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88-402: The Indian locomotive class WDM-2 is a class of diesel–electric locomotive that was developed in 1962 by American Locomotive Company (ALCO) for Indian Railways . The model name stands for broad gauge (W) , Diesel (D), Mixed traffic (M) engine, 2nd generation (2). They entered service in 1962. A total of more than 2,700 WDM-2 was built at ALCO and Banaras Locomotive Works (BLW or DLW, as it

176-471: A consist respond in the same way to throttle position. Binary encoding also helps to minimize the number of trainlines (electrical connections) that are required to pass signals from unit to unit. For example, only four trainlines are required to encode all possible throttle positions if there are up to 14 stages of throttling. North American locomotives, such as those built by EMD or General Electric , have eight throttle positions or "notches" as well as

264-429: A "reverser" to allow them to operate bi-directionally. Many UK-built locomotives have a ten-position throttle. The power positions are often referred to by locomotive crews depending upon the throttle setting, such as "run 3" or "notch 3". In older locomotives, the throttle mechanism was ratcheted so that it was not possible to advance more than one power position at a time. The engine driver could not, for example, pull

352-609: A Rational Heat Motor ). However, the large size and poor power-to-weight ratio of early diesel engines made them unsuitable for propelling land-based vehicles. Therefore, the engine's potential as a railroad prime mover was not initially recognized. This changed as research and development reduced the size and weight of the engine. In 1906, Rudolf Diesel, Adolf Klose and the steam and diesel engine manufacturer Gebrüder Sulzer founded Diesel-Sulzer-Klose GmbH to manufacture diesel-powered locomotives. Sulzer had been manufacturing diesel engines since 1898. The Prussian State Railways ordered

440-592: A diesel locomotive from the company in 1909, and after test runs between Winterthur and Romanshorn , Switzerland, the diesel–mechanical locomotive was delivered in Berlin in September 1912. The world's first diesel-powered locomotive was operated in the summer of 1912 on the same line from Winterthur but was not a commercial success. During test runs in 1913 several problems were found. The outbreak of World War I in 1914 prevented all further trials. The locomotive weight

528-504: A diesel-driven charging circuit. ALCO acquired the McIntosh & Seymour Engine Company in 1929 and entered series production of 300 hp (220 kW) and 600 hp (450 kW) single-cab switcher units in 1931. ALCO would be the pre-eminent builder of switch engines through the mid-1930s and would adapt the basic switcher design to produce versatile and highly successful, albeit relatively low powered, road locomotives. GM, seeing

616-524: A few sub-classes were created. These include WDM-2A, WDM-2B and WDM-3A (formerly WDM-2C). A few WDM-2 locomotives had been rebuilt by Diesel Loco Modernisation Works (DLMW) in Patiala, Punjab. These are fitted with DBRs produced by Daulat Ram Engineering. The whole batch of WDM-2 imports went all to the Diesel locomotive shed at Katni (KTE). Locomotive number 18040 was first loco in the series, but 18042

704-465: A flashover (also known as an arc fault ), which could result in immediate generator failure and, in some cases, start an engine room fire. Current North American practice is for four axles for high-speed passenger or "time" freight, or for six axles for lower-speed or "manifest" freight. The most modern units on "time" freight service tend to have six axles underneath the frame. Unlike those in "manifest" service, "time" freight units will have only four of

792-494: A large number of Co-Co diesel locomotives producing at least 2,600 hp (1,900 kW) with road switcher cabs to achieve this aim. Thus Indian Railways began looking at various diesel–electric designs. 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

880-631: A large number of locomotives quickly was deemed paramount. After Banaras Locomotive Works (DLW) completed construction of its factory in Varanasi, production of the locomotives began in India. The first 12 locomotives were built using kits imported from ALCO (order no. D3389) in the United States. The first diesel loco assembled in DLW was locomotive number 18233 and the first fully-built WDM-2 from DLW

968-577: A major manufacturer of diesel engines for marine and stationary applications, in 1930. Supported by the General Motors Research Division, GM's Winton Engine Corporation sought to develop diesel engines suitable for high-speed mobile use. The first milestone in that effort was delivery in early 1934 of the Winton 201A, a two-stroke , mechanically aspirated , uniflow-scavenged , unit-injected diesel engine that could deliver

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1056-421: A maximum speed of 120 km/h (75 mph), restricted to 100 km/h (62 mph) when run long hood forward. The last 3 pure units are based at Abu Road . The WDM-2 has a maintenance schedule of 3,000 km or 10 days, which was recommended by ALCO. These have been extended by 20 days to 30 days by using better and more efficient lubrication oils and other component fluids and improving some bearings for

