IR class WDM-2

IR class WDM-2
WDM-2 No. 15718 with Mariani-Guwahati Intercity Express. The color scheme corresponds to that of the Golden Rock depot near Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu
Numbering:	16000-16887, 17100-17999, 18040-18079, 18112-18514, 18523-18900, 18903-18999
Number:	WDM-2 / A / B: 1440 WDM-2G: 2nd
Manufacturer:	ALCo , DLW
Year of construction (s):	1962-1998
Axis formula :	Co'Co '
Gauge :	1676 mm
Length over buffers:	17,120 mm
Height:	4,185 mm
Bogie axle base:	2,864 mm
Service mass:	112.8 t
Wheel set mass :	18.8 t
Top speed:	120 km / h
Installed capacity:	2600 hp
Starting tractive effort:	300 kN (30.4 t)
Motor type:	Four-stroke - V16 with turbocharger
Power transmission:	electric , three-phase generator with DC traction motors
Tank capacity:	5,000 l
Number of traction motors:	6 pieces GE 752, BHEL 4906 BZ or 4907 AZ
Drive:	Pawbearing drive
Train brake:	Air brake and vacuum brake

The WDM-2 is a series of diesel-electric locomotives that were built from 1962 by the American Locomotive Company (ALCo) for Indian Railways and later also by the Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW) in Varanasi . The series designation is composed of W for wide ' Breitspur ' , D for diesel , M for mixed ' universal locomotive for goods and passenger traffic ' , and 2 for the 2nd generation. Between 1962 and 1998, ALCO and DLW built a total of more than 2,700 locomotives. This made it the most built diesel locomotive series in India until the successor class WDM-3A replaced this record.

The WDM-2 is one of the most successful locomotives of Indian Railways, which was the basis for the ALCo platform, which has been further developed over the years. The locomotives could be used on main and branch lines. Some were exported to neighboring countries such as Sri Lanka or Bangladesh .

Newer series, such as the WDG-4 , and the electrification of the railway network have replaced the WDM-2. some locomotives were also converted to WDM-3A and WDM-2S. In August 2020, 23 locomotives were still planned for use on the route.

history

The history of the WDM-2 class begins in the early 1960s with the aim of Indian Railways to replace steam locomotives with other types of traction. This was done on the recommendation of the Expert Committee on Coal Consumption on Railways 'Technical Committee for the Coal Consumption of Railways ' . In the report of the technical committee it was stated that after the Second World War the coal consumption of the railways increased more than the traffic increased. Reasons for this were the worse Qaulität of coal particularly their theft of the coal trains on the way to the depots and the Halden advance in the operation works themselves. The Technical Committee therefore recommended that the electrification and Verdieselung as soon as possible. In order to achieve this goal, it was therefore necessary to procure a large number of six-axle diesel locomotives, which should have an output of at least 2,600 hp (1,900 kW). Since the locomotives were to be used for both mainline and heavy shunting service, the railway decided on the so-called road switcher layout , in which a short and a long front end are attached to the driver's cab located at the end of the frame .

ALCo and General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD) submitted offers in response to the procurement tender . Both companies filed a proposal for a locomotive with a sixteen-cylinder engine with turbocharger one - ALCo chose a four-stroke engine , EMD a two-stroke engine . The type designation of the ALCo locomotive was RSD-29 , the corresponding specification was called DL560C . EMD named their locomotive G16 .

Each company submitted their prototypes, and Indian Railways designated these prototypes as Class WDM-2 and WDM-4, ​​respectively. [4] Technologically, the General Motors WDM-4 was superior to the ALCO WDM-2, but the Indian Railways required a technology transfer agreement that would enable them to manufacture these locomotives in India. Since General Motors did not agree to the technology transfer agreement, the ALCO prototype was selected for production.

