (none built) Indian locomotive class YF - 0-6-2; later examples were 2-6-2 Indian locomotive class YK - 2-6-0 version of the 2-6-2 YF Indian locomotive class YL - 2-6-2 Indian locomotive class YT - Light 0-4-2T Indian locomotive class YG 2-8-2 goods locomotive Indian locomotive class YP 4-6-2 passenger locomotive

[edit]Diesel

traction (mixed type only)

YDM 1 YDM 2 YDM 3 YDM 4 YDM 4A YDM 5

[edit]Electric

traction

Metre-gauge electric loco - YAM1

YCG 1 (These locomotives are among the earliest electric locomotives in India. This class was imported to serve the Chennai area in early 1930s.)

YAM 1 (These locomotives were in service until 2002 around Chennai. 1740 hp) 20 were Imported from Japan

Electric multiple units:

YAU class (First EMU service in India. Introduced in 1920s in Chennai area)

[edit]Narrow [edit]Steam
2 ft 6 in

Gauge (2 ft 6 in and 2 ft) locomotives used in India

traction

Company designs

Barsi Light Railway class A 0-8-4T Barsi Light Railway class B 4-8-4T Barsi Light Railway class C 0-6-0ST Barsi Light Railway class D 0-4-0

Barsi Light Railway class E Sentinel railcars Barsi Light Railway class F 2-8-2 Barsi Light Railway class G 4-6-4

Indian Railway Standards

2 ft

Indian locomotive class ZA 2-6-2 with 4.5-ton axleload (none built); Indian locomotive class ZB 2-6-2 with 6-ton axleload; Indian locomotive class ZC 2-8-2 with 6-ton axleload (none built); Indian locomotive class ZD 4-6-2 with 8-ton axleload (none built); Indian locomotive class ZE 2-8-2 with 8-ton axleload; Indian locomotive class ZF 2-6-2T with 8-ton axleload

Company designs

Darjeeling Himalayan Railway class A 0-4-0WT; Darjeeling Himalayan Railway class B 0-4-0ST; 777 and 778 preserved Darjeeling Himalayan Railway class C 4-6-2 Darjeeling Himalayan Railway class D 0-4-0+0-4-0 Garratt

Indian Railway Standards

QA 2-6-2 with 4.5-ton axleload (none built). QB 2-6-2 with 6-ton axleload (none built); QC 2-8-2 with 6-ton axleload (none built).

[edit]Diesel

traction (mixed type only)

2 ft 6 in

ZDM 1 ZDM 2 ZDM 3 (Later rebuilt as ZDM 4C class) ZDM 4 ZDM 4A ZDM 4B, 4C, 4D ZDM 5

2 ft

NDM-1 Diesel loco at Neral - Matheran route

NDM-1 NDM-5 NDM-6 These class is currently being used in Darjeeling Himalayan Railway

[edit]Battery

traction

NBM 1 Designed by BHEL in 1987. This class was powered by battery. Note:All narrow gauge locomotives in India are mixed type locomotives.

Mumbai suburban Railway EMU

[edit]Special

names