Indian Railways’ DLW produces world’s first ever 5500 HP locomotive as a pilot project

Year 2014 - A Glory of ‘Golden Jubilee’ Year for Diesel Locomotives Works
New Delhi: In continuing with its technological upgradation programme, Indian Railways has produced the prototype 5500 HP diesel locomotives (WDG5) which are already running as a pilot project in North Central Railway. This Loco is developed by Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW), Varanasi, a production unit of Indian Railways. This is so because no locomotive manufacturer in the entire world has attempted more than 4000 HP on 22 tonne axle load and also because of the smaller moving dimension of locomotive as compared to USA and Canada. The 5500 HP WDG5 is primarily aimed at improving the throughput with higher balancing speeds. The locomotive will be able to achieve 100 Kmph speed on level track with higher axle load. WDG5 brings to Indian Railways advanced technologies such as Electronic Fuel Injection (for higher fuel efficiency and emission control). DLW’s locomotive designs implement collision protection, provision for heating, ventilation and air conditioning, task lighting, improved visibility, ergonomic seating and a soothing and aesthetic visual TFT based display (similar to that used in aircrafts), thereby setting up new standards for crew comport and safety. Today DLW is able to manufacture locomotives with a wide horsepower range, from 1400 HP to 5500 HP for multiple track gauges. Thus, besides meeting the needs of non-railway customers in India, DLW is exporting locomotives to Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Malaysia, Tanzania, Sudan, Senegal, Mozambique and Myanmar in addition to DLW has also diversifies into manufacture of Diesel Generator (DG) sets and is the proud supplier of the extremely critical back up DG sets to Nuclear Power Corporation India Limited’s nuclear power plants at Kota, Narora, Kaiga and Kalpakkam. DLW’s which is the only manufacture of mainline diesel electric locomotives not only in India but in the whole South and Southeast Asia has grown and transformed over the years to meet the nation’s changing transportation needs. Having manufactured over 6700 locomotives till date, DLW is now one of the biggest locomotive manufacturers in the world. In the year 2012-13, DLW manufactured an unprecedented 294 locomotives, thereby increasing its production nearly three times from 112 locomotives manufactured in the year 2002-03. Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW), Varanasi will be shining in the glory of ‘Golden Jubilee’ year when it will be completing 50 years of its production service next year i.e 2014 since its inception in 1964.