electric

WAP6 class AC passenger locomotive:

  • Year entered service: 1997
  • Units built (maker): 16 (CLW)
  • Wheel arrangement: Co-Co
  • Power: 5350hp (5000 cont.)
  • Weight: 113 tonnes
  • Max Speed: 105 kmph (restricted)

A strikingly colored WAP4 (#22318) from Santragachi shed of SER pulls into Nagpur with the Howrah Mail bound to Mumbai. This WAP4 would haul the train upto Igatpuri (IGP) from where DC traction begins. There it will hand over charge to a WCAM3 AC/DC locomotive to take it forward. Nagpur is one of the busiest stations in India and one of the most wonderful places to watch trains come and go.

WAP4 (#22322) dubbed the ‘Palindrome’ by the HYB gang stands in the early evening sun at the outer signal of Hussain Sagar Jn. It is hauling the GZB WAP1 ‘Aastha’ featured earlier. These locos have undergone inspection and minor repairs at the Hyderabad electric loco trip shed and are now on their way to Secundrabad to take charge of their respective trains later in the evening.

#22069 featured earlier is again seen doing duty on the MAS-BZA Pinakini Express. The Pinakini is by far the most popular train on this route. It’s one of the very few 24 coach all sitting trains on IR, and runs more than 110% capacity on any given day. Without reservation, it is very difficult to find a seat on this train, and many passengers spend their entire journey on this train, standing.

The Delhi bound Tamil Nadu Express running with an Erode WAP4 (converted WAP1 #22061) waits at Nagpur station. The TN is India’s fastest long distance express train barring the Rajdhanis and Shatabdis. In the 70s, when it was introduced, it used to cover the distance between Delhi and Chennai faster than the Rajdhani today !!!!

WAP4 (#22300) from Kanpur is doing duty on the Lichhavi Express. Here it has just commenced its journey from New Delhi and is seen here entering Shivaji Bridge station, which is barely 800m away from the New Delhi station.

Erode shed’s WAP4 #22270 hurtles past the camera at speeds topping 110 kmph as it heads towards its destination Trivandrum. The locos hauling this train hold the record for the longest journey on IR for a single electric loco between New Delhi and Ernakulam. The Kerala Express also hold the record for the longest distance covered by a daily train on IR.

The Assistant Driver of the Delhi - Howrah Janata Express has a glass of water as he stands on the door of his charge, a Howrah based WAP4 (#22240). The trailing loco is a dead WAP6 class loco which is essentially a WAP4 with a different bogie design. The WAP6 failed to meet expected standards and is now relegated to do duty on slow trains like the Janta.

WAP4 (#22300) from Kanpur (CNB) shed, thunders over the Pennar bridge on an October evening with the Rajdhani Express to Chennai. The duties on this train are shared between GZB WAP1s, WAP5s and CNB WAP4s on various days of the week.

In true Santragachi tradition, WAP4 (#22387) looks resplendent in this beautiful blue - dark blue livery which matches the color of IR standard air-brakes trains. On the left it is seen moving out of Igatpuri trip shed with a parcel van attached to it, and minutes later thunders past us with the Howrah bound Geetanjali Express. Note the Igatpuri trip shed in the background (Right).

Lallaguda shed’s WAP4 (#22511) rolls past us with the Vishakhapatnam bound Godavari Express from Hyderabad. This spot of track just beside the Necklace Road in Hyderabad, was just outside my apartment block, and hence our favorite railfanning spot as well.