Indian locomotive class WAG-7 explained

WAG-7
Powertype:Electric
Bogies:ALCO Fabricated
Wheeldiameter:New:1092abbr=onNaNabbr=on,
Half worn:1055abbr=onNaNabbr=on and
Full worn:1016abbr=onNaNabbr=on
Wheelbase:3.8abbr=onNaNabbr=on
Builder:Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW),
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL).
Builddate:1990–2015(CLW)
2009-2023(BHEL)
Length:20.934abbr=onNaNabbr=on
Width:3.179abbr=onNaNabbr=on
Height:WAG-7 : 4.185abbr=onNaNabbr=on[1]
WAG-7H : 4.135abbr=onNaNabbr=on[2]
Totalproduction:1773(CLW)
201(BHEL)
1974
Activeinservice:1959
Uicclass:Co′Co′
Axleload:WAG-7 :
WAG-7H :
Factorofadhesion:0.345
Locobrakes:Air, Hand and Rheostatic (Friction)
Trainbrakes:Air, Vacuum and Dual
Safety:Slip control, Main overload relay, Over voltage relay, No volt relay, Earth fault relay, Low pressure governor, Vacuum Control Governor, Train parting alarms and Brake cylinder cutoff valve
Electricsystem: Overhead
Collectionmethod:pantograph
Multipleworking:4
Poweroutput:Max : 5350-1NaN-1
Continuous : 5000-1NaN-1
Locoweight:WAG-7 :
WAG-7H :
Tractionmotors:WAG-7 : Hitachi HS15250A
WAG-7H : Hitachi HS15250G
Maxspeed:1050NaN0
Tractiveeffort:WAG-7 starting : 48 tons
WAG-7 continuous : 45 tons?
WAG-7H starting : 91 tons?
Operator:Indian Railways
Fleetnumbers:WAG-7 : 27001-27999, 28000-28770, 24501-24701
WAG-7H : 28024 and 28739
Nicknames:SHANTIDAN, EKTA, KARAMVIR, GAJRAJ, SWARNABHA, SARVOTTAM, SAMARPAN, CAUVERY, SAMRAT, PRAYAS & AGRASAR
Locale:All over India
Disposition:active

The Indian locomotive class WAG-7 is a class of 25 kV AC electric locomotives that was developed in 1990 by Chittaranjan Locomotive Works for Indian Railways. The model name stands for broad gauge (W), alternating current (A), goods traffic (G) engine, 7th generation (7). They entered service in 1992. A total of 1974 WAG-7 were built at CLW and BHEL between 1990 and 2015 by CLW and 2009 and 2023 by BHEL which made them the most numerous class of mainline electric locomotive till its successor the WAG-9.

The WAG-7 is one of the most successful locomotives of Indian Railways, serving freight trains since its introduction in 1990. Even though with the advent of new 3-phase locomotives like WAG-9 and WAG-12, all WAG-7 locomotives except ones destroyed in accidents, are in service and doing all types of duties.

History

The history of WAG-7 begins in the early 1990s with the aim of addressing the shortcomings of the previous WAG-5 class and remove steam locomotives from IR by a target date of 1990.[3] The WAG-5 though were great successes, had become underpowered to meet the growing demands of the Indian Railways. So in early 1990s IR decided to look for a successor the WAG-5 class. The required specification was of a 5000 horsepower locomotive.

Initially, the Indian railways invited tenders to build locomotives to the new specification. The following responses were received:

Each company submitted their prototypes and Indian Railways designated these prototypes as the WAG-7 class and WAG-8 class respectively.[4] Technologically thyristor controlled BHEL WAG-8 was meant to be superior to the WAG-7 which was effectively using tap-changer technology from the 1960s. But due to issues from WAG-8, WAG-7 was selected for mass production.

However, even before the WAG-7 another type of electric locomotive was imported from ASEA in 1988. This locomotive was classified as WAG-6A. However WAG-6As were not selected for mass production because emergence of 3 Phase AC locomotives.[5]

Locomotive sheds

Zone Name Shed Code Quantity
KYNE 68+41M
BhusawalBSLL 25
ASNL 35
BardhamanBWNX 41
JamalpurJMPD22
DDU 90
DDUX 83
SamastipurSPJD30
AngulANGE 190
Northern RailwayKJGE 16
AMVD 53
JHSE 88
JHSD 45
GDDX80
EDE 94
EDDX 28
KazipetKZJD 140
GTLE 180
BNDX 34
IPTE 101
KGPE 202
South East Central RailwayRPDX150
VatvaVTAD28
RatlamRTMD40
NKJD 96
Total Locomotives Active as of November 2024[6] 2000
• Key : M -> WAG-7M (Formerly known as WCAM-3)

See also

References

  1. Web site: Trainweb WAG-7.
  2. Web site: Trainweb WAG-7H.
  3. Web site: Report of the expert Committee on Coal Consumption on Railways, 1958. 2020-04-29. INDIAN CULTURE. en.
  4. Web site: [IRFCA] Indian Railways FAQ: Locomotives - General Information - I]. 2020-04-18. www.irfca.org.
  5. Web site: 2013-10-30. The WAG Series. 2020-04-29. 24 Coaches. en-US.
  6. Web site: e-Locos.

External links