Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW) has turned out a new version of WAP-7 locomotive (WAP-7HS) capable of running at a speed of 160 kilometres per hour as against the present maximum service speed of 140 kilometer per hour of WAP-7.
The locomotive shall be put into service after statuary tests and trials by Ghaziabad shed Northern Railways.
The new type of locomotive is expected to facilitate the operation of premium trains such as Rajdhani, Shatabdi and, Duranto at a higher speed.
The complete design and development of locomotive have been done indigenously at CLW. The necessary simulation and modelling are carried out by CLW in-house.
To enhance the speed of the locomotive, a weight reduction of about 14 tonnes have been carried out. The gear ratio changed from 3.6 (72:20) to 3.2 (70:22). The software modification has been carried out to optimize slip-slide control and tractive effort.
The first locomotive factory of independent India came into existence on 26 January 1950 in Chittaranjan town of West Bengal. Known as Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW), the factory got its name after producing first steam loco - "Deshbandhu" as the homage to a great statesman, Chittaranjan Das.
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Since then, the nation has seen a lot of transformation and so has this indigenous loco-building unit, known as one of the largest locomotive manufacturers in the world under a single roof.
This majestic plant located on Howrah-Patna section has never failed to meet the expectations of the nation. Equipped with state-of-the-art technology, it seamlessly mingles with the highly skilled human workforce in this magnificent workshop.