Indian locomotive class WDS-3 (original) (raw)

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Indian locomotive class WDS-3
Type and originPower typeDiesel-hydraulicBuilderMaschinenbau KielSerial number600330–600336[1]Model650 C[1]Build date1961Total produced7RebuilderCLWRebuild date1976–1978Number rebuiltAll 7
SpecificationsConfiguration:​ • UICC • Commonwealth0-6-0dhGauge1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)Wheel diameter1,092 mm (3 ft 7 in)Length:​ • Over couplers10.700 m (35 ft 1+1⁄4 in) • Over body9.430 m (30 ft 11+1⁄4 in)Width3.030 m (9 ft 11+5⁄16 in)Height4.267 m (14 ft 0 in)Loco weight57 tonnes (56 long tons; 63 short tons)Fuel typeDieselEngine type_WDS-3_Maybach MD 435_WDS-4C_MaK MaK 6 M 282 A(K)
Performance figuresMaximum speed_Mainline gear:_ 65 km/h (40 mph)Shunting: 27 km/h (17 mph)Power output_WDS-3_618 hp (461 kW)_WDS-4C_700 hp (520 kW)Tractive effortMainline gear: 11,500 kgf (113,000 N; 25,000 lbf)Shunting: 18,000 kgf (180,000 N; 40,000 lbf)
CareerOperatorsIndian RailwaysNumbers19046–19052LocaleAll over Indian RailwaysDispositionAll scrapped

The class WDS-3 was a diesel-hydraulic locomotive used by Indian Railways for shunting and doing departmental work. The model name stands for broad gauge (W), diesel (D), shunting (S) 3rd generation (3). The WDS-3 is used mostly in the Northern Railway Zone (NR). All these locomotives were withdrawn and scrapped by the late 1990s.

The history of WDS-3 class starts in the early 1960s with the aim of the Indian Railways to address the growing requirement for a new shunting locomotive class. These locomotives were designed by Maschinenbau Kiel (MaK) to the specifications set by the Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO).[2] Many aspects of this locomotive were taken from the DB Class V 60. They use Suri hydrodynamic transmission developed for these diesel locomotives and were designed as shunting-cum-shuttle service locomotives.[2] For this purpose, the reversing gear box attached to the Suri transmission was designed to have two gear stages; in the lower gear, designated as "shunting gear", the locomotive was designated to have a maximum speed of 27 km/h and in the higher speed gear designated as "mainline gear", the maximum locomotive speed was 65 km/h.[3] The locomotive was fit for both shunting and mainline type of services up to a limited speed of 65 km/h.[3] Subsequently, it was decided to manufacture locomotives of similar type ingeniously by Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW). These locomotives are designated as WDS-4 class.

When the lot of 7 WDS3 shunters came, initially they had a lot of troubles with these locomotives, but the trouble was confined more to the power pack than to the transmission.[_citation needed_] But in course of time, going into detail about the troubles that were being experienced and the mechanics were able to get over a lot of these difficulties and in-fact the transmission was also modified to suit with the engine.[_citation needed_] Between 1976 and 1978 all seven units were rebuilt to WDS-4B specifications by CLW, and received a new engine and a simplified transmission. These units were reclassified as WDS-4Cs. By 1990s all units were withdrawn from service and were scrapped.[4]

  1. ^ a b "MaK - 650 C für die Indian Railways (IR)". loks-aus-kiel.de (in German). Lok-Datenbank.de. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
  2. ^ a b Anees Siddiqui (March 2014). "Application of hydraulic based transmission system in Indian locomotives- A Review". Government Industrial Training Institute. ResearchGate. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
  3. ^ a b "WDS-3". IRFCA.org. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
  4. ^ "All Locos". IRFCA.org. Retrieved December 10, 2023.