But before the arrival of the WDM-2, another type of diesel locomotive was imported by ALCO in 1957. This locomotive was classified as WDM-1. [5] However, WDM-1s were not selected for mass production because they only had a front cab on one end, which required a lot of turntables. [6]

Each company submitted their prototypes , and Indian Railways named the ALCo locomotive the WDM-2 and the EMD locomotive the WDM-4 . Technologically, the WDM-4 built by General Motors was superior to the ALCO WDM-2, but Indian Railways demanded a technology transfer agreement that would enable these locomotives to be manufactured in India. Since General Motors did not agree to such a technology transfer, the ALCO prototype was selected for production.

Even before the arrival of the WDM-2, another type of diesel locomotive was imported by ALCO in 1957. This locomotive was classified as WDM-1 . However, the WDM-1s were not produced in series because there was only one control stand at one end and so the use of turntables would have been necessary.

production

The first WDM-2 prototypes were imported, with locomotive number 18040 being the first WDM-2 in India. The construction of large numbers of locomotives was quickly seen as a priority. After the Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW) had completed the construction of their plant in Varanasi, production of the locomotives began in India. The first twelve locomotives were built using kits supplied by ALCO (order number D3389) from the USA.

The first diesel locomotive assembled at DLW was locomotive number 18233 and the first fully built WDM-2 from DLW was 18299. After that, DLW began to manufacture the WDM-2 locomotives from its own components. Since then, over 2,800 locomotives have been produced, with 16887 being the last locomotive in the series.

After ALCO went bankrupt, DLW Varanasi successfully adapted the technology and produced many improved versions that were exported to many broad gauge countries. Later some changes were made and some subclasses were created. This includes WDM-2A, WDM-2B, and WDM-3A (formerly WDM-2C). Some WDM-2 locomotives were converted by Diesel-Loco Modernization Works (DLMW) in Patiala. Punjab. These are by Daulat Ram DBR ausgestattet.s.

commitment

All imported WDM2 locomotives went to the diesel depot at Katni Junction station (KTE). Locomotive 18040 was the first in the series, but 18042 was the first of the WDM-2 units to go into service. By 1967, the first express trains in India were pulled by the WDM-2 instead of steam locomotives. Trains such as the Himgiri Superfast Express, Himgiri Express and Tamil Nadu Express, were pulled entirely by WDM-2 units. One of the main express trains of the WDM-2 class was the Mumbai Rajdhani Express Mumbai Rajdhani Express. In the 1980s, the WDM-2 class carried most of the passenger and freight trains in India.

The WDM-2 locomotives have a top speed of 120 km / h, which is limited to 100 km / h for long distances.

maintenance

The maintenance schedule recommended by ALCO for the WDM-2 recommended maintenance every 3000 km or after ten days of operation. These intervals have been extended by 20 days to 30 days of operation by using better and more efficient lubricating oils and other operating fluids and by improving some bearings. The original WDM-2 bearings were very prone to failure and often required minor repairs. The locomotives of the WDM-2 class, however, were very easy to operate and maintain due to their simple construction and mechanics, which led to a high level of reliability of the type. Maintenance of the vehicles is usually carried out in the nearest diesel depot.

variants

WDM-3A

The type WDM-3A is an improved WDM-2, which offers more power (3100 HP instead of 2600 HP) and higher reliability (roller bearings instead of the conventional ALCO bearings). With the exception of about 150 units, all WDM-2 were converted to WDM-3A. Converted WDM3As can be marked with an "R" at the end of their locomotive number.

WDG-2 / 3A

The WDG-2 / 3A is the freight variant of WDM-2

The type WDG-2 / 3A is the dedicated freight version of the locomotive class WDM-2 and has the same engine and power characteristics as the WDM-3A. The first units of this class were delivered on July 18, 1995 under the designation WDG-2. The type was produced until the end of 2015. The wheelsets of the WDM-2 have been replaced by highly adhesive wheelsets in the WDG-2 for better traction and stability. With a total of 1163 units built, the type WDG-2 / 3A is a very successful locomotive type in India. It can be found all over India and is used in both passenger and freight services and for shunting tasks.

