Ankit Kumar 002
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The lesser known hunks of Indian Railways !
Ask any Indian today with a bit of interest in Railways about the most powerful locomotive in IR fleet , and he will not delay in saying the name " WAG 9" , true but it was not the same earlier.
Even today they are the most powerful non 3 phase locomotive in Indian Railway and probably in the world.
Yes talking about WAG 6.
Powered by 6 motors generating 6110HP, they were delivered from ASEA and Hitachi in variants WAG 6A and WAG 6B/C respectively. Close to extinction today only 11 are operational.
They had some very unique features among its other locomotive cousins serving Indian Railways .
One was Bo-Bo-Bo wheel arrangement ( Co-Co and Bo-Bo are prevalent in India ) .
3 Sets of such wheel sets for 1 locomotive.
Second unique thing is vestibules in the locomotive , something which we see in the coaches .
You can see the open vestibule doors of the loco here.
Did you knew that Sweden ( From where WAG 6A were imported ) built a broad gauge line to test the locomotive ? Delivery was to Göteborg harbour on standard-gauge bogies, where they were fitted with broad-gauge bogies before they were placed on board.
Some Technicalities ....
Six bogie-mounted separately excited DC traction motors are used, and speed control is via the manipulation of the phase angle by a thyristor converter and a separately powered field coil. Microprocessor control with ground speed detection (slip control) and creep control system to maximize adhesion. Air brakes for loco and train; dynamic brakes provided. WAG-6A and WAG-6B locos have Bo-Bo-Bo wheel arrangements, whereas the WAG-6C locos have a Co-Co arrangement.
Traction Motors:
ASEA make (WAG-6A), L3 M 450-2. Six motors, fully suspended, force-ventilated, separately excited, 3100kg ;
(WAG-6B) Hitachi HS 15556-OIR, bogie mounted, force-ventilated, compound-wound, 3200kg ; (WAG-6C) Hitachi HS 15256-UIR, axle-hung nose-suspended, force-ventilated, compound-wound, 3650kg.
Transformer: (WAG-6A) ASEA: TMZ 21, 7533kVA; (WAG-6B/C) Hitachi AFIC-MS, 6325kVA.
Thyristor controller: (WAG-6A) 24 YST 45-26P24C thyristors each with 24 YSD35-OIP26 diodes, 2x511V, 2x4500A; (WAG-6B/C) 32 CGOIDA thyristors each with 24 DSP2500A diodes. 2x720A, 850V.
Pantographs: (WAG-6A) Two Stemman BS 95; (WAG-6B/C) Two Faiveley LV2600
Now you may wonder why didn't we went ahead and built more of these in India ?
The answer is
1.) Introduction of better 3PHASE technology in the form of WAP5 and WAG9.
2.)Cheaper costs of our own DC motor locomotives , though of older tech , they are highly reliable and rugged .
All WAG-6 locos were are at Vishakhapatnam and have generally been used for ore freights and material trains on the Kirandul-Kottavalasa line. Until about 1999 or 2000, they were in regular service, although maintenance problems began affecting their service from about 1997. Later, repeated problems have been experienced with the unavailability of spare parts which kept them from getting needed periodic overhauls.
Some of them still are utilised , while others stand and are scavenged so their brothers carry on.
If you are lucky , a visit to the line may find you a MUed WAG6 couple hauling an ore rake.....
They will eventually be replaced by green monsters hauling the ores....
Some Details and Pics taken from IRFCA and others.
Ask any Indian today with a bit of interest in Railways about the most powerful locomotive in IR fleet , and he will not delay in saying the name " WAG 9" , true but it was not the same earlier.
Even today they are the most powerful non 3 phase locomotive in Indian Railway and probably in the world.
Yes talking about WAG 6.
Powered by 6 motors generating 6110HP, they were delivered from ASEA and Hitachi in variants WAG 6A and WAG 6B/C respectively. Close to extinction today only 11 are operational.
They had some very unique features among its other locomotive cousins serving Indian Railways .
One was Bo-Bo-Bo wheel arrangement ( Co-Co and Bo-Bo are prevalent in India ) .
3 Sets of such wheel sets for 1 locomotive.
Second unique thing is vestibules in the locomotive , something which we see in the coaches .
You can see the open vestibule doors of the loco here.
Did you knew that Sweden ( From where WAG 6A were imported ) built a broad gauge line to test the locomotive ? Delivery was to Göteborg harbour on standard-gauge bogies, where they were fitted with broad-gauge bogies before they were placed on board.
Some Technicalities ....
Six bogie-mounted separately excited DC traction motors are used, and speed control is via the manipulation of the phase angle by a thyristor converter and a separately powered field coil. Microprocessor control with ground speed detection (slip control) and creep control system to maximize adhesion. Air brakes for loco and train; dynamic brakes provided. WAG-6A and WAG-6B locos have Bo-Bo-Bo wheel arrangements, whereas the WAG-6C locos have a Co-Co arrangement.
Traction Motors:
ASEA make (WAG-6A), L3 M 450-2. Six motors, fully suspended, force-ventilated, separately excited, 3100kg ;
(WAG-6B) Hitachi HS 15556-OIR, bogie mounted, force-ventilated, compound-wound, 3200kg ; (WAG-6C) Hitachi HS 15256-UIR, axle-hung nose-suspended, force-ventilated, compound-wound, 3650kg.
Transformer: (WAG-6A) ASEA: TMZ 21, 7533kVA; (WAG-6B/C) Hitachi AFIC-MS, 6325kVA.
Thyristor controller: (WAG-6A) 24 YST 45-26P24C thyristors each with 24 YSD35-OIP26 diodes, 2x511V, 2x4500A; (WAG-6B/C) 32 CGOIDA thyristors each with 24 DSP2500A diodes. 2x720A, 850V.
Pantographs: (WAG-6A) Two Stemman BS 95; (WAG-6B/C) Two Faiveley LV2600
Now you may wonder why didn't we went ahead and built more of these in India ?
The answer is
1.) Introduction of better 3PHASE technology in the form of WAP5 and WAG9.
2.)Cheaper costs of our own DC motor locomotives , though of older tech , they are highly reliable and rugged .
All WAG-6 locos were are at Vishakhapatnam and have generally been used for ore freights and material trains on the Kirandul-Kottavalasa line. Until about 1999 or 2000, they were in regular service, although maintenance problems began affecting their service from about 1997. Later, repeated problems have been experienced with the unavailability of spare parts which kept them from getting needed periodic overhauls.
Some of them still are utilised , while others stand and are scavenged so their brothers carry on.
If you are lucky , a visit to the line may find you a MUed WAG6 couple hauling an ore rake.....
They will eventually be replaced by green monsters hauling the ores....
Some Details and Pics taken from IRFCA and others.