Traction

Electric and Diesel traction constitute the principal modes of traction on IR.
The share of traffic in terms of Train Kms. and GTKMs for passenger and
freight services hauled under different traction types over the years is given
in the following tables:
Percentage of Train Kms. by types of traction
Year Passenger Freight
Steam Diesel@ Electric Steam Diesel Electric
Loco EMU
1950-51 93 - 2 5 99 - 1
1960-61 91 - 2 7 94 5 1
1970-71 77 7 7 9 46 39 15
1980-81 49 25 14 12 18 62 20
1990-91 21.8 42.4 22.6 13.2 3 60.6 34.4
2000-01 - 56.2 31.2 12.7 - 43.5 56.5
2010-11 - 49.4 36.6 13.9 - 37.5 62.7
2013-14 - 48.9 37.0 14.0 - 35.9 64.1
2014-15 - 47.7 38.4 13.9 - 36.6 63.4
2015-16 46.9 39.0 13.9 - 37.13 62.9
@ Includes DHMU & DEMU

Percentage of Gross Tonne Kms. by types of traction

Passenger Freight
Steam Diesel@ Electric Steam Diesel Electric
Loco EMU
1950-51 92.4 - 2.8 4.8 98.3 - 1.7
1960-61 91.9 - 2.7 5.4 90.5 8.1 1.4
1970-71 74.1 10.7 8.2 7.0 32.2 47.7 20.1
1980-81 41.2 33.0 17.2 8.6 9.0 67.0 24.0
1990-91 15.1 47.1 29.5 8.3 0.8 57.8 41.4
2000-01 - 52.8 40.2 7.0 - 40.2 59.8
2010-11 - 48.8 44.0 7.2 - 35.7 64.3
2013-14 - 48.7 43.9 7.3 - 36.6 65.4
2014-15 - 47.7 44.1 8.2 - 35.2 64.8
2015-16 45.7 45.5 8.8 - 34.9 65.1
@ Includes DHMU & DEMU

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Electric Traction:
Electric Loco Production at CLW:
During 2015-16, a product mix of 280 Electric locomotives including
215 High Horse Power (6000HP) locomotives based on advanced 3-phase
drive technology have been manufactured by CLW. From December 2015,
production of conventional tap changer electric locomotives has been
stopped and only three Phase locos equipped with IGBT based propulsion
system are now being manufactured by CLW. These locos have regenerative
braking feature and are therefore more energy efficient. One 6000 HHP 3
Phase locomotive helps in reducing 250 tonne of CO2 emission per annum
in the environment.
Pursuant to the award of contract for setting up Electric Locomotive
Factory at Madhepura, Bihar, 12000 HP locomotives with IGBT technology
will be manufactured at Madhepura. The first locomotive is expected to be
received by February, 2018. These locos will reduce CO2 emission to the
extent of 500 tonne per annum and will reduce energy consumption by 12-
15% due to regenerative braking feature.
High Speed Locomotive:
At present WAP-5 Electric locomotive is the only High Horse Power
electric locomotive capable to haul at 160 kmph. CLW has equipped one
WAP-5 locomotive with modified drive gear assembly for running at service
speed 160 kmph. This drive gear assembly is simpler in design than the
existing hurth coupling arrangement and will be tried on more number of
locomotives for extended field trials.
Energy Conservation:
Traction Electric energy bill is nearly 22% of total working expenditure
of IR. Even small increase in regeneration of energy can cause substantial
impact in reduction of IR electricity consumption and thereby energy bill.
Three phase electric locos are inbuilt with regenerative braking feature
enabling regeneration up to 20% electricity. This regenerated energy is fed
back to the grid and consumed by other trains running in the section, and
resulting in reduction in traction energy bill and also result in reductions in
CO2 emission.
Hotel Load Converter:
At present, two Diesel Generator power cars are used at either end of
the trains to feed electricity for train lighting and air conditioning (referred
as Hotel load) in Rajdhani and Shatabdi Express trains. To eliminate these
noisy, air polluting & uneconomic power cars, Hotel Load converters are
now being provided on Electric locomotives which provide cleaner electricity
to cater to Hotel Load drawn from over head traction power supply through
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locomotive pantograph. At present, some WAP7 locos are under extensive
field trials on Northern, Southern and Western Railway. This will reduce
noise pollution caused by power cars and reduce CO2 emission by using
clean energy from OHE.
Diesel Traction:
Indian Railways has a fleet of about 5,345 mainline BG diesel locos based
in 44 Sheds. There has been a constant improvement in the availability,
reliability and fuel & lube oil efficiency of the fleet. Following initiatives have
been taken by IR for improving availability & reliability and enhancing the
safety concerning diesel locomotives and train operation.
Air Conditioning (AC) of Locomotive Cabs: Loco Pilots are working in
extreme weather conditions of heat, humidity and dust. Provision of AC in
loco cab will reduce fatigue level on run and will make working environment
of crew better and improve their efficiency. So far, ACs have been fitted in
359 Diesel Locos.
Bio–Diesel: IR has started using HSD oil blended with 5% bio-diesel (B5)
mixture on World Environment Day i.e on 05.06.2015 at two locations
Itarsi/West Central Railway and Sanathnagar/South Central Railway.

