[Gansan]

Originally Posted by RGK

Can someone explain how our (Delhi) Metro runs. Recently travelled in the airport express (awesome work by DMRCL).
In Singapore some metros are driverless. An engineer checks all the critical parameters in the first trip and leave. The train services the whole day without the driver. Which are the companies manufacturing Electric locos in India?

Delhi Metro and all the other up-coming metro trains can operate without drivers, but I think our railway safety regulations do not permit it at present.

Even though each metro service is a separate company, they all must comply with the directions of the commissioner of railway safety.

[Rahul Rao]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

Sorry to be a party spoiler. Is this also a 'Vernier Caliper' copy of some foreign loco.

The EMD's SD80-ACe was the base of design for the WDG-5, but it is not a copy, being 500 HP more, as well as about 63 tons lighter.

Rahul

[sandeepmohan]

Originally Posted by ampere

Also the KA section of KK express runs of diesel engine (WDM3/WDM2). So even I expected him to not know.

There is every possibility the pilot did not understand your question in full. I have had conversations with many pilots, some I knew on a personal level, hitched rides with them and had many conversations. Some of these guys really know their stuff and some have no clue of what you are asking. Some of them can tell you what turbo is on the locomotive based on the exhaust note. I find it hard to believe that a pilot for the Karnataka express isn't trained to operate a EMD class locomotive considering this class of locomotive has been in operation for about 10 years now. Hubli division followed by Krishnarajapuram were the first to get them so the pilots in this region are probably the first to be trained on them. The section this train plies is heavily populated with EMD locomotives. I'd be curious to know the other trains this pilot operates.

[sagarpadaki]

KK has always got ALCO twins. Earlier it was WDM-2 twins . Then WDM-3A twins from ET(Itarsi) shed. Now it runs either on two WDM-3D or one WDM-3A and one WDM-3D from ET and sometimes from KJM shed

[ampere]

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

There is every possibility the pilot did not understand your question in full. I have had conversations with many pilots, some I knew on a personal level, hitched rides with them and had many conversations.

He fully understood. Because he clearly talked about series, parallel and shunt configurations of the DC motor for traction requirement. And he was forthright in telling that he did not know about which one had the AC drive.

Poor guy was totally harrowed because from Guntakal he was running behind a weekly superfast hauling a 25 carriage rake. Also he was lamenting that every 15-30 minutes he had to slow down from 110 to 30 thanks to no double tracking and the train ahead. And all this during the day when North India was fogged out. The train was already 6-7 hours late.

[directinjection]

Originally Posted by torquecurve

Our newer Locos (the WDG/P/M 4/5 series) are licensed versions of the GE EMD locos.

It's a licensed version of GM as in General Motors, not GE

http://www.rdso.indianrailways.gov.i...ocomotives.pdf

[tharian]

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki

KK has always got ALCO twins. Earlier it was WDM-2 twins . Then WDM-3A twins from ET(Itarsi) shed. Now it runs either on two WDM-3D or one WDM-3A and one WDM-3D from ET and sometimes from KJM shed

Small information.

No more WDM3d's for KK. That was when Itarsi was the loco link for KK.
More than a year since the link had changed from Itarsi to Moula Ali (MLY) and now it 90% twin re-built WDM 3a's.

It was sad the link changed since few railfans in Bangalore were waiting for the loco to be changed the dual cab WDP4d from ET which would have been a first to SBC area.

[sagarpadaki]

Originally Posted by tharian

Small information.

No more WDM3d's for KK. That was when Itarsi was the loco link for KK.
More than a year since the link had changed from Itarsi to Moula Ali (MLY) and now it 90% twin re-built WDM 3a's.

It was sad the link changed since few railfans in Bangalore were waiting for the loco to be changed the dual cab WDP4d from ET which would have been a first to SBC area.

Thank you. It's been a couple of years since I stopped rail fanning.

Sad news indeed for rail fans from Bangalore. Are the MLY twins end to end link or is there a Loco change somewhere?

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by tharian

Small information.

No more WDM3d's for KK. That was when Itarsi was the loco link for KK.
More than a year since the link had changed from Itarsi to Moula Ali (MLY) and now it 90% twin re-built WDM 3a's.

