Indian Railways makes history by converting diesel into electric locomotive

Monday March 05, 2018 , 2 min Read

An Indian Railways production unit in Varanasi, Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW), recently created history. It used an indigenous technology to convert diesel loco into electric loco, under the ‘Make In India’ initiative.

The authorities at DLW have claimed that it is the first time in the world that a locomotive has been converted from diesel to electric traction. This project- from its ideation to execution- was completed in only 69 days. According to Times of India, Nitin Mehrotra, who is the chief public relation officer at DLW, said,

It was a great challenge accomplished in a short span of time. The work on this project was started on December 22, 2017 and the locomotive was successfully rolled out on February 28, 2018.

The new engine made under the ‘Make In India’ initiative can deliver 5,000 HP, that is 92 percent more than the older version of locomotive, which can only deliver 2,600 HP. One ‘permanently coupled 12-axle, electric locomotive’, that can deliver 10,000 HP, is being made from two diesel locomotives.

While speaking with the Financial Express, a senior railway official said,

The older diesel locomotive had 3,200 HP, but on track it was 2,600 HP. In case of electric there is no loss of HP and two engines are required, so two 5,000 HP locos are being coupled to yield an 10,000 HP.

The project, which is being spearheaded by the first woman GM of DLW, Rashmi Goyel, is a positive step towards carbon emission reduction by introducing a new-age technology in the Indian Railways. A team of engineers from Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. (BHEL), Chiitaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW), Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO), and DLW, worked together on this cutting-edge project. The project, still in its prototype stage, will go through further testings for improvement.

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