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Subsequently it has now started at 16 locations on 8 Zonal Railways. Use
of bio-diesel will result in reduction of Greenhouse Gases emission, earning
of carbon credits & saving of foreign exchange. Bio-diesel is expected to be
5-10 % cheaper than High Speed Diesel.
CNG DEMU: IR has already embarked on its journey to use alternate source
of energy like CNG in its fleet of Diesel Electric Multiple Units (DEMUs). CNG
is not only cheaper fuel than diesel but is also more environment friendly
and also results in a saving in fuel cost by 6% by use of CNG engines in dual
fuel mode.
Auxiliary Power Unit (APU): APU is a self-contained unit containing
a small diesel engine coupled to a compressor and alternator for battery
charging. It has its own set of controls, accessories and is integrated to the
existing microprocessor control system of locomotive. In APU System, main
engine shuts down and small 25 HP Engine starts and charges batteries
and air brakes pipes, when loco idles for more than 10 minutes. The diesel
engine of APU consumes only 3 litres of diesel per hour in comparison to 25
litres by the main engine of the locomotive. Expected savings per loco fitted
with APU is ` 20 lakhs per year on account of savings in fuel oil only.
Remote Monitoring and Management of Locomotives and Trains
(REMMLOT): Enables remote monitoring of Diesel Locomotives. It
specifically enables analysis of lapses on part of the loco pilot, when he is
reported to have passed a signal at danger. This will enable focused counseling
and training of such crew, who are prone to unsafe working. REMMLOT also
monitors condition of locomotive and helps in preventive maintenance of
locomotives. REMMLOT monitors shutting down of locomotives when idle
for a long time and generates management information to ensure this. The
above system is already running on about 2,582 locomotives.
Guidance for Optimized Loco Driving (GOLD): This is a GPS
based driver guidance system, which assists the loco pilot in optimizing
fuel consumption with an eye on terrain ahead. It advises the loco pilot to
lower throttle if there is a down gradient ahead or to throttle up if there is
a climb ahead. It also warns the crew of signals, stations and level crossing
gates ahead. Successful trials have been conducted and this system will be
proliferated on the locomotives.
Common Rail electronic Direct Injection (CReDI): Use of CReDI as
fuel injection system leads to reduction in fuel consumption, reduction of
emissions to very low levels and reduction of engine combustion generated
noise. In addition the life of engine is increased due to controlled injection
and combustion of fuel. The performance envisaged with implementation

