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LocomotivesGeneralInformationI
Contents
Thispage
Classificationoflocomotives
Locomotivemanufacturers
Earlynonsteamlocos
Onpage2
Miscellaneous,serialnumbers,diagrams
Wheelarrangementnotations

ClassificationofLocos
Q.Whatdothedesignationssuchas'WDM2'mean?
Locos,exceptforoldersteamones,haveclassificationcodesthatidentifythem.Thiscodeisoftheform
'[gauge][power][load][series][subtype][suffix]'
Inthisthefirstitem,'[gauge]',isasingleletteridentifyingthegaugethelocorunson:
W=BroadGauge
Y=MeterGauge
Z=NarrowGauge(2'6")
N=NarrowGauge(2')
Theseconditem,'[power]',isoneortwolettersidentifyingthepowersource:
D=Diesel
C=DCtraction
A=ACtraction
CA=DualpowerAC/DCtraction
B=Batteryelectric(rare)
Thethirditem,'[load]',isasingleletteridentifyingthekindofloadthelocoisnormallyusedfor:
M=MixedTraffic
P=Passenger
G=Goods
S=Shunting

L=LightDuty(LightPassenger?)(nolongerinuse)
U=MultipleUnit(EMU/DEMU)
R=Railcar(seebelow)
Thefourthitem,'[series]',isadigitidentifyingthemodeloftheloco.Untilrecently,thisseriesnumberwas
simplyassignedchronologicallyasnewmodelsoflocoswereintroduced.
Revisedclassnotationfordiesels,2002:However,startingin2002,fordieselpassenger,goods,andmixed
locos,i.e.,WDP,WDG,andWDMsequences,(andonlyforthem,apparently,notforelectrics,norfordiesel
shunters),theseriesdigitidentifiesthehorsepowerrangeoftheloco,with'3'forlocoswithover3000hpbut
lessthan4000hp,'5'forlocosover5000hpbutlessthan6000hp,etc.Thisnewschemewillbeappliedtoall
passenger/goods/mixedhauldiesellocosstartinginJune2002,exceptfortheWDM2andWDP1classesof
locos.
Thefifthitem,'[subtype]',isanoptionalletterornumber(ortwoofthem)thatindicatessomesmaller
variationinthebasicmodelorseries,perhapsdifferentmotors,oradifferentmanufacturer.Withthenew
schemeforclassifyingdiesellocos(seeabove),thefifthitemisaletterthatfurtherrefinesthehorsepower
indicationin100hpincrements:'A'for100hp,'B'for200hp,'C'for300hp,etc.Sointhisscheme,aWDM
3Areferstoa3100hploco,whileaWDM3Fwouldbea3600hploco.
Thelastitem,'[suffix]',isanoptionalindicationthatindicatessomethingspecialabouttheloco,suchasa
differentgearingratioorbrakesystemthanusual.
So,aWCM2isabroadgauge(W)DCelectric(C)mixedtraffic(M)engine,model2.Likewise,aWDS/5
isabroadgaugedieselshuntingengine,model5,andaZDM5isanarrowgaugedieselmixedtrafficmodel
5loco.YAU1istheoldseriesofMGEMUsrunontheMadrasTambaramline.
Thesubtypeindicationofminorvariationsisnotverysystematic.Oftensuccessivevariantsofamodelare
givensubtypes'A','B',etc.inalphabeticorder,e.g.ZDM5A,WAM4A,WAM4B,etc.,butnotalways.For
manylococlasses(WDM2A,WDP2A,notably),the'A'alsoindicatesdualbrakingsystems(capableof
haulingairbrakedandvacuumbrakedstock).Butinsome,suchastheWDM2CA,the'A'indicatesaloco
withonlyairbrakes.AWAM4Risafasterversion('R'forrapid?)oftheWAM4,andWAM4Pisaversion
oftheWAM4designedspecificallyforpassengeruse('P').ButaWAM46Pisaversionregearedand
allowingallparalleloperationofthetractionmotors.AWDM2PisaprototypeversionofaWDM2class.
