Indian locomotive class WCAM 2/2P

WCAM-2/2P
Type and origin
Power type Electric
Builder Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited
Total produced 20
Specifications
UIC class Co'Co'
Gauge 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm)
Electric system(s) 25 kV 50 Hz AC AC
1.5 kV DC
Current collection Pantographs one each for AC and DC
Performance figures
Maximum speed 80–100 km/h (50–62 mph) DC, 120 km/h (75 mph) AC, Test run 135 km/h (84 mph)
Power output 3,780 hp (2,820 kW) DC
4,720 hp (3,520 kW) AC Continuous
4,950 hp (3,690 kW) Starting
Tractive effort 26,000 kgf (250,000 N; 57,000 lbf) DC
33,400 kgf (328,000 N; 74,000 lbf) AC
Career
Operators Western Railways, Central Railways
Numbers Starting from 21861 to 21880
Nicknames "Balwant" for No.-21861
Locale Formerly Western Railways (Valsad), Now Central Railways (Kalyan)

WCAM-2 is a class of locomotives used in the Indian Railways system. They are the second of the WCAM series. They use the same motors as WCAM 1 but with different circuitry and gearing. They usually work on Mumbai Central - Vadodara - Ahmedabad section and Vadala Road - Kings Circle - Mahim- Bandra section but they can be seen on Vasai Road - Diva - Kalyan Junction section too. Sometimes they travel up to Pune but not beyond that because of the unavailability of maintenance facilities.

MU operation is possible with 3 units. WCAM-2P is the passenger oriented version of WCAM-2 class. However they perform better than WCAM 1 series. Same as WCAM 1 class they also perform poorly in DC mode compared to AC mode. They are also used for hauling trains away from the DC section of suburban trains to AC section and perform the same task as the WCAM-1 do.

WCAM 2P engine at Vadodara Junction

.WCAM-2 locos have the same traction motors, as the WCAM-1 locos, but different circuitry and gearing. The bogies are somewhat different from those of the WCAM-1 being fabricated trimount Co-Co bogies with secondary suspension. Rated speed 105 km/h in DC mode and 120 km/h in AC mode. (In trials by RDSO this loco is said to have been run at speeds up to 135 km/h in AC mode.)

Almost all of these are dual-braked, but a few are equipped with air brakes only. Double-header freights with these locos are a common sight on the Wadala road-Kings Circle-Mahim-Bandra run. They can also be seen on the Vasai-Diva-Kalyan section which is the furthest point they operate out of WR. All the WCAM-1's and -2's are homed at Valsad shed in Gujarat.

Many of CR's WCAM-2 locos were not used much in DC zones (exceptions were the CR / Bombay Port Trust's Wadala marshalling yard a portion of which has DC traction, and for hauling the Punjab Mail in the late 1970s) as they delivered very poor performance in DC mode and on CR's heavy grades. Although these locos have the same traction motors as the WAM 4 and WCAM 1, the power output from the WCAM-2 locos is higher than for the WAM-4 and WCAM-1 because in those models the traction motors are underfed (3460kVA transformer in contrast to the 5400kVA transformer for WCAM-2) and do not yield their potential maximum power. Under AC traction, the WCAM-2 locos operate with all six motors in parallel (this has been enforced by modifications to these locos), while in DC mode they also operate in the all-series and series-parallel (2S 3P, i.e., three series-pairs of motors in parallel) configurations.

Recent WCAM-2's from BHEL, including the passenger-specific version WCAM-2P, are rated 2900 hp in DC mode and 4700 hp in AC mode (max. speed 120 km/h in AC mode). These are used by WR for fast trains, running at up to 120 km/h on the Virar-Godhra AC section (Mumbai-Virar is DC but has reduced speeds because of the suburban traffic). CR has tried the WCAM-2 and WCAM-2P units but found them usable only with speed restrictions. Some WCAM-2P units have only air brakes.

With the WCAM-2 locos, MU operation is possible with up to 3 (4?) units.

Some (all?) of the WCAM-2 locos were originally leased to IR, ownership remaining with BHEL, the manufacturers.

Loco sheds holding WCAM engines

Although previously housed at Valsad loco shed, post the DC - AC changeover on Western Railways, all the WCAM 2/2P locomotives were transferred to the Kalyan loco shed.

Technical specifications[1]

Manufacturers Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited
Traction Motors TAO 659 (575 kW (771 hp), 750 V). Axle-hung, nose-suspended, force-ventilated.
Gear Ratio 62:15, 58:21
Transformer BHEL 5400 kVA.
Rectifiers Two silicon rectifier units D1800N44 (Siemens), 16 cells per bridge. 1000 V / 3600 A
Axle load 18.8 t (18.5 long tons; 20.7 short tons)
Bogies Co-Co trimount fabricated bogies with secondary suspension.
Pantographs Stone India AM-12 (AC) and Stone India AM-18B (DC)
Notches Total 32
Weight 113 t (111 long tons; 125 short tons)
Length 20,950 mm (68 ft 8 3⁄4 in)
Total wheelbase 15,698 mm (51 ft 6 in)
Brakes Vacuum and/or Air

Trains Hauled by WCAM-2/2P

  1. Barmer Yeshvantapur AC Express
  2. Pune Ahmedabad Duronto Express
  3. Mumbai Pune Intercity Express
  4. Avadh Express
  5. Deccan Queen
  6. Pragati Express

See also

References

  1. ↑ WCAM-2 at Indian Railways Fan Club
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