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The Indian locomotive class WDG-4 (EMD GT46MAC) is a type of six-axle (Co-Co) freight-hauling diesel-electric locomotive with AC electric transmission designed by General Motors Electro-Motive Diesel[1] in 1997–1998 for Indian Railways, where they are classed as WDG-4. Derived from the EMD SD70MAC, it is powered by a 4,000 hp (3,000 kW) 16-cylinder EMD 710G3B prime mover. Thirteen were built by EMD as order #958647, and a further eight were exported in kit form and assembled in India. The class entered service in 1999. A Dedicated Passenger version of this locomotive, the WDP-4 (EMD GT46PAC), has also been produced, with a Bo1-1Bo Wheel Configuration, which entered service in 2001. These locomotives are also famous for, and can be identified, by the distinct and unique Jet Plane-like sounding capability of the EMD 710 prime mover.
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Further construction has been under license in India by the Banaras Locomotive Works (BLW), with the first purely indigenously built WDG-4 locomotive, numbered 12022, that rolled out in 2002. More than 60 additional locomotives have been built as of 2006[update]. They are numbered from #12001 upward.
As of August 2007[update], EMD and DLW have begun building GT46ACe's using IGBT technology to replace the older gate turn-off thyristor technology and along with increase of 500 hp, ie, 4,500 hp (3.4 MW), using the Newly tweaked EMD 16N-710G3B-EC, like the passenger WDP-4B have been produced. Newer versions with widened Piggy-face cab profile for enhanced visibility, just like the later variants of WDP-4's and WDP-4B's were also produced.
As of February 2013[update], DLW began building the Dual Cab version, EMD JT46ACe, called WDG-4D, based on the passenger variant WDP-4D locos, same for both-side visibility. Here again, many features, including IGBT and 4,500 hp have been carried on from the single cab GT46ACe's. The first WDG-4D, numbered 12681, is named "Vijay". Later WDG-4D's were numbered from 70301, as the 12*** series came to an end in 2014 and got switched to 70*** series. Over 1,500 such locomotives, including both WDG-4's and WDG-4D's are currently in operation.
Indian Railways has also developed the WDG-4 series into EMD GT50AC (aka WDG-5), using a v20-710G prime mover, based on the SD80MAC, rated at 5,500 HP (4,130 kW). However, this locomotive has turned out to be a Failure, due to various reasons.
Since the year 2017, BLW (DLW then) began manufacturing such locomotives for Non-Railway Customers. The first such locomotive, which would be a Dual-Cab WDG-4D, rolled out to serve Odisha Power Generation Corporation (OPGC), in March 2017. 3 WDG-4D locomotives currently serve OPGC. As of 2024, 2 new Single-Cab Piggy-face WDG-4 locomotives have been manufactured and rolled out for Obra Thermal Power Station, based at Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh.
Locomotive sheds
editZone | Name | Shed Code | Quantity | |
---|---|---|---|---|
WDG-4/4D | ||||
Central Railway | Pune | PA | 90 | |
Kalyan | KYN(D) | 64 | ||
Eastern Railway | Andal | UDL | 133 | |
East Central Railway | Patratu | PTRU | 79 | |
East Coast Railway | Visakhapatnam | VSKP(D) | 121 | |
Northern Railway | Ludhiana | LDH(D) | 26 | |
Lucknow | LKO | 68 | ||
Tughlakabad | TKD (D) | 39 | ||
North Eastern Railway | Izzatnagar | IZN | 2 | |
North Central Railway | Jhansi | JHS (D) | 20 | |
Northeast Frontier Railway | New Guwahati | NGC | 39 | |
Siliguri | SGUJ | 154 | ||
North Western Railway | Bhagat Ki Kothi | BGKT | 48 | |
Abu Road | ABR | 107 | ||
Southern Railway | Ponmalai Goldenrock | GOC | 75 | |
Ernakulam | ERS | 34 | ||
Tondiarpet | TNP | 2 | ||
South Central Railway | Kazipet | KZJ(D) | 75 | |
Gooty | GY | 14 | ||
Vijayawada | BZA(D) | 45 | ||
Moula Ali | MLY | 19 | ||
South Eastern Railway | Bondamunda | BNDM(D) | 119 | |
South East Central Railway | Raipur | R | 98 | |
South Western Railway | Krishnarajapuram | KJM | 26 | |
Hubli | UBL | 171 | ||
Western Railway | Sabarmati | SBT | 28 | |
West Central Railway | Itarsi | ET(D) | 53 | |
Total Locomotives Active as of August 2024[2] | 1749 |
Non-Railway Operators
editName of the Operator | Quantity | |
---|---|---|
WDG-4/4D | ||
Odisha Power Generation Corporation | 3 | |
Obra Thermal Power Station | 2 |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "GM EMD: GT46MAC". Archived from the original on 2004-03-03. Retrieved 2006-11-19.
- ^ "Railway Website Mechanical Department". Retrieved 16 May 2020.