Indian locomotive class WAP-4

WAP-4
WAP-4 belonging to Royapuram Electric Shed hauling train number 12644 Swarna Jayanti Express to Thiruvananthapuram
Type and origin Power type Electric
Specifications Gauge 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm)
Performance figures Power output 5,350 hp (3,989 kW) Tractive effort 32000 kg/force

WAP-4 is one of the most important electric locomotives used in India. It is a very powerful class, capable of hauling 26 coaches at a speed of 140 km/h (they have a max speed of 175 km/h). It is also among the most widely used locomotives.

The locomotive was developed, after a previous class WAP-1 was found inadequate to haul the longer, heavier express trains(24-26 coaches) that were becoming the mainstay of the Indian Railways network. It was introduced in 1994, with a similar bodyshell to the WAP-1 class, but with Hitachi traction motors developing 5000 hp (5350 hp starting).

Electricals are traditional DC loco type tap changers, driving 6 traction motors arranged in Co-Co fashion. This locomotive has proved to be highly successful, with over 700 units in service and more being produced. Newer examples have been fitted with Microprocessor Controlled diagnostics, Static Converter units (instead of arnos) and roof mounted Dynamic (Rheostatic) Brakes.

The locomotive can be seen in service across the electrified network of Indian Railways and are homed at 13 sheds (depots).

Sheds Holding WAP-4

A Howrah WAP-4 22291 at Agra Fort Railway Station

• Erode (ED)
• Howrah (HWH)
• Kanpur (CNB)
• Ghaziabad (GZB)
• Vadodara (BRC)
• Lallaguda (LGD)
• Royapuram (RPM)
• Ludhiana (LDH)
• Santragachi (SRC)
• Mughalsarai (MGS)
• Bhusawal (BSL)
• Itarsi (ET)

Design

WAP-4 loco belonging to Electric Loco Shed,Erode

The loco has a streamlined twin cab carbody design, with top-mounted headlamps. The first 150 or so units had the headlamp mounted at waist level, with the lights being mounted in a protruding nacelle. Later on the headlamps were placed in a recessed nacelle, and from road # 22579 onward, the headlamps were moved to the top. Newer locos also feature larger windshields, more spacious driver cabin with bucket type seats and ergonomic controls. The control panel also features a mix of digital and analog displays in newer units (all analog display in older versions).

The loco features higher power rated silicon rectifiers and indigenously-designed 5400kVA transformer coupled with Hitachi HS15250 traction motors. Starting power is 5,350 hp (3,990 kW), with 5,000 hp (3,700 kW) being supplied continuously.

Original units were weighed 120 tonnes, which was brought down to 112 tonnes through the usage of lighter material.

Some WAP-1 and WAP-6 units were rebuilt to WAP-4 specifications after replacing the bogies & electricals.

Performance

It is used to haul the premier Rajdhani & Shatabdi expresses at 140 km/h. In trials, the locomotive has achieved a top speed of 169.5 km/h, though Indian Railways limits its top speed to 145 km/h.

With a 24 coach passenger train, the acceleration time / distances are:

110 km/h - 338 seconds (6.8 km)

120 km/h - 455 seconds (10.5 km)

130 km/h - 741 seconds (20.5 km)

Starting Tractive Effort (Te) - 32000 kg/force

Technical specifications

Technical Specifications of WAP-4

Manufacturers	Chittaranjan locomotive works
Traction Motors	Hitachi HS15250
Gear Ratio	23:58 (One loco, #22559, is said to have a 23:59 ratio.)
Transformer	5400 kVA, 32 taps
Two silicon rectifiers, (ratings?).
Axle load	18.8 t
Bogies	Co-Co Flexicoil Mark 1 cast bogies; primary and secondary wheel springs with bolsters
Pantographs	Two Stone India (Calcutta) AM-12.
Current Ratings	1000 A for 10 min, 900 A continuous