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of a CReDI system is reduction in fuel consumption by 4-6% over the duty
cycle with added benefits of reduced key emissions.
The following development are also in hand with regard to Diesel
Locomotives:
Multi-genset locomotive: Developed by RDSO and DMW in collaboration
with NREC of USA, in this the single large engine is replaced by three smaller
engines. An on-board computer monitors the power requirement and shuts down/
starts engines as per load demands, which makes it more fuel-efficient and also
reduces emission. Two such locomotives have been turned out by DMW/PTA.
Dual-mode Locomotive: With modern electronics, it is much easier to
build an electro-diesel locomotive (Dual mode), which is equally capable
of running at designated speeds both on electrified and non –electrified
territory. These are very useful and economical for operation in territories,
where there are a number of traction change points. There will be huge cost
savings due to reduction in the detention time of locomotive and rakes at the
traction change points. This will eliminate shunting of locomotives at traction
change points, improve flexibility of operation in the goods yards/sidings and
increase throughput of the sections. In the event of major accident/natural
calamities where OHE gets affected, dual mode loco will provide excellent
operational flexibility to work on diesels until the normalcy is established. A
dual mode loco design has been developed by RDSO.
Diesel Locos with Hotel Load capability: Provision of hotel load
has been made on Deisel Locomotives which will eliminate use of diesel
generator cars, thereby replacing one power car by a passenger carrying
coach and the other power car would be standby. This will help in fuel
saving to the tune of 10-15% of the consumption in power cars. Prototype
with 500 KVA hotel load has been manufactured and is in use in LJN-R-BPL
Garibrath, ANVT-KGM Shatabdi Exp., NDLS-DDN Shatabdi Exp., JU-JP
Intercity Exp., JP-AF Shatabdi Exp.
Toilet onboard 4500 HP WDG4D Diesel Electric Locomotive: DLW
has designed and manufactured a HHP Diesel Electric Freight locomotive
fitted with Vacuum type toilet having microprocessor based controls and
inbuilt safety interlocks onboard. It is equipped with environment friendly
and self-sustaining bio digester technology for onboard sewage treatment.
First WDG4D HHP locomotive fitted with vacuum based toilet and bio-
digester system has been flagged off on 06th May 2016.
Steam Locomotives:
Steam locomotives are the icons of IR’s century old rich history. These
gallant stalwarts of a bygone era are now part of IR’s glorious heritage.

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Considering their heritage value and attractiveness for the tourists, the
following sections have been earmarked for running of trains hauled by
steam loco:
i) Broad Gauge Steam service between Delhi Cantt. and Rewari.
ii) Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR), now in its 137th year and a
UNESCO World Heritage Site.
iii) Nilgiri Mountain Railway, now in its 109th year and a UNESCO World
Heritage Site.
iv) Kalka-Simla Railway (KSR) now in its 114th year and UNESCO World
Heritage Site.
v) Neral-Matheran on Matheran Light Railway (MLR), now in its 110th
year.
vi) Kangra Valley Railway (KVR), now in its 88th year.
Besides about 20 steam locomotives that are in regular operations,
IR have also preserved about 16 steam locomotives as working heritage.
The Rewari Steam Shed has been rechristened as Rewari Heritage Steam
Centre in 2002 for recreating the memories of working Steam Shed and
now maintains six Broad Gauge and four Meter Gauge working steam
locomotives, that include the iconic “Fairy Queen” (1855), placed in the
Guinness Book of Record as being the oldest working locomotive in the
world.
In addition, about 230 steam locomotives, many of which are more
than 100 years old, have been preserved at the National Rail Museum,
Regional Rail Museums, Railway Stations, heritage parks and other public
places for display and bringing back memories of old glory to the minds of
the visitors.
Consumption of Fuel/Energy
Quantity Consumed
For Traction For other than traction
Purposes (excluding
manufacturing units)
2014-15 2015-16 2014-15 2015-16
Electricity (Million KWH) 15742.89 15,701.20 2503.38 2,524.44
HSD Oil (Million litres) 2856.19 2,874.53 37.66 43.66
Coal (Million tonnes) 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.001

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