CLW passed EBD trial conducted by Research Design & Standard Organisation

Kolkata: A 9000 HP WAG-9HH electric loco built by Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW) has successfully passed the Oscillation and Emergency Braking Distance (EBD) trial by Research Design & Standard Organisation.
"RDSO, Lucknow issued the final speed certificate last Saturday for operation of WAG-9HH class of locomotives with maximum speed of 100 kmph on Indian Railways track," an official statement from CLW said.

The loco is equipped with a number of advanced features. This includes upgradation of power of present WAP-7 & WAG-9H loco of 6000HP to 9000HP, upgradation of traction converter, transformer with higher capacity, upgradation of traction motor with high horsepower. The frame of loco has also been upgraded to suit the upgraded equipments.

Post-upgration to 9000 HP, the loco will be able to have better acceleration reserve at higher speed, it will increase line capacity and allow right powering of trains while hauling heavier freight trains.

It will be put into service after obtaining statutory approval from Cmiissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), the statement added. CLW produced this high power locomotive on December 21, 2019 and trials were conducted between January 31, 2020 and February 26, 2020 on Northern Railways.

The present cost of each WAG-9HH (9000HP) loco comes around Rs 11 crore which is about one crore higher than regular WAG-9H(6000HP) loco produced by CLW. WAG-9HH (9000HP) loco is only for freight service, however CLW is also working on passenger version of 9000HP of WAP-7 type loco which will be produced soon by it.

Last month, CLW had created a world record by producing the highest number of locomotives in a financial year. In the financial year 2019-20, the factory manufactured as many as 431 locomotives despite of lockdown.

With this, CLW had surpassed its own record of producing a number of 402 locos in the financial year 2018-19. According to the national transporter, over the last six years, there has been a jump of 75% in production of locomotives by the factory, from 250 locomotives in 2014-15 to 431 locomotives in 2019-20.

With improved supply chain management, the factory has been able to achieve this record in fiscal 2019-20 by consistently rolling out an average of 40 locomotives per month since July 2019.