1144-601: A nearly imperceptible start. The positioning of the reverser and movement of the throttle together is conceptually like shifting an automobile's automatic transmission into gear while the engine is idling. Himgiri Superfast Express The 12331 / 12332 Himgiri Superfast Express is a Superfast train of the Indian Railways connecting Howrah Junction in West Bengal and Jammu Tawi in Jammu and Kashmir . It

1232-421: A prototype diesel–electric locomotive for "special uses" (such as for runs where water for steam locomotives was scarce) using electrical equipment from Westinghouse Electric Company . Its twin-engine design was not successful, and the unit was scrapped after a short testing and demonstration period. Industry sources were beginning to suggest "the outstanding advantages of this new form of motive power". In 1929,

1320-486: A real prospect with existing diesel technology. Before diesel power could make inroads into mainline service, the limitations of diesel engines circa 1930 – low power-to-weight ratios and narrow output range – had to be overcome. A major effort to overcome those limitations was launched by General Motors after they moved into the diesel field with their acquisition of the Winton Engine Company ,

1408-570: Is a dedicated passenger version of the WDM-2/3A, similar to how the freighter WDG-2/3A was developed, but unlike its mixed-use and freight-dedicated counterparts, this locomotive features an aerodynamic streamlined dual-cab design, similar to its AC-electric counterparts, like the WAP-1 and WAP-4 , making it the first dual-cab diesel–electric locomotive of India, preceding the EMD 710 based WDP-4D , and

1496-650: Is a variant of the original WDM-2 series that have been retro-fitted with air brakes , in addition to the original vacuum brakes . Thus, these locomotives can haul both vacuum- and air-braked wagons . Air brakes were introduced as they're safer and more reliable. Despite this classification some WDM-2A locomotives are still marked as WDM-2 rather than WDM-2A. The WDM-2B is a variant of the original WDM-2 series built with air brakes as original equipment. They do not have vacuum brakes. Only some have been classified as WDM-2B. The WDM-2 locomotives from serial numbers around 17788 to 17890 were fitted with full-width short hoods with

1584-421: Is because clutches would need to be very large at these power levels and would not fit in a standard 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in)-wide locomotive frame, or would wear too quickly to be useful. The first successful diesel engines used diesel–electric transmissions , and by 1925 a small number of diesel locomotives of 600 hp (450 kW) were in service in the United States. In 1930, Armstrong Whitworth of

1672-533: Is better able to cope with overload conditions that often destroyed the older types of motors. A diesel–electric locomotive's power output is independent of road speed, as long as the unit's generator current and voltage limits are not exceeded. Therefore, the unit's ability to develop tractive effort (also referred to as drawbar pull or tractive force , which is what actually propels the train) will tend to inversely vary with speed within these limits. (See power curve below). Maintaining acceptable operating parameters

1760-410: Is currently being operated with 12331/12332 train numbers on three days in week. It covers a total distance of 2,024 km (1,258 mi) that runs through the major north states of India. The old ICF coach of the trains were replaced with the new LHB coach during Mid 14 August 2018. In 1975 in order to bring equality amongst all classes and provide good train experience to all strata of society,

1848-502: Is generally limited to low-powered, low-speed shunting (switching) locomotives, lightweight multiple units and self-propelled railcars . The mechanical transmissions used for railroad propulsion are generally more complex and much more robust than standard-road versions. There is usually a fluid coupling interposed between the engine and gearbox, and the gearbox is often of the epicyclic (planetary) type to permit shifting while under load. Various systems have been devised to minimise

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1936-414: Is the same as placing an automobile's transmission into neutral while the engine is running. To set the locomotive in motion, the reverser control handle is placed into the correct position (forward or reverse), the brake is released and the throttle is moved to the run 1 position (the first power notch). An experienced engine driver can accomplish these steps in a coordinated fashion that will result in

2024-820: Is the youngest in the WDM-2 series. The oldest locomotive number 16001 was manufactured in the mid-1980s. They are originally WDM-2s and all were rebuilt to WDM-3A standards (except for locomotives lost to collision damage). All '16' series locomotives are still running in mainline duties as WDM-3A class. About 30 units remain as pure WDM-2s and still in service. Rapid scrapping of the '16' series has now begun. A number of WDM-2 locomotives have been preserved all over India with some units still in service. Diesel%E2%80%93electric locomotive Early internal combustion locomotives and railcars used kerosene and gasoline as their fuel. Rudolf Diesel patented his first compression-ignition engine in 1898, and steady improvements to

