Alstom's e-locos approved for freight locomotives to run at 120 kmph

The Railways Ministry has approved Alstom-built 12000 horse power (HP) electric locomotives to run freight trains at a maximum speed of 120 kmph.

The Railways earlier this year inducted WAG 12B electric locomotives, which are the most powerful to run on Indian tracks, according to the company. These locomotives have clocked over 1 million km, providing a significant fillip to the country’s freight logistics sector.

Electric locos allow heavy freight trains to haul 6,000 tonnes at a top speed of 120 kmph and they are expected to increase the average speed by at least 20-25 kmph.

“In line with India’s push towards self-reliance, we have successfully leveraged our local engineering and manufacturing capabilities. Alstom is also committed to support IR in reducing its carbon footprint and adopt cleaner technologies in its quest to transform into the world’s largest Green Railway network,” said Alain SPOHR, Managing Director of Alstom India and South Asia.

 “Equipped with Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBT) based propulsion technology, it would lead to considerable savings in energy consumption due to use of regenerative braking. The technology is also helpful towards making the acceleration process more efficient by reducing the heat generation and traction noise. Additionally, this move will not only bring down operational costs, but also reduce the congestion faced by Indian Railways”, he added.

Despite challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, with the advent of Unlock 1.0, Alstom restarted significant production at all its manufacturing facilities, ensuring all necessary permissions and adhering to government protocols. The company’s focus is to give maximum support and protection to all teams and workforce in the present adverse situation, it said in a statement.