Similiarly,aWAG5HAisaWAG5withHitachimotors('H')builtbyCLWaWAG5HBisthesame,but
builtbyBHEL.AWAG5P,interestingly,isaWAG5loco(agoodslocoinitsoriginaldesign,asindicated
bythe'G')whichhasbeenmodifiedbyregearingtohaulpassengertrains(the'P'indicates'passenger')!An
'E'suffixoftenindicatesavariantthatispurelyairbraked(WAP1E,WAM4E,etc.,butredundantwitha
WAP4E.).
[5/02]Asindicatedabove,anewsystemofclassifyingmainlinedieselshasbeenintroduced.Thenew
schemegotoffthegroundwithrebuiltWDM2ClocosbeingreclassifiedasWDM3A(astheyhaveapower
ratingof3100hp).Itislikelythatthenewclassificationswillcoexistwiththeoldonesforsometime.
Withtheoptionalsuffix,thingsgetevenlesspredictableandlesssystematic.AWDM25PDisaWDM2
withadifferentgearingratio(the'5P',usuallya'P'insuchasuffixindicatesagearingratiosuitablefor
passengerservice).OntheotherhandaWAM46Pindicatesall6tractionmotorspermanentlyconnectedin
parallelinelectriclocos'S'and'P'oftenstandfor'series'and'parallel'combinationsoftractionmotors.
Dualbrakesystems('D')similarlywithaWAM46PD,anothercommondesignation.(It'sbeenreportedthat
the'PD'inthesemayactuallyrefertosuitabilityforpushpulloperation...??)AWAP1FMIIisavariantof
theWAP1usingFlexicoilMarkIIbogies.
Adhoccombinationsofmanysuchsuffixesarepossible,aswith'WAM4PHSDB6P'(HS=highspeed,
DB=dualbrakecompatible,P=regearedforpassengeroperations,6P=all6tractionmotorsmaybeplaced
inparalleloperation).TheWAM4locos,inparticular,arenotoriousforhavingcountlessminorvariationsas
CLWandvariousworkshopskeepmakingminorexperimentalchangestothem.Someshedsfollowtheir
ownschemestoo.Bhusawalshed,forinstance,adds'DBC'or'ABC'tolococlassestoindicatelocosthat
haveundergoneconversionofthebrakingsystems('dualbrakeconverted',and'airbrakeconverted').

ThemodelnumbersareassignedchronologicallyasnewlocotypesarebroughtintouseinIR,butthereare
someexceptions.Sometimesmodelnumbersareassignedtosomeexperimentallocoswhicharenever
broughtintoregularuse,e.g.,WAG8.
SomeshedshavebeenknowntousenonstandardclassificationsmarkingaWDM2locoasa'WDS2'to
indicateitisusedonlyasashunterisperhapsoneofthemoreegregiouslyconfusingpracticesseeninsome
sheds.'WDM2S'isanothernotationseenatsomeshedsforWDM2locosrelegatedtoshuntingduties.
[4/09]GoldenRockWorkshopshasembarkedonaprogramtoconvertoldMGengines(YDM4's?)to
broadgaugethesearedesignated'WCDS6'wherethe'WC'presumablystandsfor'Broadgauge,
Converted'.
Someclassificationcodesbreakthesystemabove:e.g.,'RD'isusedasacodeindicatingthepowerandthe
loadfordieselrailcars,andnot'DR'asonemightexpect:YRD1isaseriesofMGrailcars,NRD1similarly
anNGseriesofrailcars.RailcarsusedontheTambaramlinewereclassifiedsimply'RU'.'RB'isusedfor
railbuses,e.g.,theWRBrailbusesbuiltonAshokLeylandbusframesoperatingbetweenBangarpetand
Kolar.
EMUsfollowedthissystemforsometimethroughthe1950s,butforquitesometimenowhavenotdoneso.
TherearenumerousdifferentmodelsofEMUswithminorandmajorvariationsinuseintheMumbaisystem
andinothersystems,andtheyarenolongerdistinguishedby'WCUxxx'classcodesforthem.Seethe
DMU/EMUsectionformoreinformationontypesofthesemultipleunits.