2112-656: The Burlington Route and Union Pacific used custom-built diesel " streamliners " to haul passengers, starting in late 1934. Burlington's Zephyr trainsets evolved from articulated three-car sets with 600 hp power cars in 1934 and early 1935, to the Denver Zephyr semi-articulated ten car trainsets pulled by cab-booster power sets introduced in late 1936. Union Pacific started diesel streamliner service between Chicago and Portland Oregon in June 1935, and in

2200-723: The Busch-Sulzer company in 1911. Only limited success was achieved in the early twentieth century with internal combustion engined railcars, due, in part, to difficulties with mechanical drive systems. General Electric (GE) entered the railcar market in the early twentieth century, as Thomas Edison possessed a patent on the electric locomotive, his design actually being a type of electrically propelled railcar. GE built its first electric locomotive prototype in 1895. However, high electrification costs caused GE to turn its attention to internal combustion power to provide electricity for electric railcars. Problems related to co-ordinating

2288-611: The Canadian National Railways became the first North American railway to use diesels in mainline service with two units, 9000 and 9001, from Westinghouse. However, these early diesels proved expensive and unreliable, with their high cost of acquisition relative to steam unable to be realized in operating cost savings as they were frequently out of service. It would be another five years before diesel–electric propulsion would be successfully used in mainline service, and nearly ten years before fully replacing steam became

2376-494: The DFH1 , began in 1964 following the construction of a prototype in 1959. In Japan, starting in the 1920s, some petrol–electric railcars were produced. The first diesel–electric traction and the first air-streamed vehicles on Japanese rails were the two DMU3s of class Kiha 43000 (キハ43000系). Japan's first series of diesel locomotives was class DD50 (国鉄DD50形), twin locomotives, developed since 1950 and in service since 1953. In 1914,

2464-573: The Jumbo versions of WDM-2. Almost all of the WDM-2 Jumbos belong to this series. Most of these locomotives were manufactured in the 1970s. The 17 series locomotives are no longer used for mainline services; these are now fit only for shunting and inferior activities with most of them being condemned or scrapped. 18514–18522 are WDM-3 locomotives built by German manufacturers Henschel. The locomotives numbering 18530 onward were manufactured from

2552-488: The Società per le Strade Ferrate del Mediterrano in southern Italy in 1926, following trials in 1924–25. The six-cylinder two-stroke motor produced 440 horsepower (330 kW) at 500   rpm, driving four DC motors, one for each axle. These 44 tonnes (43 long tons; 49 short tons) locomotives with 45 km/h (28 mph) top speed proved quite successful. In 1924, two diesel–electric locomotives were taken in service by

2640-1003: The Soviet railways , almost at the same time: In 1935, Krauss-Maffei , MAN and Voith built the first diesel–hydraulic locomotive, called V 140 , in Germany. Diesel–hydraulics became the mainstream in diesel locomotives in Germany since the German railways (DRG) were pleased with the performance of that engine. Serial production of diesel locomotives in Germany began after World War II. In many railway stations and industrial compounds, steam shunters had to be kept hot during many breaks between scattered short tasks. Therefore, diesel traction became economical for shunting before it became economical for hauling trains. The construction of diesel shunters began in 1920 in France, in 1925 in Denmark, in 1926 in

2728-592: The Sri Lanka Railways , the state-run railroad operator in Sri Lanka in 1996. They were the longest and most powerful locomotives at that time. They were allocated the M8 class. However, some modifications to the appearance were done by SLR. These locomotives have been assigned road numbers 841 to 848 and all are still operational. Ten WDM-2 locomotives were purchased by Bangladesh Railway in 2001. They were

Indian locomotive class WDM-2 - Misplaced Pages Continue

2816-406: The electrification of the line in 1944. Afterwards, the company kept them in service as boosters until 1965. Fiat claims to have built the first Italian diesel–electric locomotive in 1922, but little detail is available. Several Fiat- TIBB Bo'Bo' diesel–locomotives were built for service on the 950 mm ( 3 ft  1 + 3 ⁄ 8  in ) narrow gauge Ferrovie Calabro Lucane and

2904-432: The 1,500 kW (2,000 hp) British Rail 10100 locomotive), though only few have proven successful (such as the 1,342 kW (1,800 hp) DSB Class MF ). In a diesel–electric locomotive , the diesel engine drives either an electrical DC generator (generally, less than 3,000 hp (2,200 kW) net for traction), or an electrical AC alternator-rectifier (generally 3,000   hp net or more for traction),

2992-459: The 1960s, the DC generator was replaced by an alternator using a diode bridge to convert its output to DC. This advance greatly improved locomotive reliability and decreased generator maintenance costs by elimination of the commutator and brushes in the generator. Elimination of the brushes and commutator, in turn, eliminated the possibility of a particularly destructive type of event referred to as

