Alstom has started deliveries of the 12000 HP , WAG-12B electric locomotives to Indian Railways, which is all set to revolutionise freight logistics in the country. Built by Alstom, certified by Ministry of Railways and Commissioner of Railway Safety (RDSO), these WAG 12B engines are the highest-powered locomotives that will run on Indian rails.
Entry of WAG 12B (e-loco) will allow faster and safer movement of heavier freight trains capable to haul ~6000 tonnes at a top speed of 120 kmph. Planned to be deployed for operations on Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs), these e-locos will increase the average speed of freight trains in India by at least 20-25 kmph. Equipped with Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBT) based propulsion technology, it would lead to considerable savings in energy consumption due to use of regenerative braking. Additionally, this move will not only bring down operational costs, but also reduce the congestion faced by Indian Railways. The project has a strong impetus on indigenous manufacturing with 90% localization and as per the delivery schedule, 100 locomotives will be delivered annually.
“Alstom is pleased to start delivery of the electric locomotives to Indian Railways. Commencement of induction into the IR fleet, testifies our commitment towards the country. This is a revolutionary product which will be faster, safer and eco-friendly. Also, it is scripting a new chapter for India’s sustainable mobility journey and we are happy to be partnering in this.” said Alain SPOHR, Managing Director, Alstom India & South Asia.
In line with the Make-in-India mandate, all 800 e-locos are being manufactured indigenously. Designed at Alstom’s Engineering Centre in Bengaluru, these e-locos are being built in one of India’s largest integrated greenfield manufacturing facilities at Madhepura in Bihar. Spread across 250 acres, with a production capacity of 120 locomotives per annum, the Madhepura industrial site is built to international standards of safety & quality.
As per plan, two ultra-modern maintenance depots in Saharanpur and Nagpur will ensure high service availability of the locomotives. The Saharanpur depot is already functional and the Nagpur one is under construction. Equipped with ultramodern features, these depots will play a critical role in maintaining India’s most advanced freight locomotives at significantly lower costs.
About the Project :
As part of the largest Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) project of Indian Railways, Ministry of Railways and Alstom inked a Joint Venture worth 3.5 billion Euros (INR 25,000 crore) in 2015. Overall project is for manufacture of 800 double-section electric locomotives of 12000 hp for freight service and its associated maintenance for a period of 11 years. The scope also includes, set-up of a manufacturing plant at Madhepura (Bihar) for building the e-locos and two maintenance depots at Saharanpur (Uttar Pradesh) and Nagpur (Maharashtra). A true embodiment of India’s vision, the project will create more than 10,000 direct and indirect jobs in the country (primarily in the states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra).
About Alstom :
Leading the way to greener and smarter mobility worldwide, Alstom develops and markets integrated systems that provide the sustainable foundations for the future of transportation. Alstom offers a complete range of equipment and services, from high-speed trains, metros, trams and e-buses to integrated systems, customised services, infrastructure, signalling and digital mobility solutions. Alstom recorded sales of €8.2 billion and booked orders of €9.9 billion in the 2019/20 fiscal year. Headquartered in France, Alstom is present in over 60 countries and employs 38,900 people.
About Alstom in India :
Alstom has established a strong presence in India. Currently, the company is executing metro projects in several Indian cities, including Mumbai, Chennai, Kochi and Lucknow, where its supplying rolling stock manufactured out of its state-of-the-art facility in Sri City. In the mainline space, the company is executing Signalling & Power Supply Systems for the 343 Km section on World Bank funded Eastern phase of the Dedicated Freight Corridor.
Alstom, in a JV with Indian Railways is manufacturing the Nation’s most powerful electric locomotives of 12000 HP, at Madhepura, Bihar. The company will be supplying 800 units of these locomotives from this factory over the next 8 years and will also provide maintenance support through its depots in Saharanpur and Nagpur.
Alstom’s factory in Sricity builds rolling stock for Urban Metros, both for domestic as well as international (Sydney Metro) projects.
Today, Alstom employs ~5500 people in India and has 4 manufacturing facilities, located in SriCity, Coimbatore, Madhepura and Kolkata. The company has also setup its second largest Global Engineering Centre in Bengaluru. In line with Government of India’s ‘Make in India’ policy initiative, the company has been investing heavily in the country to produce world class rolling stock, components, design, research and development to serve the domestic as well as international markets.
Source: Alstom – Press Release
