WDM2 class diesel mixed duty locomotive:

• Year entered service: 1962
• Units built (maker): 2700+ (ALCO/DLW)
• Wheel arrangement: Co-Co
• Power: 2600hp (2400 net)
• Weight: 113 tonnes
• Max Speed: 120 kmph (105kmph LHF restriction)

The WDM2 is the easily the most recognizable locomotive of IR. I guess almost everybody in India would have seen one. An ALCO (US) design; they were first imported to India in the 60s. Subsequently DLW - Varanasi has turned out more than 3000 of its variants. Here a WDM2 based at Tughlakabad (TKD) hauls a freight on the Goods Avoiding Line (GAL) through Delhi.

A beautiful WDM2 (#16607) from Abu Road diesel shed starts from the Delhi Cantt. station with the Ashram Exress to Ahmedadbad. The 24 coach load requires two such beasts and the trailing unit is in the conventional maroon livery. Note the packed general compartments filled with commuters travelling to Delhi’s satellite towns.

A WDM2 (#17594) hauls a WDP1 through Maula Ali yard near Hyderabad. Apparently they are headed towards their home shed at Kazipet for periodic inspection. Kazipet is home to one of the biggest diesel sheds in IR serving the Hyderabad / Secundrabad region with motive power for its freight & passenger needs.

A Jhansi shed WDM2 crosses a canal as it hauls a load of passenger cars towards Delhi. The wagons are converted passenger coaches with specially designed doors on both ends to facilitate easy loading and unloading of vehicles. It is surprising though, to see a diesel hauled freight on the busy Mathura - Delhi corridor.

A TKD based WDM2 (#18934) brings in the 4309 Ujjain-Dehradun Express at Hazrat Nizamuddin. The rust colored rake is significant of the vacuum brake operations on the rake. VB rakes are slowly giving way to more efficient and safe Air Brakes which are commonly seen in the blue-dark blue colors.

A brightly colored WDM2 (#18851) from Bhagat Ki Kothi (Jodhpur) shunts around the yard at Sarai Rohilla in Delhi. Sarai Rohilla serves as the terminus for westbound trains on the BG/MG lines towards Rewari. The loco is preparing to take charge of the overnight train to Jaisalmer.

A Kharagpur WDM2 (#16252) starts with the Guwahati - Chennai Express from Bhubaneshwar station’s platform #4. This train has achieved notoreity for impunctuality and this day was no exception with it arriving more than 8 hours late. How much more time it will lose by the time it reaches its destination is anybody’s guess.

A beautiful green gold  WDM2 belonging to Golden Rock shed of Southern Railway stands light in the sidings at Chennai Egmore. In a couple of hours this loco was to haul the Pearl City Express.

The driver of WDM2B (#16603) gets off to inspect his loco as it waits at a stop signal at Hafizpeta station. The loco based at Kazipet is wearing Gooty colors where it might have been based earlier. The loco was a 14 day schedule loco which means that it  has to visit the shed once in 14 days for maintenance rather than the usual 7.

The shunting master of the Bhubaneshwar yard looks all business as he guides the driver of a Bondamunda (BNDM) WDM2 #16237 hauling the empty rake of the Hirakhand Express in to the coaching depot. WDM2 locos are employed for shunting duties at Bhubaneshwar as no nearby shed stables the WDS4 or WDS6 class locos normally used for such duties.

The Secundrabad - Tenali Nagarjuna Express thunders through Maula Ali station as its Guntakal based WDM2A (#17782) leaves a thick trail of smoke in its wake.