Alstom-built 12,000 HP electric locomotives become the fastest freight movers in India. Credit: © Alstom.

Indian Railways has approved Alstom’s WAG 12B e-locos to haul freight trains at a maximum speed of 120km/h.

The approval from the Ministry of Railways and Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) makes these 12,000 HP e-locos the fastest freight movers in the country.

Indian Railways started inducting the electric locomotives earlier this year. Cumulatively, these WAG 12B e-locos have travelled one million kilometres on Indian tracks.

Alstom India & South Asia managing director Alain Spohr said: “The approval from RDSO is indeed a matter of pride for all of us at Alstom and a testimony of our technical expertise in partnership with the Indian Railways.

“In line with India’s push towards self-reliance, we have successfully leveraged our local engineering and manufacturing capabilities. Alstom is also committed to support Indian Railways in reducing its carbon footprint and adopt cleaner technologies in its quest to transform into the world’s largest Green Railway network.”

Indian Railways plans to deploy these electric locomotives on major freight routes, including dedicated freight corridors (DFCs).

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData

Tick here to opt out of curated industry news, reports, and event updates from Railway Technology.

Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

It is expected that the WAG 12B e-locos will increase the average speed of freight trains by at least 20km/h – 25km/h to enable faster hauling.

Spohr added: “Equipped with insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBT)-based propulsion technology, it would lead to considerable savings in energy consumption due to use of regenerative braking.

“The technology is also helpful towards making the acceleration process more efficient by reducing the heat generation and traction noise. Additionally, this move will not only bring down operational costs, but also reduce the congestion faced by Indian Railways.”

Recently, Alstom, a French multinational rolling stock manufacturer, secured a contract to deliver 49 Citadis trams to Nantes.