GE wins $2.6 billion order to supply 1,000 diesel locomotives to Indian Railways

[HariPrasad]

1000 Engines is a huge Order....

But i thought India made locomotives herself?
what happened to that?

May be these are very high power engines not manufactured by India. These are the engines capable of running the train with more than 20 coaches at a speed of 250 kM+.

 

[Ankit Kumar]

I know, but lots of rail line exists that can and should be electrified...and the pace was very slow for those that have been electrified if you look at the history. It has taken a lot of money out of the country by way of import margins of diesel.

Actually it would be interesting to see what learned members opinion/knowledge is on how much actual electrification has taken place over the total possible length that can be...because I may be out of date/unaware since I am going by what my father told me of the projects during his youth during the heavy socialist/centralist days.



Where will these be produced? Both Alstom and GE have likely chosen Bihar it seems.

Sir I am not having the link now but you can download the pink book , a document of railways budget. It would give you exact figures.

 

[anant_s]

Do you know how many of the 1000 GE Diesels will be split between 6000 and 4500 HP models?

Out of 1000 locomotives, 100 will be supplied in assembled and semi assembled condition by GE. 900 will be produced at Marhaura factory.
The breakup is 700:300 (4500 HP and 6000 HP).
Rail ministry awards Rs 14,656-cr Marhowra locomotive project to GE | Business Standard News

Plus I am reading that 800 is the order book for the Alstom Electric locos. Is that the figure you have too?

800 is correct figure. These will be produced at Madhepura factory (Bihar).

Mammoth Locomotive-factory projects of IR at Madhepura & Marhowra finally ready to see the light of day | RailNews Media India Ltd
Alstom declared L1 Bidder in Indian Railways Locomotives project | RailNews Media India Ltd

 

[Ankit Kumar]

May be these are very high power engines not manufactured by India. These are the engines capable of running the train with more than 20 coaches at a speed of 250 kM+.

Sir 180km/hr is the target now. And electrics will be used to achieve them.
Almost all our locomotives, presently in our inventory can haul a 26 coach train singlehandedly.

 

[jung41]

1000 Engines is a huge Order....

But i thought India made locomotives herself?
what happened to that?

Yup India make locomotives but current production facility is limited also older design engines

 

[anant_s]

how much actual electrification has taken place over the total possible length that can be...

Both Alstom and GE have likely chosen Bihar it seems.

The sites in Marhaura (Diesel) and Madhepura were chosen by Government and not the contractor. The reason for that is both the locos are for Eastern DFC at the moment.
9000 HP Japanese loco will have maintenance facility at Rewari (Haryana) and out of 200 proposed around 140 will be built in India at Dankuni West Bengal. Rest will come assembled from Japan.

 

[Ankit Kumar]

@Nilgiri

These 9000 HP will be produced by CLW only , a new site will be made in Dakuni near Chittranjan for it.

 

[anant_s]

These are the engines capable of running the train with more than 20 coaches at a speed of 250 kM+.

Not now. Only WAP 5 is capable of running at 225 kph (unfortunately the max speed possible for any track right now is New Delhi Agra Cantt at 200 kph. Also load limitation is 16-18 LHB coaches.

For heavier trains WAP 7(6,350 HP) is employed, but its max speed is limited to 140 kph.
Trials with coupled WAP 5 units is in progress (to increase available HP to 11,000) but ultimately we will need at HHP 8 axle loco for 200+ kph consistent speed.

 

[Nilgiri]

So about 30% increase in electrification this current decade. Nice.

Does the 2020 Vision correspond to electrification of 100% of the line that is feasible (26000 km) or is there still a substantial chunk left to be done later? If so are there any estimates as to what the total foreseeable length of feasible electrified line is.

 

[Ankit Kumar]

Also untill the NDLS CNB MGS PNBE corridor is decongested. High speed trains will not that much useful. They will be for only namesake.

 

[Nilgiri]

Also untill the NDLS CNB MGS PNBE corridor is decongested. High speed trains will not that much useful. They will be for only namesake.

Thats why I have good faith in our Railway minister. He is actually talking about tackling these issues instead of introducing the same old repackaged schemes and new trains for some typical vested interests.

Finally basic capacity issues and operating margins are being tackled head on.

I breathed a sigh of relief when the rumors he was going to be replaced were squashed.

 

[Echo_419]

If India has the capacity to build locomotives, why do we need GE to build them here ?

GOI seems spending the money lavishly when home grown engines are sufficient. It do not make any sense to buy these locomotives, instead they should have bought technology which is lacking here and then build the locomotives here.

India is not a growth engine for the corp orates, India's potential must be used to uplift this region. Corp-orates move from one region to other where they find profit and opportunities, in short they are the stooges of US and West.

If GOI wants to push for real development then they should concentrate on bringing technology and establishing R&D and manufacturing base like China here in India.

Shopping them and building some of the components will not make any progress nor it will help the Make in India program. These deals will only help those corp-orates who will close their factories once the returns stops coming.

We don't manufacture these type of engines

 

[anant_s]

So about 30% increase in electrification this current decade. Nice.

Does the 2020 Vision correspond to electrification of 100% of the line that is feasible (26000 km) or is there still a substantial chunk left to be done later? If so are there any estimates as to what the total foreseeable length of feasible electrified line is.

100% electrification is neither possible nor feasible. the reason is return on equity which is low in several areas.
the criteria for choosing a line for electrification are:

1. traffic moving on line.
2. line throughout or congestion.
3. missing link
4. special reasons like steep gradients.

railways today pay close to Rs. 4.50 per unit electricity and therefore at several locations where traffic isn't high, return on capital cost and running expenditure donot justify electric traction.

 

[Echo_419]

I know India makes CNG locos to... But still if India can make 4500 HP locos invest some money to build a plant of 6000 HP Locos cheaper engines more people will get jobs etc

Demand can be meet all it needs money and India has plenty of it...

IF 1000 engine are coming with JV then the best deal

Uncle we don't manufacture 4,500 HP locos
2nd even if we did,we cannot make locos better than GE.also GE will export from this facility & help Indian industry grow

 

[Nilgiri]

100% electrification is neither possible nor feasible. the reason is return on equity which is low in several areas.
the criteria for choosing a line for electrification are:

1. traffic moving on line.
2. line throughout or congestion.
3. missing link
4. special reasons like steep gradients.

railways today pay close to Rs. 4.50 per unit electricity and therefore at several locations where traffic isn't high, return on capital cost and running expenditure donot justify electric traction.

Yup I understand this. I'm just wondering what is the % of the total railway length that is feasible for electrification as it stands right now (an estimate e.g 50%). Then we can compare the Vision 2020 with that figure.