Published 17:33 IST, May 20th 2020
Railways kick start operation of its most powerful 12,000 HP 'Made in India' locomotive
India has become the 6th country in the world to produce a high horsepower locomotive after the first 12,000 HP made in India locomotive began its operation
- India News
- 2 min read
India has become the sixth country in the world to produce its own high horsepower locomotive indigenously after the first 12,000 HP made in India locomotive, began its operation on Wednesday from Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction. Manufactured by Madhepura Electric Loco Factory in Bihar under the Make in India programme, the loco is named WAG12 with Number 60027 and marks the first time that a high horsepower locomotive has been operationalised on broad gauge track in the world.
The train departed from Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Station at 2:08 pm on Tuesday in long haul formation for Dhanbad Division of East Central Railway and consisting of 118 wagons, which travelled from Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Station to Barwadih via Dehri-on-Sone, Garhwa Road, read an official statement.
'Will help improve speed of freight trains'
According to the official statement, Madhepura factory where this locomotive was manufactured is the largest integrated greenfield facility with a production capacity of up to 120 locomotives, spread across a massive 250 acres. These locomotives are state-of-the-art IGBT based, three-phase drive, 9000 KW (12,000 horse-power) electric locomotive. The locomotive is capable of the maximum tractive effort of 706 kN, which is capable of starting and running a 6000 T train in the gradient of 1 in 150.
"The locomotive with twin Bo-Bo design having 22.5 T (tonnes) axle load is upgradable to 25 tonnes with design speed of 120 kmph. This locomotive will be a game-changer for further movement of coal trains for Dedicated Freight Corridor. The locomotives can be tracked through GPS for its strategic use through embedded software and Antennae being lifted through the servers on ground through a microwave link," the statement said.
The locomotive is capable of working on railway tracks with conventional OHE lines as well as on Dedicated Freight Corridors with high rise OHE lines. It has air-conditioned driver cabs on either side and is equipped with a regenerative braking system which provides substantial energy savings during operations, according to the statement.
It is said that these high horsepower locomotives will help to decongest the saturated tracks by improving the average speed of freight trains. The Madhepura Electric Locomotive Pvt. Ltd. (MELPL) will manufacture 800 state-of-the-art 12,000 HP electric freight locomotives in 11 years. It will also lead to considerable savings in energy consumption through regenerative braking.
(With ANI Inputs)
Updated 17:33 IST, May 20th 2020