The Southern Railway on Wednesday inducted into its fleet the first WAP-7 broad gauge electric locomotive. Built by the Chittaranjan Locomotive Works, the advanced 6000 Horsepower locomotive has a potential to conserve energy.
According to railway sources, the salient feature of the WAP-7 locomotive is its capacity to regenerate energy lost while braking.
When deployed on down gradient sections, the locomotive would conserve energy to the tune of 30-35 per cent.
In-built system
It has an inbuilt microprocessor-based fault diagnostic system for easy troubleshooting.
With a maximum speed of 160 kmph, the locomotive has an acceleration capacity to attain 110 kmph in six minutes while hauling a 24-coach train.
“We are already operating WAP-7 locomotives drawn from Secunderabad in the Chennai-Bangalore stretch. Southern Railway is likely to get a few locomotives of this class and the first one rolled out on Wednesday.
It is faster compared to the conventional electric locomotives,” a senior railway official said.
General Manager (in-charge) A.K. Mittal flagged off the WAP-7 locomotive at the Royapuram loco shed here in the presence of Additional General Manager G. Narayanan and Chief Electrical Engineer M.C. Murali, railway sources added.
