Indian locomotive class WDS-3

Indian locomotive class WDS-3
Type and origin Power type Diesel-hydraulic Builder Maschinenbau Kiel Serial number 600330–600336[1] Model 650 C[1] Build date 1961 Total produced 7 Rebuilder CLW Rebuild date 1976–1978 Number rebuilt All 7
Specifications Configuration: ​  • UIC C  • Commonwealth 0-6-0dh Gauge 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) Wheel diameter 1,092 mm (3 ft 7 in) Length: ​  • Over couplers 10.700 m (35 ft 1+1⁄4 in)  • Over body 9.430 m (30 ft 11+1⁄4 in) Width 3.030 m (9 ft 11+5⁄16 in) Height 4.267 m (14 ft 0 in) Loco weight 57 tonnes (56 long tons; 63 short tons) Fuel type Diesel Engine type WDS-3 Maybach MD 435 WDS-4C MaK MaK 6 M 282 A(K)
Performance figures Maximum speed Mainline gear: 65 km/h (40 mph) Shunting: 27 km/h (17 mph) Power output WDS-3 618 hp (461 kW) WDS-4C 700 hp (520 kW) Tractive effort Mainline gear: 11,500 kgf (113,000 N; 25,000 lbf) Shunting: 18,000 kgf (180,000 N; 40,000 lbf)
Career Operators Indian Railways Numbers 19046–19052 Locale All over Indian Railways Disposition All scrapped

The class WDS-3 was a diesel-hydraulic locomotive used by Indian Railways for shunting and doing departmental work. The model name stands for broad gauge (W), diesel (D), shunting (S) 3rd generation (3). The WDS-3 is used mostly in the Northern Railway Zone (NR). All these locomotives were withdrawn and scrapped by the late 1990s.

History

The history of WDS-3 class starts in the early 1960s with the aim of the Indian Railways to address the growing requirement for a new shunting locomotive class. These locomotives were designed by Maschinenbau Kiel (MaK) to the specifications set by the Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO).^[2] Many aspects of this locomotive were taken from the DB Class V 60. They use Suri hydrodynamic transmission developed for these diesel locomotives and were designed as shunting-cum-shuttle service locomotives.^[2] For this purpose, the reversing gear box attached to the Suri transmission was designed to have two gear stages; in the lower gear, designated as "shunting gear", the locomotive was designated to have a maximum speed of 27 km/h and in the higher speed gear designated as "mainline gear", the maximum locomotive speed was 65 km/h.^[3] The locomotive was fit for both shunting and mainline type of services up to a limited speed of 65 km/h.^[3] Subsequently, it was decided to manufacture locomotives of similar type ingeniously by Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW). These locomotives are designated as WDS-4 class.

When the lot of 7 WDS3 shunters came, initially they had a lot of troubles with these locomotives, but the trouble was confined more to the power pack than to the transmission.^{[citation needed]} But in course of time, going into detail about the troubles that were being experienced and the mechanics were able to get over a lot of these difficulties and in-fact the transmission was also modified to suit with the engine.^{[citation needed]} Between 1976 and 1978 all seven units were rebuilt to WDS-4B specifications by CLW, and received a new engine and a simplified transmission. These units were reclassified as WDS-4Cs. By 1990s all units were withdrawn from service and were scrapped.^[4]

Former shed

• Shakurbasti (SSB): All the locomotives of this class has been withdrawn from service.

See also

• Rail transport in India § History
• Locomotives of India
• Rail transport in India
• Indian locomotive class WDM-2

References

Notes

1. "MaK - 650 C für die Indian Railways (IR)". loks-aus-kiel.de (in German). Lok-Datenbank.de. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
2. Anees Siddiqui (March 2014). "Application of hydraulic based transmission system in Indian locomotives- A Review". Government Industrial Training Institute. ResearchGate. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
3. "WDS-3". IRFCA.org. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
4. "All Locos". IRFCA.org. Retrieved December 10, 2023.

Bibliography

• Hughes, Hugh (1996). Indian Locomotives: Part 4 – 1941–1990. Harrow, Middlesex: The Continental Railway Circle. ISBN 0-9521655-1-1. OCLC 35135033.