WDM-7

They have a lower output than the type WDM-2 (2000 HP instead of 2600 HP). These locomotives were built from 1987 to 1989. Some were initially assigned to the depot, Ernakulam Ernakulam. Later, all WDM-7 locomotives were assigned to the Tondiarpet depot, where they are used in light passenger service. Some WDM-7 models are used in the Chennai thermal power station.

They used to be at home in the Erode and Golden Rock diesel depots. They are reliable and robust locomotives, even if they have little power. They are easy to recognize by the missing bars on the short hood. Two locomotives run on a mixture of biodiesel and diesel. All 15 built locomotives of the type WDM-7 are still in service.

WDP-1

It is a passenger version of the WDM-2 with lower power (2300 hp). They weren't very successful. About 69 units were produced, with 60 locomotives still in service. They are easy to recognize by the short hood.

Sub-series

WDM-2A

The WDM-2A is a variant of the original WDM-2 series, which was equipped with a compressed air brake in addition to the original vacuum brake . These locomotives can therefore transport both vacuum and air braked railway wagons. Air brakes were introduced because they were safer and more reliable. Despite this classification, some WDM-2A locomotives are still marked as WDM-2 rather than WDM-2A

WDM-2B

The WDM-2B is a variant of the original WDM-2 series, which is equipped with air brakes as standard. They do not have vacuum brakes. Only a few have been classified as WDM-2B.

Jumbos

Jumbo variant of the WDM-2

The WDM-2 locomotives with serial numbers around 17788 to 17890 were fitted with a short, full-width bonnet to give drivers better visibility. These are unofficially referred to as "Jumbos" by the crew and Railfan fans. WDM-2 # 17722 and 17748 are said to be the prototypes of the Jumbo class and differ slightly from other Jumbos. However, these locomotives did not prove to be as popular as train drivers raised concerns that they would have to stand up to operate them. Some were modified to have normal short hoods from WDM-2. Some earlier jumbo locomotives were also converted to the type WDM-3A.

These locomotives are easy to recognize by their short hoods and large windows. Due to their comparatively old age, Jumbos were mainly used in shunting and work trains. At present (2020) only a few of them are still in operation.

WDM-2S

This classification is given to locomotives of type WDM-2 that are nearing the end of their service life. These locomotives can easily be recognized by their locomotive number by the '0' in front of them. They are primarily used for shunting services. Some WDM-2s stay in the classification for many years before being scrapped.

Export versions

Sri Lanka

WDM-2 - Class M8 in Sri Lanka

Eight WDM-2 locomotives were purchased in 1996 from Sri Lanka Railways , the state railway operator in Sri Lanka . At the time, they were the longest and most powerful locomotives. They were assigned the class 'M8' . However, some changes to the appearance have been made by SLR. These locomotives belong to road number 841 to 848 and are all still in service.

Bangladesh

Ten WDM-2 locomotives were purchased from the Bangladesh Railway in 2001. At that time they were the most powerful locomotives. They were assigned to Class 6400 or BED-26 with the numbers 6401 to 6410. All are equipped with a compressed air brake and Janney coupling (AAR coupling). In contrast to the Indian vehicles of this type, the locomotives do not have the dynamic braking system. All locomotives are still in service

Preserved locomotives

Several WDM-2 locomotives are to be retained, with some locomotives still in service and only intended for maintenance.