3080-523: The 1990s, starting with the Electro-Motive SD70MAC in 1993 and followed by General Electric's AC4400CW in 1994 and AC6000CW in 1995. The Trans-Australian Railway built 1912 to 1917 by Commonwealth Railways (CR) passes through 2,000 km of waterless (or salt watered) desert terrain unsuitable for steam locomotives. The original engineer Henry Deane envisaged diesel operation to overcome such problems. Some have suggested that

3168-600: The CR worked with the South Australian Railways to trial diesel traction. However, the technology was not developed enough to be reliable. As in Europe, the usage of internal combustion engines advanced more readily in self-propelled railcars than in locomotives: A diesel–mechanical locomotive uses a mechanical transmission in a fashion similar to that employed in most road vehicles. This type of transmission

3256-895: The Himgiri Express was launched. The Himgiri Express made its inaugural run on 1 January 1979. From 1979 to 2004, Himgiri Express followed a fast time table. Departing from Howrah Junction at 23.45 hrs & arriving Jammu Tawi at 07.45 hrs on 3rd day & on return departing Jammu Tawi at 22.45 hrs, arriving Howrah at 06.45 hrs on 3rd morning. In 1st 25 years of service this train used to stop only at Asansol Junction , Jasidih Junction , Jamui , Kiul Junction , Patna Junction , Varanasi Junction , Lucknow Charbagh , Bareilly Junction , Moradabad Junction , Saharanpur Junction , Ambala Cantonment , Ludhiana Junction , Jalandhar Cantonment & Pathankot Cantonment . However, 19 more stoppages were added between 2004 and 2020 period. This hampered operation & punctuality failed miserably. It

3344-895: The Netherlands, and in 1927 in Germany. After a few years of testing, hundreds of units were produced within a decade. Diesel-powered or "oil-engined" railcars, generally diesel–mechanical, were developed by various European manufacturers in the 1930s, e.g. by William Beardmore and Company for the Canadian National Railways (the Beardmore Tornado engine was subsequently used in the R101 airship). Some of those series for regional traffic were begun with gasoline motors and then continued with diesel motors, such as Hungarian BC (The class code doesn't tell anything but "railmotor with 2nd and 3rd class seats".), 128 cars built 1926–1937, or German Wismar railbuses (57 cars 1932–1941). In France,

3432-565: The Only dual-cab member of the ALCO DL560C family. Ever since the arrival of the imported EMD GT46PAC (WDP-4) locomotive in 2001, it too proved to be only merely successful over the WDP-1. This locomotive is known by the nickname "Toaster", as the second cab, which is too small and closely attached to the radiator of the locomotive, gets heated up and causes discomfort while driving. The WDM-2A

3520-566: The United Kingdom delivered two 1,200 hp (890 kW) locomotives using Sulzer -designed engines to Buenos Aires Great Southern Railway of Argentina. In 1933, diesel–electric technology developed by Maybach was used to propel the DRG Class SVT 877 , a high-speed intercity two-car set, and went into series production with other streamlined car sets in Germany starting in 1935. In the United States, diesel–electric propulsion

3608-527: The WDM-2 class and WDM-4 class respectively. Technologically the General Motors WDM-4 was superior to ALCO WDM-2, but Indian Railways required a transfer of technology agreement that would allow these locomotives to be indigenously manufactured in India. Since General Motors did not agree to the transfer of technology agreement, the ALCO prototype was selected for production. However, even before

Indian locomotive class WDM-2 - Misplaced Pages Continue

3696-425: The WDM-2. These locomotives were built from 1987 to 1989. A few were at Ernakulam , but all were transferred later to Tondiarpet . They can also be seen shunting at Chennai Central or used for light passenger haulage. Some are at the thermal power station, Chennai. They were formerly housed at Erode and Golden Rock . They are reliable and rugged locomotives even though low powered. They can be easily recognised by

3784-499: The War Production Board put a halt to building new passenger equipment and gave naval uses priority for diesel engine production. During the petroleum crisis of 1942–43 , coal-fired steam had the advantage of not using fuel that was in critically short supply. EMD was later allowed to increase the production of its FT locomotives and ALCO-GE was allowed to produce a limited number of DL-109 road locomotives, but most in

3872-409: The arrival of WDM-2, another type of diesel locomotive was imported from ALCO in 1957. This locomotive was classified as WDM-1 . However WDM-1s were not selected for mass production because of having only one forward cab at one end which needed a lot of turntables. The first few prototype WDM-2 locomotives were imported, with locomotive number 18040 being assigned the first WDM-2 of India. The need for

