Ludhiana: Railway engineers develop battery-operated rail engine

The engine’s maximum speed is 15 km per hour, which is ideal for shunting

With the aim to reduce expenditure on fuel, engineers of Ludhiana railway station have developed a battery-operated rail engine. This will be used mainly during shunting to move the train rack from one place to another. The engine’s maximum speed is 15 km per hour, which is ideal for shunting.

The battery operated rail engine will be used mainly during shunting to move the train rack from one place to another. (HT Photo)

However, the engineers are working to increase speed and power. The engine can work on both tracks –overhead transmission and normal tracks.

Mohan Swaroop, senior divisional electrical engineer, Electric Loco Shed, said the WM-4 engine, which has been developed into a battery-operated engine, was produced in 1974 and brought to Ludhiana in 2001.

The engine was in use till 2009 and then sent to the electric shed. It was used till 2015 for shunting, but it was not used on track without overhead transmission and hasn’t been used for the last five years, Swaroop added.

“We have fitted 48 bolts and 800 ampere battery sets and installed an in-built charger. When it will work on overhead transmission tracks, the batteries will get fully charged automatically in 40 minutes,” the senior divisional electrical engineer said.

“It will minimise cost with almost no pollution. It will also helpful reduce response time and lower chances of mishaps,” he added.