model series	Manufacturer	Locomotive number	former depot	Surname	Painting	Location	ref
WDM-2B	DLW	17263	Malda Town (MLDT)		Color scheme of the Malda Town depot: Blue-white-blue with red decorative stripes	Kishanganj Station of the Katihar Division of the North Frontier Railway (NFR) ▼
WDM-2	DLW	17445	Kazipet (KZJ)		Red-brown with a yellow decorative stripe	Marked for preservation on the list issued by IR in November 2018
WDM-2A	DLW	17754	Ludhiana (LDH)		Color of the Ludhiana depot: Gray-red-gray with white decorative stripes	Marked for preservation on the list issued by IR in November 2018
WDM-2	ALCo	18040	Katni (KTE)		Red-gray with a yellow dividing strip	National Railway Museum, Delhi
WDM-2	ALCo	18119	Itarsi (ET)		Light blue with a white band	Zonal Railway Training Institute in Bhusaval
WDM-2A	ALCo	18160	Ernakulam (ERS)		red	Golden Rock Repair Shop (GOC)
WDM-2	DLW	18233	Mughalsarai (MGS)	Kundan	Red-white-gray	Permanent exhibition at the DLW, Varanasi
WDM-2B	DLW	18575	Malda Town (MLDT)		Color scheme of the Malda Town depot: Blue-cream-blue with red decorative stripes	Marked for preservation on the list issued by IR in November 2018
WDM-2 / 3A	DLW	18599	Krishnarajapuram (KJM)		Coloring of the Krishnarajapuram: Blue-turquoise-blue with white decorative stripes	In the SWR headquarters - Rail Soudha, Hubballi, panes of glass on one side

Depot with locomotives of the WDM-2 family

On August 1, 2020, 23 locomotives were still in service, most of them in service in northeast India and Tamil Nadu in southern India. They were as follows depots of the regional companies distributed:

• Eastern Railway (ER)
  • Jamalpur (JMP): 1
• Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR)
  • Malda Town (MLDT): 8
  • New Guwahati (NGC): 4
• North Western Railway (NWR)
  • Abu Road (ABR): 3
• Southern Railway (SR)
  • Golden Rock (GOC): 3
  • Tondiarpet (TNP): 3
• Western Central Railway (WCR)
  • New Katni Junction (NKJ): 1