TherearemanywaysinwhichtheclassificationcodeappearsinIRdocuments,paintedonlocos,etc.:
WDM2
WDM2
WDM/2
WDM2
TheHindiversionisusuallyaphonetictranscriptionofthewaytheclassificationcodewouldbepronounced
inEnglish('doubleyoudeeem')withtheseriesnumberinHindi.
Steam:ThelastfewmodelsofsteamlocomotivesusedinIndiahadthissystemofclassificationtoo,with
onechange,whichwasthatthe'power'codewasdropped.Hence:'WG'=BGGoodssteamloco,'WP'=BG
passengersteamloco,'YP'=MGpassengersteamloco,etc.However,thereareliterallyhundredsoftypesof
steamlocomotivesthathavebeenusedinIndia,andlocosclassified'WG','WP',etc.aretheexceptionrather
thantherule.SteamlocoswereclassifiedinamyriadofwaysinIndia,withdifferentsystemsusedby
differentrailways.SomestandardizationbeganwiththeIRSclassifications(seebelow).Note:Sometimes
thesesteamlocoshadadditionalnotations,e.g.,WGxreferredtoWGlocosfittedwithCBCcouplersfor
workingblockfreightrakes.
Theserialnumberofaparticularlocousuallyfollowstheclassificationcodeonthesidesandthefrontorrear
(betweenthebuffers)oftheloco.Seetheitemonnumberingbelow.
Interestingly,DLWseemstohavebrieflyused'V'asthegaugeindicationforCapegaugelocomotivesitwas
manufacturingforcountriesinAfrica(Angola,Sudan,Mozambique,etc.).A1350hpCapeGauge
locomotiveintendedforexporttoAngolaandSudanissometimesseendesignated'VDM4'.
Q.Whatisthehistoryoftheclassificationschemesforlocos?
EarlylocomotivesinIndiahadabewilderingvarietyofclassificationschemes.Regionalrailwayshadtheir
ownclassificationschemestoo.Formoredetailsonthis,refertoreferenceworkssuchasHughHughes'
classic4volumeworkonIndianlocomotives.
ThefirstBESAstandardclassesappearedin1903.TheHPS,SPS,HGS,andSGSsteamlococlasseswere
quitepopular.HP=HeavyPassenger,SP=StandardPassenger,HG=HeavyGoods,SG=StandardGoods.
Inthese,thesuffix'S'standsfor'superheated'.Analternativesuffix'C'indicatesaconversionto

superheating,e.g.SGC.Asuffix'M'wassometimesusedtomean'modified',forvariantdesigns.However,
theseclassificationcodeswerebynomeansuniversallyadopted,andvariousrailwayshadtheirown
schemes.
In1924,whenIRdecidedtoclassifyengines,theinitialnotationwas:
Xforbroadgauge
Yformetergauge
Zfor2'6"narrowgauge
Qfor2'0"narrowgauge
TheIRS(IndianRailwayStandard)classesXA,XB,XC,XD,XE,andothersinthe'X'seriesforBGYA,
YB,YC,YD,andYEforMGandZA,ZB,ZC,ZD,ZE,ZFfor2'6"NGandQA,QB,QCfor2'NG,were
alladoptedasstandardsbytheLocomotiveStandardsCommitteeby1925orsoonthereafter.
InfacttheQclasseswereneverbuilt,andoftheZclasses,onlyZBandZE(andamodifiedversionofZFto
agreewithexistinglocos)classeswerebuilt.Notalllocosofagivenclasswerebuiltbythesame
manufacturer.Someoftheseclassdesignationswerereusedlater(e.g.,ZD).In1945,'IRS'became'IGR'
(IndianGovernmentRailwayStandard),althoughtheclassnotationsremainedthesame.
'W'wasusedforbroadgaugeinsteadof'X'soonafterWorldWarII,withtheintroductionoftheWPand
WGlocomotives.'Q'wasalsoreplacedbythe'N'code.Someearlyelectricshadcodesbeginningwith'E'
(EF,EM,EG,etc.),butafterabout1945,whendieselandelectriclocoswereincludedinthescheme,the
codesformotivepowerwereadded(D,A,C,CA,B),whichhaveremainedunchanged.