A Kanpur WAP-4 22252

Chennai Rajdhani hauled by a Lallaguda WAP-4 22316

WAP-4 at Varkala Sivagiri Station in Kerala

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• Amravati Mumbai Superfast Express (BSL WAP-4)
• Vidarbha Express (BSL WAP-4)
• Patna Rajdhani Express (Mughalsarai WAP-4)
• Jaipur Superfast Express (Vadodara or Erode WAP -4)
• Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express (Ghaziabad WAP-4)
• Jharkhand Swarn Jayanti Express (Ghaziabad WAP-4)
• Hatia-Howrah Express (Santragachi WAP-4)
• Grand Trunk Express (Erode WAP-4)
• Tamil Nadu Express (Erode WAP-4)
• Poorva Express (Howrah WAP-4)
• Karnataka Express (Kanpur WAP-4)
• Kerala Express (Erode WAP-4)
• Brindavan Express (Erode WAP-4)
• Sachkhand Express (Ludhiana / Ghaziabad WAP-4)
• Mewar Express (Vadodara WAP-4)
• Poorva Express (Howrah WAP-4)
• Rapti Sagar Express (Erode / Royapuram WAP-4)
• Golden Temple Mail (former Frontier Mail) (Vadodara / Ghaziabad WAP-4)
• Malwa Express (Ghaziabad WAP-4)
• Kota Jan Shatabdi Express (Vadodara WAP-4)
• Coromandel Express (Santragachchi / Erode WAP-4)
• Gondwana Express (Bhusawal WAP-4)
• Lichchavi Express (Kanpur WAP-4)
• Lalbagh Express (Erode WAP-4)
• Gomti Express (Kanpur WAP-4)
• Shreedham Express (Itarsi WAP-4)
• Geetanjali Express (Santragachi WAP-4)
• East Coast Express (Santragachi/Lallaguda WAP-4)
• Chennai Mail (Erode WAP-4)
• Vaishali Express (Kanpur WAP-4)
• Shivganga Express (Kanpur WAP-4)
• Magadh Express (Ghaziabad WAP-4)
• Mithila Express (Howrah WAP-4)
• Doon Express (Howrah WAP-4)
• Anga Express (Howrah WAP-4)
• South Bihar Express (Howrah WAP-4)
• Shram Shakti Express (Ghaziabad WAP-4)
• Jagannath Express (Santragachi WAP-4)
• Howrah Puri Duronto Express (Santragachi WAP-4)
• Karnataka Sampark Kranti Express (Erode WAP-4)
• Andhra Pradesh Sampark Kranti Express (Lallaguda WAP-4)
• Tamil Nadu Sampart Kranti Express (Erode WAP-4)
• Madhya Pradesh Sampark Kranti Express (Ghaziabad / Itarsi WAP-4)
• Goa Sampark Kranti Express (Vadodara WAP-4)
• Janata Express (Howrah WAP-4)
• Agniveena Express (Howrah WAP-4)
• Orissa Sampark Kranti Express (Ghaziabad WAP-4)
• Kalinga Utkal Express (Itarsi WAP-4)
• Dehradun Express (all) (Erode / Ghaziabad / Vadodara WAP-4)
• Purushottam Express (Ghaziabad / Santragachi WAP-4)
• Coalfield Express (Howrah WAP-4)
• Chambal Express (Howrah WAP-4)
• Vibhuti Express (Howrah WAP-4)
• Shaktipunj Express (Howrah WAP-4)
• Azad Hind Express (Howrah WAP-4)
• Guwahati Rajdhani Express (Ghaziabad WAP-4)
• Bagh Express (Howrah WAP-4)
• Falaknuma Express (Santragachi WAP-4)
• Shipra Express (Howrah WAP-4)
• Udyan Abha Toofan Express (Howrah WAP-4)
• Kushinagar Express (Bhusawal WAP-4)
• Udyog Nagri Express (Bhusawal WAP-4)
• Jhelum Express (Ludhiyana / Ghaziabad WAP-4)
• HW-LTT AC Express (Bhusawal WAP-4)
• Vikramshila Express (Mughalsarai WAP-4)
• North East Express (Howrah / Mughalsarai WAP-4)
• Pushpak Express (Bhusawal WAP-4)
• Swatantrata Senani Express (Mughalsarai WAP-4)
• Swarna Jayanti Express (Ghaziabad WAP-4)
• Millenium Express (Erode WAP-4)
• Kongu Express (Erode WAP-4)
• Tapti Ganga Express (Itarsi WAP-4)
• Lal Quila Express (Howrah WAP-4)
• Brahmaputra Mail (Ghaziabad / Mughal Sarai WAP-4)
• Andaman Express (Erode WAP-4)
• Himsagar Express (Erode WAP-4)
• Navyug Express (Ghaziabad WAP-4)
• Avadh Express (Vadodara WAP-4)
• Sangam Express (Kanpur WAP-4)
• Punjab Mail (Ghaziabad WAP-4)
• Godavari Express (Lallaguda WAP-4)
• Gautami Express (Erode WAP-4)
• Janmabhoomi Express (Lallaguda WAP-4)
• Pallavan Express (Erode WAP-4)
• Vaigai Express (Erode WAP-4)
• Sampoorn Kranti Express (Kanpur WAP-4}
• konark express (Lalaguda WAP-4)

These locos should enter Mumbai Area in Western Railway some end of December 2011 or Start of Jan 2012. And these should be enter Mumbai area of Central Railways at the start of Jan 2013.

See also

• Indian Railways
• Indian Locomotives
• Indian Locomotive Class WDM-2
• Indian Locomotive Class WAP-5
• Indian locomotive class WAP-7
• Indian locomotive class WAG-9

External links

• Specifications
• India railway fan club
• IR WAP-4 @ Trainspo