Source – https://www.financialexpress.com/business/railways-meet-the-beast-of-indian-railways-indias-most-powerful-electric-locomotive-know-more-3327871/
Publisher – Financial Express
The Ministry of Railways has shared a video of the ‘Beast of Indian Railways’ on its official X account. The video showcases the WAG 12B, India’s most powerful electric locomotive, which can haul heavy freight trains at high speeds.
The WAG 12B is a product of the ‘Make in India’ programme and is a milestone in the development of the railways.
What makes the WAG 12B a beast?
The WAG 12B is a 12,000 horsepower (HP) electric locomotive, which is twice as powerful as its immediate predecessor WAG-9. It can pull 6,000 tonnes of load at a top speed of 120 kmph. It has a Bo-Bo design with 22.5 tonnes of axle load, which can be upgraded to 25 tonnes. It is equipped with insulated gate bipolar transistors or IGBT-based propulsion technology, which enables smooth acceleration and deceleration. It also has regenerative braking, which saves energy and reduces carbon emissions.
How does the WAG 12B benefit the railways?
The WAG 12B is expected to increase the average speed of freight trains in the country by at least 20-25 kmph. This will help to decongest the saturated tracks and improve the efficiency and safety of freight operations. The WAG 12B will also enhance the connectivity and capacity of the Dedicated Freight Corridors, which are being developed to boost the freight movement in the country. The WAG 12B can be tracked through GPS for strategic use through embedded software and antennae are lifted through the servers on the ground through a microwave link.The Ministry of Railways captioned the video on X as ”Beast of Indian Railways:- Wag12B India’s most powerful electric locomotive”. The video has received positive reactions from the users, who praised the engineering marvel and the leap forward in rail technology. On the other hand, Some users also asked questions about the deployment and the compatibility of the WAG 12B with the existing tracks and overhead cables.