Postindependencehistoryof'mixed'vs.dedicatedlocomodels
Intheearlydayslocoswereclassifiedstrictlyaccordingtotheload:goodsengines(G)(e.g.WG,YCG,
WCG,WAG,etc),orpassengerengines(P)(e.g.WP,WCP,etc).Thenthetrendwastowardsawholefleetof
mixedtraffic(M)engines(e.g.WDM,YAM,WAM,WCM,etc.)Between1960and1985orso,almostevery
locodesignwasofthe'M'variety,withtheonlytwoexceptionsbeingtheWCG/2(built1971orso)andthe
WAGseries(WAG5/5B/5HA/6A/B/C/7).TheintroductionoftheWAPenginesintheearly'80sindicateda
reversalofIRpolicyindedicatingenginesexclusivelyforpassengeroperationsonceagain.Somededicated
diesels(WDP,WDGseries)arealsonowunderdevelopment.

LocomotiveManufacturers
Q.Wherewere/arelocomotivesusedinIndiamanufactured?
Earlylocos(late19thcentury)werealmostallimported.ThefirststeamlocomotivewasbuiltinIndiain
1895attheAjmerworkshops.
Detailsofsomeofthemoreimportantmanufacturersaretobefoundinthesectiononproductionunitsand
workshops.
DomesticManufacturers
CLW:LargescalelocoproductioninIndiadidnotbeginuntiltheestablishmentoftheChittaranjan
LocomotiveWorks(CLW)in1950.MoredetailsonCLWhere.
DLW:TheDieselLocoWorkssetupatVaranasibeganproducingdiesellocosin1967,andhassincethen
producedalargenumberofmainlineandshunterdiesels.VariantsofvariousclassesintheWDSandWDG
seriesaresuppliedtoindustrialconcernsaswell.MoredetailsonDLWhere.
BHEL:BharatHeavyElectricalsLtd.(BHEL)suppliedsomeWAG5andthreeNBM1unitsinthe'80s,and
morerecentlyhassupliedWCAM2's,WCAM3's,WAG8's,andNDM6's.BHELalsomakeselectrical
transmissioncomponents,tractionmotors,alternators,andothercomponentsforboththreephaseandtap
changerlocomotives.ThelocomotivesaremadeatBHEL'sfacilitiesatBhopalandJhansi.Recently[2008]

BHELhasenteredanagreementwithIRtosupplyseveraldozenhighhorsepowerlocomotives.Asits
expertiseextendscurrentlyonlyto6,000hpdiesellocos,BHELisexploringforeignpartnershipswithGE,
Toshiba,andothersforproductionof10,000hplocomotives.
DCW:DieselComponentsWorks,PatialanowrenamedtheDieselModernizationWorksorDMW,supplies
componentsforsomelocomotivestoDLW.Italsoworksonrebuildingandupgradinglocos(e.g.,older
WDM2'sbeingconvertedtoWDM3Alocos).MoredetailsonDCWhere.
NGEFandCromptonGreavesareotherdomesticsuppliersoftractionmotors,alternators,etc.
TELCO:TataElectricalandLocomotiveCo.(TELCO)suppliedsomeYPandYGunitsinthe50'sand60's.
CumminsIndiamakesthedieselenginesforDMU's,HPDMU's,andsomeMGlocos.
SuriandNayar(SAN),locatedinBangalore,havesuppliedsomeshuntersandotherlocos,andpartssuchas
transmissions.
OvisLoco,basedinHyderabadsuppliessomeshuntinglocos(mainlyforindustrialcustomers).
VenkateshwaraTransmissions(Ventra)ofMedak(AndhraPradesh)isanothermanufacturerwhosupplied
somelocomotivesandlocomotivepartstoIR.
ICF:IntegralCoachFactoryhasbeenmakingEMUsforsuburbansystems(e.g.,theYAU1MG4carEMU)
since1966.Italsomakessomeselfpropelledspecialpurposeunits,suchasthedieselMedicalReliefVan
anddieselelectrictowercars.MoredetailsonICFhere.