3960-433: The axles connected to traction motors, with the other two as idler axles for weight distribution. In the late 1980s, the development of high-power variable-voltage/variable-frequency (VVVF) drives, or "traction inverters", allowed the use of polyphase AC traction motors, thereby also eliminating the motor commutator and brushes. The result is a more efficient and reliable drive that requires relatively little maintenance and

4048-722: The benefits of an electric locomotive without the railroad having to bear the sizeable expense of electrification. The unit successfully demonstrated, in switching and local freight and passenger service, on ten railroads and three industrial lines. Westinghouse Electric and Baldwin collaborated to build switching locomotives starting in 1929. However, the Great Depression curtailed demand for Westinghouse's electrical equipment, and they stopped building locomotives internally, opting to supply electrical parts instead. In June 1925, Baldwin Locomotive Works outshopped

4136-420: The break in transmission during gear changing, such as the S.S.S. (synchro-self-shifting) gearbox used by Hudswell Clarke . Diesel–mechanical propulsion is limited by the difficulty of building a reasonably sized transmission capable of coping with the power and torque required to move a heavy train. A number of attempts to use diesel–mechanical propulsion in high power applications have been made (for example,

4224-422: The design of diesel engines reduced their physical size and improved their power-to-weight ratios to a point where one could be mounted in a locomotive. Internal combustion engines only operate efficiently within a limited power band , and while low-power gasoline engines could be coupled to mechanical transmissions , the more powerful diesel engines required the development of new forms of transmission. This

4312-411: The early 1980s. Almost all locomotives were rebuilt to WDM-3A standards, but most were returned to WDM-2 standards as they reached the end of their service life. A few are still in mainline service as WDM-3As. Some of them are fit only for shunting and inferior activities with most of them being condemned or scrapped. 18901 and 18902 are WDM-6 locos – no longer in service. The '16' series

4400-811: The end of their road number. It is the dedicated freighter version of the WDM-2 and shares the same engine and horsepower rating with WDM-3A .The first units of this class was delivered on 18 July 1995 under the model name of WDG-2. The class was manufactured till the end of 2015. All the older locomotives built by DLW had a regular WDM-2 type square short hood profile and control stand position. The Bogies of WDM-2 have been replaced by high adhesion fabricated bogies for better traction and stability. They are hugely successful; around 1163 units of this class were produced. These can be found all over India performing various duties like hauling freight and passenger service to shunting and departmental works. They are lower powered (2,000 hp instead of 2,600 hp) version of

4488-443: The engine governor and electrical or electronic components, including switchgear , rectifiers and other components, which control or modify the electrical supply to the traction motors. In the most elementary case, the generator may be directly connected to the motors with only very simple switchgear. Originally, the traction motors and generator were DC machines. Following the development of high-capacity silicon rectifiers in

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4576-419: The engine and traction motor with a single lever; subsequent improvements were also patented by Lemp. Lemp's design solved the problem of overloading and damaging the traction motors with excessive electrical power at low speeds, and was the prototype for all internal combustion–electric drive control systems. In 1917–1918, GE produced three experimental diesel–electric locomotives using Lemp's control design,

4664-423: The engine driver operates the controls. When the throttle is in the idle position, the prime mover receives minimal fuel, causing it to idle at low RPM. In addition, the traction motors are not connected to the main generator and the generator's field windings are not excited (energized) – the generator does not produce electricity without excitation. Therefore, the locomotive will be in "neutral". Conceptually, this

4752-711: The first WDM-2s used in India. Locomotive number 18040 is the first in the series to be imported; subsequent ones were later supplied by ALCO. Locomotives numbered from 18080 to 18111 are actually WDM-4 class. These WDM-2 locomotives can be easily identified by their original ALCO dynamic brake vents with three partitions. They were mostly in mainline service till 2007 and were relegated to shunting/departmental duties thereafter. The last of these locomotives (WDM-2 numbered 18068 from Kurla) were condemned by March 2014. All of these locomotives have been withdrawn from service and scrapped. After 18232, DLW started manufacturing locomotives from kits supplied by ALCO. The first kit-built from DLW

4840-456: The first diesel railcar was Renault VH , 115 units produced 1933/34. In Italy, after six Gasoline cars since 1931, Fiat and Breda built a lot of diesel railmotors, more than 110 from 1933 to 1938 and 390 from 1940 to 1953, Class 772 known as Littorina , and Class ALn 900. In the 1930s, streamlined highspeed diesel railcars were developed in several countries: In 1945, a batch of 30 Baldwin diesel–electric locomotives, Baldwin 0-6-6-0 1000 ,

