Indian Railways to get major electrification boost! In a bid to upgrade Indian Railways’ electrification, haulage capabilities, Siemens has built a 9000 HP propulsion system. Under ‘Make In India’ initiative, the equipment has been completely designed, built and manufactured in the country. The newly developed high-power equipment will improve haulage capabilities, average speed as well as utilization of rolling stock assets. According to a press release issued by Siemens, the firm is equipping Indian Railways’ 9000 HP electric locomotive with the first indigenously-designed and produced integrated propulsion system and steel tank transformer.
As part of its rail electrification initiative, Indian Railways is upgrading its electric locomotives from 6000 HP to 9000 HP. Siemens is supplying high power traction converters, drive systems, motors as well as steel tank transformer, which will be part of the propulsion equipment for 9000 HP passenger and freight locomotives. Siemens claimed that these electric locomotives will boost the haulage capacity of the national transporter by around 50 per cent, thereby improving average speed as well as utilization of rolling stock assets. The advanced technology of the propulsion system aims to save traction energy cost, reducing fuel expenses along with carbon emissions. The indigenous 9,000 HP electric locomotive has been pre-commissioned by Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW) and the trial runs will begin soon.
Tilak Raj Seth, Executive Vice President and Head, Mobility, Siemens Limited has said that this achievement is a step towards fulfilling Indian Railways vision of enhanced haulage capability, complete electrification and building high-technology systems in line with Make in India initiative.
As Indian Railways is upgrading its tracks along with its signalling infrastructure, it is also working towards hauling its trains with electric locomotives as they are environment-friendly compared to the diesel ones. Interestingly, last year, in a first, a diesel locomotive was successfully converted into electric traction by Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW), Varanasi.