Indian locomotive class WDS-6

WDS-6
Type and origin Power type Diesel Builder BLW, Central Railway Loco Workshop, Parel Build date 1975+ Total produced WDS-6: 300 WDS-6AD: 111 Rebuilder Parel Workshops
Specifications Configuration: ​  • UIC Co′Co′  • Commonwealth Co-Co Gauge 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) Bogies ALCO Asymmetric cast frame trimount Wheel diameter 1,092 mm (3 ft 7 in) Wheelbase 12.834 m (42 ft 1+1⁄4 in) Length 16.088 m (52 ft 9+3⁄8 in) Width 2.864 m (9 ft 4+3⁄4 in) Height 4.185 m (13 ft 8+3⁄4 in) Axle load 21,000 kg (46,000 lb) Loco weight 113,000 kg (249,000 lb) Fuel type Diesel Fuel capacity 3,000 L (660 imp gal; 790 US gal) Lubricant cap. 530 L (120 imp gal; 140 US gal), 630 L (140 imp gal; 170 US gal) DLW Water cap. 22 L (4.8 imp gal; 5.8 US gal), 28 L (6.2 imp gal; 7.4 US gal) DLW Prime mover Alco 251D RPM range 400-1100 Engine type Inline, 6-cylinder, diesel Aspiration Turbo-supercharged Displacement 267 mm Generator DC Traction motors 6 DC Cylinders 6 Transmission Diesel-electric transmission MU working 2 Loco brake 28LV-1, Air brake for Locomotive using SA-9 brake handle Train brakes Originally vacuum, or air, but some modified to dual
Performance figures Maximum speed 71 km/h (44 mph) Power output Max:1,400 hp (1,000 kW) Site rated:1,300 hp (970 kW) Tractive effort 34.000 t (33 long tons; 37 short tons) maximum 16.050 t (16 long tons; 18 short tons) continuous
Career Operators Indian Railways Locale All over Indian Railways, also leased and sold to some private- and public-sector industrial concerns Current owner Indian Railways, private industries Disposition Active

The Indian locomotive class WDS-6 is a diesel-electric locomotive used by the Indian Railways mainly for shunting and also for performing departmental duties. The model name stands for broad gauge (W), Diesel (D), Shunting (S) engine, 6th generation (6). As of April 2022, 375 units of this class are currently in use all over India.

History

This class was designed in 1975 to address the need for a powerful shunting locomotive with the ability to haul 20- to 24-coach rakes. The previous WDS-4 class was found to be grossly underpowered for this kind of operation. A WDS-6 locomotive basically consists of a YDM-4 powerpack (a 6-cylinder, 4-stroke, inline, turbo-supercharged ALCo engine) mounted on a WDM-2 body frame. Beginning in 1975, these were initially manufactured solely by BLW, Varanasi, but later, the Parel Workshop started building them using CKD (completely-knocked-down) kits provided by DLW. WDS-6 units can be easily recognized by their low short hoods (with two cab windows above these) and flat-ended cabs on the long-hood end. Many of them were sold and transferred to private industrial concerns and public sector undertakings (PSUs) in huge numbers, but still display their IR road numbers.

Locomotive sheds

Total Locomotives active as of April 2023 : 335

Technical specifications

Manufacturers	DLW, Parel Workshop
Engine	Alco 251-D, Inline-6, 1,400 hp (1,000 kW) (1,300 hp or 970 kW site rating) with Alco turbocharged engine. 1,100 rpm max, 400 rpm idle; 228 mm × 267 mm (8.98 in × 10.51 in) bore x stroke; compression ratio 12.5:1.
Transmission	Electric, DC-DC (DC Generator and DC Traction motor)
Traction motors	GE for original Alco and MLW models, BHEL for DLW
Axle load	21 t (21 long tons; 23 short tons)
total weight	113 t (111 long tons; 125 short tons)
Bogies	Alco design cast frame trimount (Co-Co) bogies
Starting TE	34 t (33 long tons; 37 short tons), at adhesion 27%
Length over buffer beams	17,370 mm (56 ft 11+7⁄8 in)
Distance between bogies	10,516 mm (34 ft 6 in)

Gallery

• 
  WDS-6AD locomotive in outer area of Saharanpur Junction.
• 
  A Tondiarpet-based WDS6 locomotive at Chennai Central Station.

See also

• Rail transport in India § History
• Locomotives of India
• Rail transport in India
• Indian locomotive class YDM-4

Bibliography

• Hughes, Hugh (1996). Indian Locomotives: Part 4 – 1941–1990. Harrow, Middlesex: The Continental Railway Circle. ISBN 0-9521655-1-1. OCLC 35135033.

References

• RDSO document for WDS-6(archived copy)
• https://www.irfca.org/faq/faq-loco2d.html
• https://www.irfca.org/faq/faq-specs.html#WDS-6
• https://www.irfca.org/apps/locos/list