BharatEarthMoversLimited(BEML)Formerlyastateownedenterprise,BangalorebasedBEML
manufacturesheavyengineeringproducts,includingawidevarietyofRailwayvehiclesmadeatits
BangaloreandMysorefacilities.BEMLmakescoachesbasedonthestandardICFtypedesign.Arecent
additiontothecompany'slineupwerehightechtrainsets(broadgaugeand(asof[8/09])standardgauge)
destinedfortheDelhiMetro.DMRCrollingstockismanufacturedintechnicalcollaborationwiththe
KoreanfirmROTEM.Inaddition,BEMLalsomanufacturesRailbuses,OHEvansandtracklaying
equipment.BEMLhadmanufacturedcoachesforthenowscrappedMGEMUsserviceinChennai.The
companyisverylikelytosupplycoachesforplannedMetrosystemsinBangalore,Mumbaiandotherplaces.
BombardierTransportationmakestrainsetsfortheDelhiMetroatitsplantinVadodara,Gujarat.
TheJamalpurWorkshopofERmanufacturesdieselselfpropelledunitssuchascranesforclearingwreckage
andconstructionwork.MoredetailsonJamalpurhere.
TheIzzatnagarWorksmanufacturesrailbusesandrailcarsusingAshokLeylandIvecoengines,and
HindustanMotorsorKirloskarPneumaticsconvertersandtransmissions.
Jessop&Co.,anengineeringcompanyfoundedin1788(andnowinthepublicsector)hasmanufactured
wagons,cranes,andEMUrakes(manyoftheoldEMUrakesintheCalcuttaandMumbaisystemswerebuilt
byJessop).MoredetailsonJessophere.
ParelWorkshopsofCRhasbeenassemblingBGdiesellocomotivessince2006,mostlyWDS6class
shunters,usingcomponentsfromDLW,DCW,andelsewhere.Between2006and2009itmanufacturedabout
88suchlocomotives,abouthalfofwhichwenttoprivatecompanies(industrialshunters)whiletheothers
werepurchasedbyIR.
[2007]AnewdiesellocomotiveproductionfacilityhasbeenproposedtobesetupatMarhora(Marhowra)in
theSarandistrictofBihar,nearChhapra.IRisexpectedtoprocure1000diesellocosofvaryingpower
capacities(4,500hp6,000hp)fromthisfactoryover10years.Thisisexpectedtobeajointventurewitha
private(foreignorIndian)manufacturingentityGEandEMDareconsideredcandidates[2/09].
[2007]AnewelectriclocomotiveproductionfacilityhasbeenproposedtobesetupatMadhepurainBihar,
withacapacitytoproduce120locosayear.IRisexpectedtoprocure800electriclocosof12,000hppower

capacityfromthisfactoryover10years.Thisisexpectedtobeajointventurewithaprivate(foreignor
Indian)manufacturingentitySiemens,Alstom,andBombardierareconsideredcandidates[2/09].
ForeignManufacturers
Therearemanyforeignsuppliersofearlylocos:dozensofmanufacturersarerepresented,includingBagnall,
BeyerPeacock,VulcanFoundry,NasmythWilson,SLM,KerrStuart,Henschel,Hunslet,Dubbs&Co.
(Glasgow),MetropolitanCarriageandWagonWorks,SentinelCarriageandWagonWorks(Shrewsbury),
FreidKrupps,SharpStewart,KitsonMeyer,Kawasaki,GeneralElectric,etc.
MorerecentforeignsuppliersoflocosincludeAlco(WDM1,someWDM2,someYDM4),GM(WDG1,
WDM4,YDM3,YDM5),EnglishElectric(WCM1,WCM2),Henschel(WDM3),MaschinenbauKiel
(WDS3,ZDM2),MontrealLocoWorks(YDM4A),Hitachi(WCM3,WCM4,someWAG2),Mitsubishi
(WAM2,WAM3,YAM1,someWAG2),AseaBrownBoveri(WAP5,someWAG9),Toshiba(some
WAG2),Krupp(someWAM1),Alsthom(someWAM1),KrausMaffei(someWAM1),GeneralMotors
EMD(WDP4,WDG4,someWDM4),andArn.Jung(NDM1).
CranesandotherequipmenthavebeensuppliedbyGottwald,Sheldon,ABB,etc.Jamalpurworkshops
makesmanykindsofbreakdowncranes.
TowercarsandtrackandOHEinspectionvehiclesaremanufacturedbyCLWandJamalpurWorkshops.