4928-480: The first known to be built in the United States. Following this development, the 1923 Kaufman Act banned steam locomotives from New York City, because of severe pollution problems. The response to this law was to electrify high-traffic rail lines. However, electrification was uneconomical to apply to lower-traffic areas. The first regular use of diesel–electric locomotives was in switching (shunter) applications, which were more forgiving than mainline applications of

5016-569: The following year would add Los Angeles, CA , Oakland, CA , and Denver, CO to the destinations of diesel streamliners out of Chicago. The Burlington and Union Pacific streamliners were built by the Budd Company and the Pullman-Standard Company , respectively, using the new Winton engines and power train systems designed by GM's Electro-Motive Corporation . EMC's experimental 1800 hp B-B locomotives of 1935 demonstrated

5104-406: The freight market including their own F series locomotives. GE subsequently dissolved its partnership with ALCO and would emerge as EMD's main competitor in the early 1960s, eventually taking the top position in the locomotive market from EMD. Early diesel–electric locomotives in the United States used direct current (DC) traction motors but alternating current (AC) motors came into widespread use in

5192-600: The intention of improving visibility for drivers. These are unofficially termed 'Jumbos' by crew and rail fans . WDM-2 #17722 and #17748 are rumored to be the prototypes of the jumbo class but differ slightly from other Jumbos. However, these locomotives proved to be not so ergonomic since locomotive pilots observed that they had to stand up to operate them. So a few were modified to have normal short hoods. Some earlier Jumbo locomotives were also converted to WDM-3A. These locomotives are easily recognisable by their short hoods with large windows. After over-ageing of these locomotives,

5280-569: The introduction of more modern types of locomotives like WDG-4 and electrification, a significant number are still in use, both in mainline and departmental duties. As of November 2023, all WDM-2 units have been retired, with further examples in service as WDM-3A or WDM-2S. The history of WDM-2 begins in the early 1960s with the stated aim of the Indian Railways to remove steam locomotives from Indian Rails after recommendation of Karnail Singh Fuel Committee. Therefore, required building

5368-521: The jumbos were mainly used on shunting or departmental works trains. All of them are now withdrawn from service and condemned. This classification is given to WDM-2s that are nearing the end of their service life. These locomotives can be easily recognized by '0' at the beginning of their road number. These are relegated to shunting duties, and occasionally haul Departmental works trains. Some WDM-2 units remain in classification for many years before they are scrapped. Eight WDM-2 locomotives were purchased by

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5456-491: The lack of grilles on the short hood. Two locomotives are running on a mixture of bio-diesel and diesel. All 15 are still in service. It is a lower powered passenger (2,300 hp) version of the WDM-2. The Bogies of WDM-2 have been replaced by Bo-Bo fabricated bogies with a max. speed of 140 km/h. They were not hugely successful. About 69 units have been produced with 60 locomotives still being in service. They are identifiable by their ‘baldie’ grille-less short hoods. It

5544-570: The limitations of contemporary diesel technology and where the idling economy of diesel relative to steam would be most beneficial. GE entered a collaboration with the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) and Ingersoll-Rand (the "AGEIR" consortium) in 1924 to produce a prototype 300 hp (220 kW) "boxcab" locomotive delivered in July 1925. This locomotive demonstrated that the diesel–electric power unit could provide many of

5632-431: The locomotive business were restricted to making switch engines and steam locomotives. In the early postwar era, EMD dominated the market for mainline locomotives with their E and F series locomotives. ALCO-GE in the late 1940s produced switchers and road-switchers that were successful in the short-haul market. However, EMD launched their GP series road-switcher locomotives in 1949, which displaced all other locomotives in

5720-581: The mid-1950s. Generally, diesel traction in Italy was of less importance than in other countries, as it was amongst the most advanced countries in the electrification of the main lines and as Italian geography makes freight transport by sea cheaper than rail transportation even on many domestic connections. Adolphus Busch purchased the American manufacturing rights for the diesel engine in 1898 but never applied this new form of power to transportation. He founded

5808-422: The most powerful locomotives at that time. They were allocated Class 6400 or BED-26 numbered from 6401 to 6410. All are fitted with air brake and AAR coupling . Unlike their Indian counterparts, these locomotives do not have the dynamic braking system . All locomotives are still in service. During the manufacture of WDM-2, DLW built and numbered these locomotives non-sequentially. These locomotives were among

5896-546: The multiple-unit control systems used for the cab/booster sets and the twin-engine format used with the later Zephyr power units. Both of those features would be used in EMC's later production model locomotives. The lightweight diesel streamliners of the mid-1930s demonstrated the advantages of diesel for passenger service with breakthrough schedule times, but diesel locomotive power would not fully come of age until regular series production of mainline diesel locomotives commenced and it

