Indian Railways: Top 6 Modern Locomotive Factories in India

India has one of the largest Railway networks that set an exemplary transport system. It is easily accessible and available for passengers to travel across India. It is also considered one of the biggest Government organizations to offer job opportunities. In 2019, Indian Railways was counted as world’s largest recruiter. Since decades, Indian Railways is working with a goal to provide a comfortable journey to its passengers. In this race it has included digital services like checking of PNR status online, train schedule, seat availability etc. At present, passengers can also order food online in train from different restaurants during their journey. Passengers traveling to millions of kilometer every day are aware of the locomotives which make the train run at various speed; but are unaware of the fact that there’re are many rail locomotive factories in India which produce these world-class technical locomotives at optimum cost. India is one of the countries that manufacture most powerful and high-speed locomotives product. Here’re the details and list of railway locomotive factories in the India.

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Overview of Indian Railways Locomotive Industries
The below-mentioned seven players of the locomotives Industry are the giants among Indian Railways engine manufacturing plants:
1. Chittaranjan Locomotives Works (CLW):

It is the first Indian Railway locomotive company which began manufacturing locomotive products. It was established on 26th Jan 1950 and started production activity the day when country became Republic. Initially the company produced steam locomotives but after some years it started producing diesel as well as electrical locomotive of different types but now. At present, steam locomotives are used only for the heritage trains. The company Chittaranjan Locomotives work has transformed itself from being a manufacture of steam locomotives to Diesel locomotives and finally to modern, high power and electric locomotives.
The name of the company has been kept after the name of the freedom fighter that is “Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das”. The factory obtains its steel from Asansol and Jamshedpur and hydel power from the Maithon Dam. The company is located at Chittranjan Locomotives in Asansol. CLW is one of the largest locomotive manufacturers in the world which has supplied different types of locomotives. In present CLW is proudly called state of the art 3 phase locos.
Locomotives Manufactured by Chittaranjan Locomotives Works
WAP-7 : 6350 hp, 25 kV AC, Broad Gauge (B.G.), passenger locomotive, 140 km/hr, 3-phase technology.
WAP-5 : 5400 hp, 25 kV AC, Broad Gauge (B.G.), passenger locomotive, 160 km/hr / 200 km/hr, 3-phase technology.
WAG-9 : 6350 hp, 25 kV AC, Broad Gauge (B.G.), freight locomotive,100 km/hr, 3-phase technology.
WAG-7 : 5000 hp, 25 kV AC, Broad Gauge (B.G.), 1.676 m, freight locomotive, 120 km/hr, Tap changer/DC Traction Motor technology.
WAP-4 : 5350 hp, 25 kV AC, Broad Gauge (B.G.), 1.676 m, passenger locomotive, Max. Operating speed 140 km/hr,Tap changer/DC Traction Motor technology.

2. Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL)

Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited is the largest engineering and manufacturing company in India formally incorporated on 13th Nov 1964. BHEL is one of the locomotive manufacturers of India with the capability to manufacture entire range of power plant equipment. The factory caters to the core sector like: power generation, transmission, industry, transportation, renewal energy, oil, gas, water, defense, aerospace, and e-mobility and energy storage solution.
The company is founded by the Government of India which is based in New Delhi. BHEL is entitled as the India’s largest power plant equipment manufacture. BHEL contributed a major proportion to Indian Railway by supplying thousands of Electric Locomotives, DE Locomotives, Electric Multiple Units, Track maintenance machine. BHEL made WAG7 of Erode Loco Shed hauling Freight.

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3. Diesel Locomotives Works, Varanasi (DLW)

The Diesel Locomotive Works was found in 1961 but the company incorporated and rolled out its first locomotive three year later on 3 January 1964. The DLW is located in the city of Varanasi, India. It is one of the production units that manufacture diesel- electric locomotive and its spare parts. It is the largest diesel- electric locomotive manufacture in India. The annual production capacity of DLW is 250 locomotives and its further planning to increase up to 275 locomotives. The company is crowned with the title of “Best Production Unite Sheild”, as in the year 2016-2017 it manufactured 334 diesel- electric locomotives which was the highest ever loco production by any loco manufacturing unite in India.
DLW locomotives have power outputs ranging from 2,600 horsepower (1,900 kW) to 5,500 horsepower (4,100 kW). Currently DLW is producing EMD GT46MAC and EMD GT46PAC locomotives under license from Electro-Motive Diesels (formerly GM-EMD) for Indian Railways. Some of its EMD locomotive products are WDP4, WDP4D, WDG4D, WDG5 and others as of June 2015.

4. Diesel-Loco Modernization Works (DLMW), Patiala

Diesel – Loco Modernization Works was established in the year 1981 and is located in the Indian state of Patiala. DLMW has extended the service life of diesel locomotives which helps the Indian Railway and significantly raises the level of availability. The company manufactures and supplies the best quality components and sub- assemblies as spares. IT also deals in re-manufacture of critical assemblies for the unit exchange system of the Diesel Locomotives maintenance system of the Railways. The company DLMW has also started producing WAP 7 locomotives.

5. Golden Rock Railway Workshop, Tiruchirapalli

Golden Rock Railway Workshop is a railway workshop which is situated in Ponmalai, Tiruchirapalli in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is one of the three railway workshops serving Indian Railway Southern Railway Zone. The workshop is part of the railways’ mechanical department. The other two Southern Railway workshops are in Perambur, Chennai. The Workshop was set up in 1897 to maintain steam locomotives. It had state of the art facilities, including power house which generates electricity for the workshop and for the residential colony made especially for railway employees.

6. Electric Locomotive Factory (ELF), Madhepura

On 11 October 2017, the Electrical Locomotive factory, Madhepura had started manufacturing locomotive products. It is a joint venture of Alstom SA of France with Indian Railways for the production of 800 high- power locomotives over a period of 11 year designed to run on Indian tracks at 120 km/ hour. In November 2015, the Ministry of Railway awarded the contract of Madhepura project and Marhowra project to Alstom and General Electric. On 10th April 2018, it was announced by Honorable Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi that India’s first high speed WAG-12, 1200 HP freight electric locomotive will be manufactured at Madhepura.

Locomotive manufacturing industry is one of the leading industries where high-end locomotives are manufactured for the railways to achieve a level of smooth operation for train running.