IndustriallocomotivesofvariouskindsweresuppliedbyAndrewBarclay,Brookville,Baldwin,Henschel,
CanadianLoco.Co.,GreenwoodBatley,Ruston&Horsnby,TELCO,Arn.Jung,KrausMaffei,GE,and
manyothers.
SovietLocomotivesPostIndependenceIndiahadaprettycloserelationshipwiththeUSSR,andhadaccess
toawiderangeofSoviettechnologyinmanyfields.Interestingly,though,Sovietinfluencewasextremely
limitedintheareaoflocomotives,whichwasdominatedbyEuropeanandAmericansuppliersasmentioned
above.TheSovietUnionhelpedbuildsomeofthesteelplantsandotherindustrialsitesinIndiainthe1950s
and1960s,andafewindustriallocomotivesdidseemtohavemadetheirwaytoIndiafromtheUSSR.In
particular,36typeTELBoBoDElocomotives,of5'6"gauge,variantsoftheTGM3750hpendcab
switchersarelistedinsomelocomotivecompilationsasintendedforIndia.Thesewerebuiltaround1957at
Lugansk.ATEVversionappearstohavebeenbuiltat1958,alsoatLugansk.Whileitisnotentirelycertain,
itseemslikelythesewereintendedfortheBhilaiSteelPlantwhichwasbuiltwithSoviethelpand
commissionedin1959.IronorefortheplantwasminedatDalliRajharaandtransportedovera85.5km
railwaylinetoBhilai,whichopenedonMay14,1958.A20kmlineconnectedBhilaitoAhiwarawhere
limestonewasquarriedthislinewasopenedonApril1,1960.
(InformationfromtheWDLmailinglist,postedbyJohnMiddleton.Reference:VitalyRakov,Locomotives
ofourcountry'srailways,1995,Moscow,ISBN5277008217.)

Earlynonsteamlocos
Q.WhichweretheearliestdiesellocomotivesintheIndiansubcontinent?
In1915,a2'6"gaugediesellocowassuppliedtotheIndiaOfficebyAvonside(Bristol).Thisispresumedto
haveworkedonsometeaplantationinAssam.
In1921,a2'0"gauge040diesellocobuiltbyBaugleysofBurtononTrentwasdeliveredtoBengal.
In1923,twodiesellocosbuiltbyRutonProctorofLincolnwereusedontheBarsiLightRailway.
In1929,a2'0"gauge040diesellocowassuppliedbyMaffei(Germany)toCKAndrew,London,for
deliverytoIndia.TheirultimateuseanddispositioninIndiaisnotknown.
Two420hp(or350hp?)dualcabBGdieselshuntersfromWilliamBeardmore(withelectricalcomponents
fromGEC)wereusedbytheNorthWesternRailway(nowinPakistan)in1930.

In1934,anArmstrongWhitworthdieselelectricrailcarwasdeliveredtoNWRforuseonthe2'6"Kalka
Simla.
In1935,two1200hpBGdieselelectriclocoswith8cylinderArmstrongSulzerengines,builtbyArmstrong
Whitworth,wereobtainedbyNWRfortrialsontheKarachiLahorelineinpreparationforaproposednew
KarachiBombayroute.Theyhada1AC2wheelarrangement.Noneoftheseexperimentsproved
successfulandthelocoswereinallcaseswithdrawnverysoon.
CeylonGovernmentRailwaysobtainedonedieselelectricshunterandtwodieselelectricmixedtrafficlocos
in1934fromArmstrongWhitworth.ThetwomixedtrafficlocoswereactuallymadefortheIndianState
Railways(astheywerethenknown)butturnedouttobeoftoolowapowerfortheirrequirementsandwere
soldtoCGR.TheseprovedunsuitableandweresenttoArgentinain1937,andultimatelyscrappedsoon
thereafter.
Between1930and1940,variousIndianindustrialconcernsobtained14diesellocos.Bagnallinconjunction
withDuetzsupplieda4speed2225hpdieselloco(DuetzPM2117design)in1934toBundlaBetaTeaCo.,
AssamforthePengarieDigboitrolleyline.Ithadatopspeedofabout15km/h.In1936,BBCIobtainedone
dieselelectricshunterfromArmstrongWhitworthwhichsurvivedintothe1950's.In1940,theJamnagarand
DwarkaRailwayobtainedoneMGdieselfromBrookville(USA).
