What kinds of bogies (trucks) are used by IR’s locomotives?

June 20, 2019, 12:15 PM
Share

What kinds of bogies (trucks) are used by IR’s locomotives?

For mainline BG locomotives, there were, until the 1980s, two main alternatives. The venerable WDM-2 which existed (exists) in vast numbers, along with the WDS-6, WAM-4, WAG-5, and some of the WCAM-1/2 locos used an Alco design asymmetric trimount (Co-Co) cast bogie design. Most other mainline BG locos used some variant of the GM-EMD ‘Flexicoil’ design, starting with the ‘Mark 1’ version for the WAP-1 and WAP-4 locos as well as the EMD-designed WDM-4 locos (export model SD-24), and variants known as ‘Mark 2’ or ‘Mark II’, ‘Mark 3’, etc., for other electrics such as the WAP-3. These were all cast bogies. RDSO experimented a lot with the designs of these bogies, to improve top speed, ride characteristics, etc., so that many variations can be found. The Flexicoil model was originally designed by GM-EMD and used in the American SD-7 locomotive of the 1950s. The innovation of the Flexicoil design at the time it was introduced was the isolation of lateral vibration by a swing hanger.

ये भी पढ़े – अफगानिस्‍तान में कमजोर पड़ता तालिबानी दुर्ग, जानें- इसका क्‍या है भारत-पाक फैक्‍टर

A newer generation of the Flexicoil design was introduced later in the form of the ‘Mark 4’ (‘Mark IV’) model which had a fabricated bogie frame assembly. This was used for the WAP-6, WDP-3A, and some other classes. These bogies were supposed to work up to 160km/h but turned out to be unsuitable for Indian track conditions at such high speeds and were restricted to 105km/h or so after initial oscillation trials. WDP-3A locos are now allowed to run at 120km/h on select sections such as the Konkan Railway stretch and the WR trunk route. The Mark IV Flexicoil bogies have some adhesion-increasing characteristics and have a rated top speed of 140km/h. The WAP-7 and WAG-9 locos use an ABB freight bogie design and have been tested and approved for speeds up to 140km/h.
Alco High-Adhesion bogies (which have a fabricated bogie assembly) were also introduced in the 1980s, and are used for the WDG-3A, WAG-7, WCAM-3, WDM-3D, WCAG-1, WCM-6, and other locos such as the Sri Lankan export model of the WDM-2. They are said to have several enhanced characteristics for providing high adhesion and good damping of vertical and lateral oscillations.
In addition there are some odd home-grown models of bogies such as the fabricated Bo-Bo bogies seen on the WDP-1 (based on a variant of the Flexicoil design) and WDM-6 locos. MG and NG locos have their own bogie designs, in most cases carried forward and adapted from the original imported loco models — there has not been a lot of active work at RDSO on developing new bogie designs for these narrower gauges.

Source – IFRCA.org

 

 

INFORMATION CENTER – www.informationcenter.co.in
 

 

 

 
Railway Employee (App) Rail News Center ( App) Railway Question Bank ( App) Cover art  

Railway Mutual Transfer

(App)
Information Center  ( App)
 
Disclaimer: The Information /News /Video provided in this Platform has been collected from different sources. We Believe that “Knowledge Is Power” and our aim is to create general awareness among people and make them powerful through easily accessible Information. NOTE: We do not take any responsibility of authenticity of Information/News/Videos.
Share

This entry was posted in 2 Railway Employee, Loco Pilot, Locomotive, Railway General Information