Types of Locomotives: Changing Times – Moving City

Electric Loco Shed, Kalyan has the distinction of being the prime mover of

Mumbai Division of Central Railway for the last 92years. The Shed was established on 28th November 1928 under Great Indian Peninsula

Railway and was the 1st Electric Loco Shed in . Electric Loco Shed

Kalyan has maintained different types of locomotives ranging from the

EA/1 class of DC (Direct Current) technology of the early 20th century to the present WAG9 & WAP/7 class locomotives based on Computer

Controlled State of the Art, Advance Technology of the 21stcentury.

Various Types Of Electric Locomotives Maintained At ELS/KYN

EF/1

EA/1 Class of Locomotive was the first electric locomotive in India. Electric Loco Shed Kalyan had maintained 21 EA/1 locomotives from 1930 to 1972. It was supplied in 1930 by Vulcan Foundary, UK, Electrics were supplied from Metropolitan Vickers, UK. The first of the EA/1 locomotives was named after ‘Sir Roger Lumley’ after the 11th Earl of Scarborough, who was the governor of Bombay from 1937 to 1943.

EA/2

The first few of EF/1 were made by the Swiss Locomotive Works, Winterthur, and more by Vulcan Foundary, UK, Electrics were supplied from Metropolitan Vickers, UK. Electric Loco Shed Kalyan had maintained 41 EF/1 locomotives from 1928 to until fairly recent 1998. The first of the EF/1 locomotives was named after ‘Sir Leslie Wilson’, who was the then governor of Bombay.

WCM/1

EM/1, later called as WCM/1 locos were used for mixed service. 7 nos of WCM/1 Electric Locomotives were maintained at Electric Loco Shed Kalyan. It was the first Electric Locomotive with the now familiar Co-Co wheel arrangement to be used in India. This fleet was used to run Superfast such as and Express until quite recent 1990.

WCM/2

WCM/2 Electric Locomotives were smaller in size campared to WCM/1. Initaly built to run 3000 Volt DC Traction in Calcutta area. They were rendered obsolete after conversion of Traction to 1500 V AC in Calcutta area. ELS/KYN together with RDSO modified them to work on 1500 Volt DC Traction. In all 12 nos WCM/2 Locomotives were maintained at Electric Loco Shed, Kalyan from 1956-57 unitl the 1990s. Despite the mixed classification they were mostly used for passenger services.

WCM/3

This is the first among WCM series to be used in build by Hitachi, Japan. It’s Auxiliaries were supplied by Westinghouse and North Boyce. Smallest of WCM series, WCM/3 were characterized by diminutive size, separate light enclosures for parking marker lights (next to headlight) and tail lamps (just above the buffers). They were later used mostly for freight. Electric Loco Shed, Kalyan has maintained 03 nos WCM/3 Class of Locomotives from 1960 to 1996.

WCM/4

Also build by Hitachi Japan and it’s Auxiliaries were supplied by Westinghouse and North Boyce, WCM/4 were larger and more powerful versions of WCM/3, with normal light enclosures. WCM/4 also became the only WCM series loco to be exclusively used for freight duties after relegation from passenger services due to technical difficulties. These were also the last imported locomotives to come with bonnets at either end. Electric Loco Shed, Kalyan has maintained 07 nos WCM/3 Class of Locomotives from 1961 to 1998.

WCM/5

WCM/5 was India's first indigenously designed and built DC Electric Locomotive in collaboration with English Electric Co. . In the WCM series, these are the first to use half-collector pantographs. The first locomotive was named ‘Lokmanya’ ( Loco No 20083)& was inaugurated by then prime minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. In all 20 WCM/5 Locos were maintained by Electric Loco Shed between 1963 to 2000. These locomotives were mostly used for passenger services.

WCG/2

WCG/2 Electric Locomotives were designed by RDSO based on Japanese models and manufactured by CLW. They were manufactured for replacement of EA/1 and EF/1 type locomotives. The banking duties in the ghat (Karjat – Lonavla) and (Kasara – Igatpuri) were exclusively handled then by WCG/2. During the year 1971 upto 2012, about 57 WCG/2 type locomotives were maintained at Electric Loco Shed, Kalyan.

WCM/6

Initially WCM/6 Locos were used for light freight duties between Kalyan – Karjat section. Only two of these locos were manufactured due to development of AC-DC type locomotives and are being maintained at ELS/KYN since 1996. Now these locos are converted to AC, similar to WAG/7 type of locomotives and being used for inferior services.

WCAM/3

Jointly designed and developed by RDSO and BHEL, WCAM-3 were manufactured under BOLT (Built-own-lease-transfer) scheme. About 53 locos of WCAM/3 type are being maintained at Electric Loco Shed Kalyan since 1996. Owing to it’s Dual Traction capability, these locomotives were being used in Mumbai – Igatpuri and Mumbai – Lonavla sections. At present these locomotives are being converted to 6P AC locomotives with the same feature of WAG/7 locomotives.

WCAG/1

WCAG/ were designed for dedicated freight operation. These locos were similar to WCAM/3 except having different Gear Ratio and Heavier. Untill 2016 these locomotives were used exclusively for freight traffic originating from Mumbai ports, where the traction was still 1500 volt DC. 12 nos of WCAG/1 locomotives are being maintained at Electric Loco Shed Kalyan since 1998. At present these locomotives are being converted to 6P AC locomotives with the same feature of WAG/7 locomotives.

WAG/5

WAG/5 AC locomotives were built by CLW to RDSO specifications,starting from 1983 and are being maintained by Electric Loco Sheds all over the country. These About 31 of these locomotives were maintained at Electric Loco Shed Kalyan during the year 2007 to 2011. They run in pairs hauling long freight trains and hence uncommon to spot them working single. This fleet were later transferred in batches to ELS/BSL during 2011-12.

WCG/7

WCG/7 type Locomotives were built by CLW and BHEL/Jhansi to RDSO’s specification. It’s an upgraded version of WAG/5. On 3rd August 1992, the first WAG/7 locomotive was inaugurated and christened the name ‘ Shantidan’ in honoir of Mother Teresa. Among Locomotive market WAG/7 are more economical and cheapest in the world. Electric Loco Shed Kalyan is maintaining 56 WAG/7 type locomotives since 2008.

WCAM/2P

Initially maintained at Electric Loco Shed, Valsad, 20 WCAM/2P locomotives were transferred to Electric Loco Shed, Kalyan in 2012. These locomotives were initial version of AC-DC series locomotives and were jointly designed and developed by RDSO and BHEL. These locos were manufactured by BHEL, Jhansi. All 12 Nos of WCAM/2P locomotives were converted to 6P AC locomotives.

WAG/9H

Equiped with modern state of the art technology, WAG/9 is referred to as the heavy haul locomotive of Indian Railway. Originally the first 22 locomotives were imported from ABB, Germany in the year 1996. In Nov 1998, CLW started manufacturing these locomotives with indigenous components and the first among these was named as ‘Navyug’. Since 2013-14 these types of locomotives were added to the fleet Electric Loco Shed, Kalyan. As on date 29 WAG/9 locos are being maintained.

WAP/7

WAP/7 is one of the most powerful passenger locomotive in Indian Railways with HOG facility built by CLW. With modified gear ratios these locos are capable to pull loads at higher speed. Its maximum Permissible speed is 140 Kmph. It is also being used for Push-Pull operations. This locomotive is added to the fleet of ELSKYN from June -2019 to cater the need of Push-Pull operation of Rajdhani Express. As on date shed is maintaining 37 WAP- 7 locomotives.