Inthemid1930s,theNizam'sStateRailwaysobtainedafewdieselrailcarsfromGanz.Thesewereinuse
untilthe1950sorso.GanzsuppliedNWRin193940withsomedieselrailcarsaswell.Someofthesewere
allocatedtoIndiawhenNWRassetsweresplitfollowingthepartitionofBritishIndia.
In194445,theUSATCsupplied15GEbuiltBGBoBodiesellocoswithCaterpillarenginestoWR.These
weremidcabmachineswithshortandnarrowhoodsoneitherside.Severalofthesewereworkinguntil
about1990,whentheywerewithdrawnandscrapped.OneispreservedattheDieselLocoWorks,Varanasi.
In1949,afewMGdieselmechanicallocosbuiltbyFowlerwereimportedbyIRforuseinthearidregions
ofSaurashtra.OneoftheseispreservedattheNationalRailMuseum,NewDelhi.In1955,20'DY'diesels
byNorthBritishwereimportedforuse,alsoinSaurashtra(MG).Thelocosofthesecondbatchwere
reclassifiedasYDM1's,andafewstillsurvive[1/00].
Q.WhichweretheearliestelectriclocomotivesinIndia?
TwoMGelectriclocosusingoverheadelectrificationweresuppliedtotheMysoreGoldFieldsin1910by
BagnallsofStafford.ElectricalequipmentforthesewassuppliedbySiemens.
Electricallyoperatedrailtrolleys(patentedbyTAWhite,anEIRengineer,andhenceknownasWhite's
PatentedRailMotorTrolleys)wereusedinafewplacesbeginningin1910.EIR'sLiluahCarriageand
WagonworksusedonebetweenLiluahandHowrahtheOudhandRohilkandRly.alsousedonefortrack
inspections.InthefollowingyearsJessopandCo.suppliedafewmoreofthesetovariousrailways.
In1922anelectricloco(unknowngauge)usingoverheadelectrificationwassuppliedtotheNaysmyth
PatentPressCo.inCalcuttabyBritishElectricVehicles.
Q.Otherthandiesels,werethereotherinternalcombustionlocosusedinIndia?
Forcontemporaryapplications,seethesectiononalternativefuels.
In1905KerrStuartdelivereda12hp040petroldriven2'6"locotoMorviRailwayandTramways.
In1909,arailcarwithaDodgepetrolenginewassuppliedtotheMatheranLightRly.
In1909,a060petroldrivenMGlocowassuppliedbyMcEwewnPrattandCo.ofWickfordinEssexto
AssamOilCo.In1910,MorviRailwayandTramwaysobtaineda30hp040petroldriven2'6"locofrom
NasmythWilson.In1910and1911,afewpetroldrivenparceldeliveryvehiclesweresuppliedtoEIRby
Thornycroft.Another13petroldrivenlocosweredeliveredbyvariousbuildersupto1920,andafurther75

between1920and1930.Theirusestarteddecliningafterthat,andonly27morewereorderedlater(until
1940).
SomepetroldrivenrailcarswerebuiltbytheMotorRailandTramCo.,Ltd.,andsuppliedtotheSouth
IndianRly.in1925.Theirengineswererated65bhpat1000rpmarailcarseated85.Theywererefittedwith
dieselenginesinthelate1930s.
TheShahdaraSaharanpur2'6"LightRailwayhadapetrolrailcarsuppliedbyDWickhamCo.in1935.
ABrookvillepetrollocomotivewasusedbytheMatheranLightRailwayin1928.Tworailcars(oneseating
8,theotherseating14)withDodgepetrolenginesandchaindriveswerealsousedbythisrailway(1909,
1927).
ThreealcoholfuelledMGlocoswithmechanicaltransmissionsweresuppliedbyDavenportLocomotive
Works(Iowa,USA)tosomeunknownIndianindustrialconcernin1949.
Continueontoreadabouttractiveeffort,serialnumbersandwheelarrangements.

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