electric

WAM4 class AC mixed duty locomotive variants:

  • WAM4P: Passenger operations
  • WAM4--6P: motors in 6 parallel mode
  • WAM4 2S-3P : 3 motors in 2 parallel pairs each
  • WAM4-6PD: Dual braking capabilty
  • WAM4-6PD + HS: high speed variants
  • WAM4-6PD + ABC: Air brakes only

A WAM4 loco belonging to SCR’s BZA shed crosses the bridge over the river Pennar just outside Nellore in Andhra Pradesh. This unit seems to have been transferred from Tatanagar shed of SER as the livery suggests. Inter zone transfers of loco is common practice on Indian Railways. This 4 car passenger train is not a regular time tabled service but was being run by SCR to counter the effects of the strike by the employees of the state owned road transport company in October 2001.

An Arrakonam based  WAM4-6PE approaches a caution signal just outside Nellore. Note the illunimated flasher lamp normally used to alert railway staff at stations or passing trains.

The gateman at the level crossing just before the south end of the Pennar bridge gives the all clear flag to the driver of the passenger to Ongole being hauled by a BZA shed WAM4-6PE (#21271) locomotive. The brute still retains the classic BZA colors which are sadly being converted to a dull maroon livery.

A matching livery WAM4D-6P (#20508) is seen at the rear end of the Chennai - Tirupati Sapthagiri Express. The short 3 hour run to Tirupati includes a reversal at Renigunta and to avoid delays while switching ends, SR has equipped this train with a unique driving cab at the other end. This cab is connected to the loco via control cables running through the rake, allowing the driver to control the loco without reversing it physically.

The headlamps of a Bhusaval based WAM4 class loco pierce through the thick fog enveloping the fields just to the north of Mathura. Fog in the winter months of northern India throws life totally out of gear with trains and flights getting delayed by as much as 24 hours.

The Amritsar - Bilaspur Chattisgarh Express waits at Kosi Kalan station to allow the New Delhi - Bhopal Shatabdi Express to overtake it. The locomotive in charge of the train is a Bhillai based WAM4. The loco carries a humanoid motif on the side of the bodyshell which is typical of its sister shell at Tatanagar indicating the fact that it has been transferred to Bhillai from the latter.

3 WAM4 class locos flank a WAP4 at the Igatpuri AC trip shed in Maharashtra. The red-cream WAM4s belong to Itarsi, while the maroon locos is a Bhusaval unit. The WAP4 is a Jhansi based unit. I had to take this pic hidden behind the caboose for two reasons: Overexposure due to direct sunlight falling on the lens and a patrolling RPF cop, who caught us any way and we had a tough time explaining our presence in his precincts.

These dimunitive machines are the Hitachi built YAM1 class MG locomotives which run on the only existing MG electrified network in India running south from from Chennai Egmore. However the time for these cute little machines is running out as this section has been identified for conversion to BG. All locos of this class are based at Tambaram shed.