WAG9 class AC freight locomotive:

• Year entered service: 1996
• Units built (maker): 52+ (ABB/CLW)
• Wheel arrangement: Co-Co
• Power: 6125hp (6000 cont.)
• Weight: 123 tonnes
• Max Speed: 100kmph

WAG7 (#27589) from Lallaguda shed sporting the newer paint scheme has just brought in a load of coal into Santahnagar along with a sister unit. Apart from the livery change, newer WAG7 units sport twin headlamps at the waist level. Strangely enough, the markings in Hindi state that the loco belongs to South Central Railway whereas those in English read Southern Railway !! Possibly a case of shed transfer.

A WAG7 (#27627) belonging to the Kanpur shed of North Cental Railway stands at Chalesar station on the Agra - Tundla Jn. line as it is overtaken by the Udyan Abha Toofan Express. The livery on this locos is a couple of shades deeper than the one normally found on blue WAG7s. Also note roof mounted twin- beam lamps as opposed to waist level lamps seen in the previous picture.

A WAG7 unit (#27620) belonging to Ludhiana shed of Northen Railway passes through Sardar Patel Marg station on the Ring Railway on early winter morning in 2003. Note the use of the front pantograph. This  locomotive probably belonged to some other shed earlier as one can see some markings painted over near the buffer beams.

#27644 belonging to Southern Railway’s Erode (ED) shed enters Tundla with a fully loaded BOXN coal rake. After clicking the snap, the loco halted and I ha a chat with the drivers who offered me a ride. Unfortunately the load was southbound via Agra-Jhansi which was in the opposite direction to my intended direction of travel so I had to politely refuse :o(

The WAG9 has changed the rules for hauling freight trains on IR. It is single handedly capable of starting a 4500T load on a 1:150 gradient, something which took 2 WAG7s to achieve. After importing the initial lot from ABB, CLW has indigenously started manufacturing these beasts. #31056 is one Indian built unit which is seen hauling a load of coal at over 90kmph as it thunders through the countryside near Mathura.