Sabarmati Loco Shed To Get WAG-12 Maintenance Infrastructure At ₹113.63 Crore

Infrastructure developed for the maintenance of high-capacity WAG-12 electric locomotives at the Sabarmati Electric Loco Shed under Western Railway’s Ahmedabad Division will be inaugurated on September 27.

The facilities, developed at an estimated cost of ₹113.63 crore, have been established to support the homing and maintenance of up to 300 WAG-12 High Horsepower (HHP) electric locomotives.

The overall development of the shed to accommodate the homing and maintenance of 300 WAG-12 locomotives is estimated to cost around ₹700 crore.

Modern Maintenance Facilities Added

The WAG-12 locomotives, manufactured by Alstom, have a capacity of approximately 12,000 horsepower and are designed to haul heavy and long-distance freight trains.

To meet their maintenance requirements, the Sabarmati shed has been expanded and equipped with several modern facilities.

These include a state-of-the-art repair facility, bogie drop pit, wheel maintenance facility and an automatic locomotive washing plant. OHE, electrical and telecommunication installations have also been developed as part of the project.

According to Western Railway, the facilities have been designed keeping future maintenance requirements in mind.

WDG-5 Locomotives Get Technical Upgrades

Along with infrastructure development, technical improvements have also been carried out at the Sabarmati shed.

The starting system of the WDG-5 locomotive has been converted from a pneumatic system to an electric system.

A modified turbo-supercharger, originally adapted from the WDG-4 locomotive, has also been successfully used in the WDG-5 locomotive.

According to the Railways, these modifications demonstrate the technical capability and innovative work being undertaken at the Sabarmati shed.

Shed Performance Exceeds Targets

The Sabarmati Locomotive Shed has been performing above established standards and targets, with emphasis on quality, reliability and efficiency in locomotive maintenance.

The new facilities are expected to strengthen the shed’s capacity to handle the maintenance requirements of high-powered freight locomotives.

WAG-12: Key Features

The WAG-12 has a power output of 9,000 kilowatts, equivalent to around 12,000 horsepower. The locomotive is manufactured at the Electric Locomotive Factory in Madhepura, Bihar, under a joint venture between Alstom and Indian Railways.

The locomotive is designed to haul heavy freight trains at speeds of up to 100 kmph, with the potential to increase the maximum speed to 120 kmph in the future.

It is a twin-section locomotive comprising two permanently coupled units, A and B, enabling it to haul heavy freight trains.

The loco-pilot's cabin is equipped with facilities including air conditioning, a toilet and a food warmer.