5984-402: The output of which provides power to the traction motors that drive the locomotive. There is no mechanical connection between the diesel engine and the wheels. The important components of diesel–electric propulsion are the diesel engine (also known as the prime mover ), the main generator/alternator-rectifier, traction motors (usually with four or six axles), and a control system consisting of

6072-584: The performance and reliability of the new 567 model engine in passenger locomotives, EMC was eager to demonstrate diesel's viability in freight service. Following the successful 1939 tour of EMC's FT demonstrator freight locomotive set, the stage was set for dieselization of American railroads. In 1941, ALCO-GE introduced the RS-1 road-switcher that occupied its own market niche while EMD's F series locomotives were sought for mainline freight service. The US entry into World War II slowed conversion to diesel;

6160-484: The prime mover and electric motor were immediately encountered, primarily due to limitations of the Ward Leonard current control system that had been chosen. GE Rail was formed in 1907 and 112 years later, in 2019, was purchased by and merged with Wabtec . A significant breakthrough occurred in 1914, when Hermann Lemp , a GE electrical engineer, developed and patented a reliable control system that controlled

6248-450: The required performance for a fast, lightweight passenger train. The second milestone, and the one that got American railroads moving towards diesel, was the 1938 delivery of GM's Model 567 engine that was designed specifically for locomotive use, bringing a fivefold increase in life of some mechanical parts and showing its potential for meeting the rigors of freight service. Diesel–electric railroad locomotion entered mainline service when

6336-405: The success of the custom streamliners, sought to expand the market for diesel power by producing standardized locomotives under their Electro-Motive Corporation . In 1936, EMC's new factory started production of switch engines. In 1937, the factory started producing their new E series streamlined passenger locomotives, which would be upgraded with more reliable purpose-built engines in 1938. Seeing

6424-613: The suspension. The original WDM-2 bearings were very failure-prone and often required minor repairs. However the WDM-2 was very easy to operate and maintain because of its simple construction and mechanics which resulted in it being very reliable. This maintenance is usually done at the nearest Diesel loco shed. The WDM-3A class is actually an upgraded WDM-2 designed to produce more power (3,100 hp instead of 2,600 hp) and increased reliability (roller bearings instead of conventional ALCO bearings). Except for 150 units, these are rebuilt WDM-2s. Rebuilt WDM-3As can be identified by an “R” at

6512-432: The throttle from notch 2 to notch 4 without stopping at notch 3. This feature was intended to prevent rough train handling due to abrupt power increases caused by rapid throttle motion ("throttle stripping", an operating rules violation on many railroads). Modern locomotives no longer have this restriction, as their control systems are able to smoothly modulate power and avoid sudden changes in train loading regardless of how

6600-479: The throttle setting, as determined by the engine driver and the speed at which the prime mover is running (see Control theory ). Locomotive power output, and therefore speed, is typically controlled by the engine driver using a stepped or "notched" throttle that produces binary -like electrical signals corresponding to throttle position. This basic design lends itself well to multiple unit (MU) operation by producing discrete conditions that assure that all units in

6688-451: The use of an internal combustion engine in a railway locomotive is the prototype designed by William Dent Priestman , which was examined by William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin in 1888 who described it as a " Priestman oil engine mounted upon a truck which is worked on a temporary line of rails to show the adaptation of a petroleum engine for locomotive purposes." In 1894, a 20 hp (15 kW) two-axle machine built by Priestman Brothers

6776-672: The world's first functional diesel–electric railcars were produced for the Königlich-Sächsische Staatseisenbahnen ( Royal Saxon State Railways ) by Waggonfabrik Rastatt with electric equipment from Brown, Boveri & Cie and diesel engines from Swiss Sulzer AG . They were classified as DET 1 and DET 2 ( de.wiki ). Because of a shortage of petrol products during World War I, they remained unused for regular service in Germany. In 1922, they were sold to Swiss Compagnie du Chemin de fer Régional du Val-de-Travers , where they were used in regular service up to

6864-818: Was 18233 named 'Kundan'; subsequent ones were later assembled in DLW from kits supplied by ALCO after technology transfer took place. Some of these locomotives (like WDM-2 18236) have retained their original ALCO dynamic brake vents with three partitions. The first fully-built WDM-2 from DLW was 18299. These locomotives were mostly in mainline service till 2007, thereafter relegated to shunting/departmental duties like ALCO-built ones. The last of these locomotives (such as #18473) were condemned by November 2013. After 18514, DLW started manufacturing '17' series locomotives. DLW stopped 18-series midway (18499) and started producing 17-series locomotives. Locomotives numbered from 17000 to 17099 are WDM-1 class. These were fully-built WDM-2 locomotives from DLW. The locomotive numbers 17796–17895 are