It was sad the link changed since few railfans in Bangalore were waiting for the loco to be changed the dual cab WDP4d from ET which would have been a first to SBC area.

I saw these MLY twins lying in the inspection car siding at SBC last week. But why will a WDP4D used in the case of the KK? The twins will do a better job in the single line sections and the kind of terrain that exists between SBC and Guntkal, and the number of stops. I feel that the 4D would do a better job for lesser stops and a good line capable of higher speeds.

[tharian]

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki

Thank you. It's been a couple of years since I stopped rail fanning.

Sad news indeed for rail fans from Bangalore. Are the MLY twins end to end link or is there a Loco change somewhere?

Loco change happens at Manmad from where it is a Wap4/7 to Delhi.

Originally Posted by audioholic

I saw these MLY twins lying in the inspection car siding at SBC last week. But why will a WDP4D used in the case of the KK? The twins will do a better job in the single line sections and the kind of terrain that exists between SBC and Guntkal, and the number of stops. I feel that the 4D would do a better job for lesser stops and a good line capable of higher speeds.

Sooner or later these prestigious trains are going to get EMD's is my guess.
Rajdhani and Udyan were two trains that run on the same line which had Alco's and now with EMD's. With Wdp4d and it's twin cab, there is no problem with the cab side just as in Twin Alco's and with 6 traction motors and an uprated 4500hp power pack., they can do the same job as the twins.

[audioholic]

The difference here is that two alcos can provide better tractive effort compared to a single EMD loco. The rajdhani rake will be lighter, easier to pull and has lesser stops, which a single EMD can belt it out with ease. For the KK express, that is why I feel that the ALCOs have still been provided. As you say, it will be replaced no doubt. A pair of WDP4 would be better. At least till the lines are doubled and certified for a higher MPS.

[sandeepmohan]

Originally Posted by audioholic

The difference here is that two alcos can provide better tractive effort compared to a single EMD loco.

Definitely. The EMD's still do quite well. Udyan, Kacheguda Express, Prashanti, Coimbatore - Kurla are all identical loads. I guess its a considerable saving on fuel and oil sticking with one EMD versus two Alco's. The joy of riding a diesel hauled train has to be an Alco. Those EMD's are boring when it comes to the exhaust note.

[tharian]

Originally Posted by audioholic

The difference here is that two alcos can provide better tractive effort compared to a single EMD loco. The rajdhani rake will be lighter, easier to pull and has lesser stops, which a single EMD can belt it out with ease. For the KK express, that is why I feel that the ALCOs have still been provided. As you say, it will be replaced no doubt. A pair of WDP4 would be better. At least till the lines are doubled and certified for a higher MPS.

I also feel that it has a lot to do with region politics as to which shed/region gets to haul these very important trains. KK and Raj are top priority trains .
If thought about, KK can so easily get twin WDM3a's from KJM to haul upto midway.
It took so many years for Rajdhani to get a KJM link from the earlier Kazipet. Yes, at the same time, Kazipet had a dedicated loco with modified parts to haul Raj.

[addyhemmige]

Originally Posted by tharian

I also feel that it has a lot to do with region politics as to which shed/region gets to haul these very important trains. KK and Raj are top priority trains .

Out of curiosity, who gets to decide which shed's locos are to haul a particular train? Going by the current discussion on the Karnataka Express, logically, it should be hauled by KJM locos since itself is at the origin of the train, right? If the loco class was changed for this train and the loco was unavailable at the shed located at the origin of the train, it would make sense.

I mean, for example, if a WDP4B was to haul the Karnataka express, I guess it would have made sense to allot from ET shed or anywhere else (KJM doesn't house WDP4Bs, right?). So, what is the point in getting the WDM3A twins from MLY when KJM has its own WDM3As?

[audioholic]

In my opinion, I don't think loco allocation is something to do with origin and destination of the train. Of course, its so for regional trains. But for such long distance trains, I think its more to do with ensuring good loco utilization and ensure that the loco links are practical as well as fail safe. A look into the loco link of these MLY twins can throw more light on why the said loco is used.