World’s first diesel to electric locomotive
Diesel Locomotive Works., has developed world’s first electric locomotive converted from diesel locomotive, which was flagged by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the city of Varanasi, India on Tuesday 20th February 2019.
The work on the project began on December 22, 2017, and from conception to execution of the conversion of the diesel locomotive to electric was carried out in 69 days.
A diesel electric transmission system includes a diesel engine connected to an electrical generator creating electricity that powers electric traction motor without any clutch.
The converted electric locomotive delivers effectively 92 per cent more power -10, 000 HP against 2 x 2612 HP of two diesel locomotive, which can haul a load up to nearly 5300 tonnes providing a 2:1 HP to trailing load ratio. The conversion cost is less than the cost of midlife rehabilitation of a diesel locomotive. The new converted electric locomotive can achieve a maximum permissible speed of 46.6 mph (75 kmph) and successfully hauled 5200 tonnes of freight on its maiden voyage from Varanasi to Ludhiana.