WAM4 class AC mixed duty locomotive:

• Year entered service: 1970
• Units built (maker): 500+ (CLW)
• Wheel arrangement: Co-Co
• Power: 3900hp (3640 cont.)
• Weight: 113 tonnes
• Max Speed: 105-110kmph

A Bhusaval (BSL) based WAM4 2S-3P loco hauling the Dakshin Express from Hazrat Nizamuddin negotiate the last few kilometers from its destination Hyderabad. It is met by the Howrah bound East Coast Express on the outskirts of the Hussain Sagar lake. It is unusual for the Dakshin to be hauled by a BSL loco, a job usually reserved for Vijaywada (BZA) locos. The 2S-3P notification signifies that its traction motors are geared in 2 pairs of 3 motors setup in parallel.

A WAM4-6P unit homed at South Central Railway’s Vijaywada (BZA) shed hurtles through Maula Ali station just outside Secundrabad. It is doing duty on the East Coast Express. The 6P notation means that all 6 traction motors are running in parallel mode. BZA is the home base for SCR’s entire WAM4 fleet as all WAM4s from Lallaguda shed have been transferred here.

A freshly painted  WAM4-6PE (#20573) loco belonging to Southern Railway’s Arrakonam (AJJ) shed enters the Pennar bridge with the Howrah - Tiruchirapalli Express. AJJ is the latest shed to adopt the Rajdhani style livery for its WAM4 locomotives.

A WAM4 class locomotive from Bhusaval shed of Central Railways is easily topping 110kmph  as it hauls an unidentified express train on the outskrits of Kosi Kalan station near Mathura. This section of track is one of the fastest in India with Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains touching speeds more than 130 kmph.

A light WAM4 unit belonging to Itarsi shed (ET) shunts in the Igatpuri yard having just brought in the Mumbai bound Howrah Mail (via Allahabad). A WCAM3 has taken over its duties to carry the train forward through the DC territory to Mumbai. Itarsi is one of the few stations in India to boast of a electric, as well as a diesel loco shed.

A similarly colored WAM4P (#20644) unit from Ghaziabad enters Agra with the Howrah bound Udyan Abha Toofan Express coming from Sriganganagar. This train is a direct descendent of the famous ‘Toofan Mail’ of yesteryears, but sadly has been reduced to a crawler. The tag ‘Toofan’ (storm) is more of a pun on its name nowadays.

WAM4 #21373 from Itarsi shed hauls an unidentified express through a curve just outside Kosi Kalan town in Eastern Uttar Pradesh. This spot, just to the north of the railway station is highly recommended for non stop high speed action.

At Igatpuri, a Bhusaval based WAM4-6P takes charge of the Agra bound Lashkar Express from Mumbai (LTT). Almost all WAM4s are now being fitted with twin beam sealed headlamps. Note the flurry of activity around the first coach as porters hurriedly load parcels in the luggage area of the front SLR.