6952-416: Was 18299. After that DLW started manufacturing WDM-2 locomotives from their own components. Since then over 2,800 locomotives have been manufactured with 16887 being the last locomotive in the series. Although ALCO went bankrupt, DLW Varanasi successfully adapted the technology and produced many upgraded versions which were exported to many Broad Gauge countries . Later a number of modifications were made and

7040-473: Was 95 tonnes and the power was 883 kW (1,184 hp) with a maximum speed of 100 km/h (62 mph). Small numbers of prototype diesel locomotives were produced in a number of countries through the mid-1920s. One of the first domestically developed Diesel vehicles of China was the Dongfeng DMU (东风), produced in 1958 by CSR Sifang . Series production of China's first Diesel locomotive class,

7128-749: Was also when this express was launched that the Indian Railways abolished the third class in trains. In the early eighties the train used to leave Howrah Junction at 5.45 a.m. and maintained a strict punctuality. At that time the train used to haul by WDM 2A ALCO. The train now a days lost its glory and punctuality, and its popularity, too. Currently the train takes 36 hrs 45 mins to cover the journey. Departing at 23.55 hrs from Howrah Junction & arriving Jammu Tawi at 12.40 hrs on 3rd day as 12331 Himgiri Express. On return, departing 22.45 hrs from Jammu Tawi & arriving Howrah Junction at 11.30 hrs on 3rd day as 12332 Himgiri Express. Train had been slowed by 4 hrs 45 mins from 2004 onwards after 19 more halts were added. As

7216-527: Was brought to high-speed mainline passenger service in late 1934, largely through the research and development efforts of General Motors dating back to the late 1920s and advances in lightweight car body design by the Budd Company . The economic recovery from World War II hastened the widespread adoption of diesel locomotives in many countries. They offered greater flexibility and performance than steam locomotives , as well as substantially lower operating and maintenance costs. The earliest recorded example of

7304-688: Was delivered from the United States to the railways of the Soviet Union. In 1947, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) introduced the first of a pair of 1,600 hp (1,200 kW) Co-Co diesel–electric locomotives (later British Rail Class D16/1 ) for regular use in the United Kingdom, although British manufacturers such as Armstrong Whitworth had been exporting diesel locomotives since 1930. Fleet deliveries to British Railways, of other designs such as Class 20 and Class 31, began in 1957. Series production of diesel locomotives in Italy began in

7392-461: Was formerly Diesel Locomotive Works), Varanasi between 1962 and 1998, which made them the most numerous class of mainline diesel locomotive until its successor the WDM-3A. The WDM-2 is one of the most successful locomotives of Indian Railways serving both passenger and freight trains for over 60 years. A few WDM-2 units were exported to neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka and Bangladesh . Despite

7480-400: Was one of the principal design considerations that had to be solved in early diesel–electric locomotive development and, ultimately, led to the complex control systems in place on modern units. The prime mover's power output is primarily determined by its rotational speed ( RPM ) and fuel rate, which are regulated by a governor or similar mechanism. The governor is designed to react to both

7568-494: Was shown suitable for full-size passenger and freight service. Following their 1925 prototype, the AGEIR consortium produced 25 more units of 300 hp (220 kW) "60 ton" AGEIR boxcab switching locomotives between 1925 and 1928 for several New York City railroads, making them the first series-produced diesel locomotives. The consortium also produced seven twin-engine "100 ton" boxcabs and one hybrid trolley/battery unit with

7656-577: Was the first WDM-2 unit to be commissioned. By 1967 the first express trains were being hauled by the WDM-2 instead of steam locomotives. Trains like the Himgiri express and Tamil Nadu express were hauled entirely by WDM-2 units. One of the most important express trains hauled by the WDM-2 class was the Mumbai Rajdhani express. By the 1980s the WDM-2 class was hauling most of the passenger and freight trains in India. The WDM-2 locomotives have

7744-737: Was used on the Hull Docks . In 1896, an oil-engined railway locomotive was built for the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich , England, using an engine designed by Herbert Akroyd Stuart . It was not a diesel, because it used a hot-bulb engine (also known as a semi-diesel), but it was the precursor of the diesel. Rudolf Diesel considered using his engine for powering locomotives in his 1893 book Theorie und Konstruktion eines rationellen Wärmemotors zum Ersatz der Dampfmaschine und der heute bekannten Verbrennungsmotoren ( Theory and Construction of

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