Picture gallery

• 

  Kundan, the first WDM-2 locomotive assembled by DLW

• 

  The first WDM-2 18040 was kept in the National Rail Museum in New Delhi

• 

  WDM-2 is known as Class 6400 in Bangladesh

Web links

Commons : IR class WDM-2  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

1. ^ Report of the expert Committee on Coal Consumption on Railways . 1958 (English, gov.in [accessed August 5, 2020]).
2. ↑ WDM-4 specs for IR .
3. ↑ wdm3_001.jpg . Retrieved April 29, 2020.
4. ↑ [IRFCA] Indian Railways FAQ: Locomotives - General Information - I . Retrieved April 18, 2020.
5. ↑ Four decades of service: The early workhorses of India's diesel age - National Rail Museum ( en ) Retrieved April 29, 2020.
6. ↑ Diesel Locomotive Roster - The WDM (ALCO) Series ( en-US ) October 30, 2013. Accessed April 29, 2020.
7. ↑ [IRFCA] Indian Railways Locomotive Roster National Railway Museum, Delhi (NRM) WDM 2 18040 show . Retrieved April 29, 2020.
8. ↑ Historical Railway Images: India Railways - Indian Government Railways Class WDM2 (DL560C) diesel locomotive No. 18041 (Alco 84199/1962). December 31, 2019, accessed April 29, 2020 . 
9. ↑ [IRFCA] Indian Railways FAQ: Diesel and Electric Locomotive Specifications . Retrieved April 18, 2020.
10. ↑ [IRFCA] Indian Railways Locomotive Roster Mughalsarai (MGS) WDM 2 18233 show . Retrieved April 19, 2020.
11. ↑ [IRFCA] Indian Railways FAQ: Production Units and Workshops . Retrieved April 29, 2020.
12. ↑ [IRFCA] Indian Railways Locomotive Roster Bondamunda (BNDM) WDM 2 18299 show . Retrieved April 19, 2020.
13. ↑ [IRFCA] Indian Railways Locomotive Roster Gonda (GD) WDM-3A 16887 Show . Retrieved April 29, 2020.
14. ↑ History of DLW, varanasi .
15. ↑ dmw works .
16. ↑ Daulat Ram Engineering serving Railway Industry worldwide . Retrieved April 29, 2020.
17. ↑ Katni shed history .
18. ↑ WDM-2 with himgiri .
19. ↑ TamilNadu-Dhaulpu.jpg . Retrieved April 29, 2020.
20. ↑ DualWDM2Raj_BVI_1986.jpg . Retrieved April 29, 2020.
21. ↑ WDM2A18425 . Retrieved April 29, 2020.
22. ↑ Sheeju Chandran: Interactive Diagram of the WDM-2 Locomotive . Indian Railways Fan Club. Retrieved April 2, 2010.
23. ↑ WDM-2 maintenance book .
24. ↑ Maintenance Handbook on Roller Bearing fitted on WDM2 .
25. ↑ [IRFCA] Indian Railways FAQ: Locomotives - Specific classes: AC Electric . Retrieved April 29, 2020.
26. ↑ [IRFCA] Brake systems used by IR . Retrieved April 29, 2020.
27. ↑ Diesel Locomotive Roster - The WDM (ALCO) Series ( en-US ) October 30, 2013. Accessed April 29, 2020.
28. ↑ [IRFCA] Indian Railways Locomotive Roster Shakurbasti (SSB) WDM-2 17890 Show . Retrieved April 18, 2020.
29. ↑ [IRFCA] WDM-2 'Jumbo' locos . Retrieved April 29, 2020.
30. ↑ [IRFCA] Indian Railways Locomotive Roster Mughalsarai (MGS) WDM-2 17722 Show . Retrieved April 18, 2020.
31. ↑ [IRFCA] Indian Railways Locomotive Roster Vishakapatnam (VSKP) WDM-2 17748 Show . Retrieved April 18, 2020.
32. ↑ 17722 'JUMBO' .
33. ↑ 018210_G_001.jpg . Retrieved April 29, 2020.
34. ↑ WDM-2S . Retrieved April 29, 2020.
35. ↑ Class M8 . September 18, 2012.
36. ↑ Account Suspended . Retrieved June 21, 2019.
37. ↑ ෴අඟුරු නොකා වතුර නොබී කොළඹ දුවන යකඩ යකා෴: ෴ M8 දුම්රිය එන්ජිම - අපේ අසල්වැසි රට වන ඉන්දියාවේ නිෂ්පාදනයක්෴ . February 6, 2011.
38. ^ Diesel & Electric Locomotives. In: Heritage Inventory of Indian Railways (2018). 2018, accessed August 7, 2020 . 
39. ↑ [IRFCA] Indian Railways Locomotive Roster Malda Town (MLDT) WDM-2 17263 Show . Retrieved April 16, 2020.
40. ↑ https://www.irfca.org/apps/locos/show/4560?list_type=preserved&page=2
41. ↑ https://www.irfca.org/apps/locos/show/3325?list_type=preserved
42. ↑ https://www.irfca.org/apps/locos/show/3571?list_type=preserved
43. ↑ First Wdm-2 pic .
44. ↑ picture of the locomotive .
45. ↑ https://www.irfca.org/apps/locos/show/3618?list_type=preserved
46. ↑ https://www.irfca.org/apps/locos/show/3659?list_type=preserved&page=2
47. ↑ [IRFCA] Indian Railways Locomotive Roster Mughalsarai (MGS) WDM 2 18233 show . Retrieved April 16, 2020.
48. ↑ [IRFCA] Indian Railways Locomotive Roster Malda Town (MLDT) WDM-2 18575 Show . Retrieved April 16, 2020.
49. ↑ [IRFCA] Indian Railways Locomotive Roster Krishnarajapuram (KJM) WDM-3A 18599 Show . Retrieved April 16, 2020.
50. ↑ Manish Jain: Shedwise / typewise diesel loco holding as on 1-8-2020 . In: Diesel locomotives availability target for Aug 2020 . ( gov.in ).

Web links

Commons : Indian locomotive class WDM2  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files