Indian locomotive class WAG-7

WAG-7
AJJ based WAG-7 roaming light near Erode.
Type and origin Power type Electric Builder Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW), Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL). Build date 1990–2015(CLW) 2009–2023(BHEL) Total produced 1773 (CLW) 201 (BHEL) 1974
Specifications Configuration: ​  •  UIC Co′Co′ Gauge 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) Bogies ALCO Fabricated Wheel diameter New:1,092 mm (3 ft 7 in), Half worn:1,055 mm (3 ft 5+1⁄2 in) and Full worn:1,016 mm (3 ft 4 in) Wheelbase 3.8 m (12 ft 5+5⁄8 in) Length 20.934 m (68 ft 8+1⁄8 in) Width 3.179 m (10 ft 5+1⁄8 in) Height WAG-7 : 4.185 m (13 ft 8+3⁄4 in) [1] WAG-7H : 4.135 m (13 ft 6+3⁄4 in) [2] Axle load WAG-7 : 20.5 tonnes (20.2 long tons; 22.6 short tons) WAG-7H : 22 tonnes (22 long tons; 24 short tons) Loco weight WAG-7 : 123 tonnes (121 long tons; 136 short tons) WAG-7H : 132 tonnes (130 long tons; 146 short tons) Electric system/s 25 kV 50 Hz AC Overhead Current pickup(s) pantograph Traction motors WAG-7 : Hitachi HS15250A WAG-7H : Hitachi HS15250G MU working 4 Loco brake Air, Hand and Rheostatic (Friction) Train brakes Air, Vacuum and Dual Safety systems Slip control, Main overload relay, Over voltage relay, No volt relay, Earth fault relay, Low pressure governor, Vacuum Control Governor, Train parting alarms and Brake cylinder cutoff valve
Performance figures Maximum speed 105 km/h (65 mph) Power output Max : 5,350 hp (3,990 kW) Continuous : 5,000 hp (3,730 kW) Tractive effort WAG-7 starting : 48 tons WAG-7 continuous : 45 tons? WAG-7H starting : 91 tons? Factor of adh. 0.345
Career Operators Indian Railways Numbers WAG-7 : 27001-27999, 28000-28770, 24501-24701 WAG-7H : 28024 and 28739 Nicknames SHANTIDAN, EKTA, KARAMVIR, GAJRAJ, SWARNABHA, SARVOTTAM, SAMARPAN, CAUVERY, SAMRAT, PRAYAS & AGRASAR Locale All over India Disposition active

The Indian locomotive class WAG-7 is a class of 25 kV AC electric locomotives that was developed in 1990 by Chittaranjan Locomotive Works for Indian Railways. The model name stands for broad gauge (W), alternating current (A), goods traffic (G) engine, 7th generation (7). They entered service in 1992. A total of 1974 WAG-7 were built at CLW and BHEL between 1990 and 2015 by CLW and 2009 and 2023 by BHEL which made them the most numerous class of mainline electric locomotive till its successor the WAG-9.

The WAG-7 is one of the most successful locomotives of Indian Railways,^{[ peacock prose ]} serving freight trains since its introduction in 1990. Even though with the advent of new 3-phase locomotives like WAG-9 and WAG-12, all WAG-7 locomotives except ones destroyed in accidents, are in service and doing all types of duties.

History

The history of WAG-7 begins in the early 1990s with the aim of addressing the shortcomings of the previous WAG-5 class and remove steam locomotives from IR by a target date of 1990. ^[3] The WAG-5 though were great successes, had become underpowered to meet the growing demands of the Indian Railways. So in early 1990s IR decided to look for a successor the WAG-5 class. The required specification was of a 5000 horsepower locomotive.

Initially, the Indian railways invited tenders to build locomotives to the new specification. The following responses were received:

• CLW submitted their upgraded WAG-5 model with 5000 hp with Co-Co bogies.
• BHEL submitted a 5000 hp locomotive with thyristors control and Co-Co bogies.

Each company submitted their prototypes and Indian Railways designated these prototypes as the WAG-7 class and WAG-8 class respectively. ^[4] Technologically thyristor controlled BHEL WAG-8 was meant to be superior to the WAG-7 which was effectively using tap-changer technology from the 1960s. But due to issues from WAG-8, WAG-7 was selected for mass production.

However, even before the WAG-7 another type of electric locomotive was imported from ASEA in 1988. This locomotive was classified as WAG-6A. However WAG-6As were not selected for mass production because emergence of 3 Phase AC locomotives. ^[5]

Locomotive sheds

Zone	Name	Shed Code	Quantity
Central Railway	Kalyan	KYNE	68+42M
	Bhusawal	BSLL	25
Eastern Railway	Asansol	ASNL	20
	Bardhaman	BWNX	56
	Jamalpur	JMPD	22
East Central Railway	Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya	DDU	90
		DDUX	83
	Samastipur	SPJD	30
East Coast Railway	Angul	ANGE	190
Northern Railway	Khanalampura	KJGE	16
	Lucknow	AMVD	53
North Central Railway	Jhansi	JHSE	113
		JHSD	20
North Eastern Railway	Gonda	GDDX	80
Southern Railway	Erode	EDE	94
		EDDX	28
South Central Railway	Kazipet	KZJD	140
	Guntakal	GTLE	180
South Eastern Railway	Bondamunda	BNDX	34
	Bokaro Steel City	IPTE	101
	Kharagpur	KGPE	202
South East Central Railway	Raipur	RPDX	150
Western Railway	Vatva	VTAD	10
	Ratlam	RTMD	58
West Central Railway	New Katni Jn.	NKJD	96
Total Locomotives Active as of February 2025 [6]			2001

• Key : M -> WAG-7M (Formerly known as WCAM-3)

an Old-style WAG-7 with a flatnose at Kochuveli station

See also

• Indian Railways
• Locomotives of India
• Rail transport in India

References

1. "Trainweb WAG-7".
2. "Trainweb WAG-7H".
3. "Report of the expert Committee on Coal Consumption on Railways, 1958". INDIAN CULTURE. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
4. "[IRFCA] Indian Railways FAQ: Locomotives - General Information - I". www.irfca.org. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
5. "The WAG Series". 24 Coaches. 30 October 2013. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
6. "e-Locos" (PDF).

External links

• Specifications
• India railway fan club